#30 When Being Selfish is Actually Good

#30 When Being Selfish is Actually Good

Author: Texas Monthly August 12, 2020 Duration: 32:40
This episode gets personal, as each host reveals how they have worked to be more optimistic at home and in life through mantras, therapy, and perspectives. The common thread is a focus on one’s self to improve overall outlook.

There's a particular kind of conversation that feels like a deep breath of fresh air, and that's what you'll find within Good Newscast. Created as part of the Texas Optimism Project and brought to you by Texas Monthly, this series moves beyond simple good news to examine how a hopeful perspective is built and sustained. Hosts Owen Egerton, Chelsea Francis, and Andrew Roush guide these discussions with a genuine curiosity, treating optimism not as a naive outlook but as a practical tool for engaging with the world. Their episodes are less about headlines and more about the underlying ideas-the thought-starters and personal stories-that can reshape a day or even a mindset. Tuning into this podcast feels like joining a thoughtful, warm dialogue among friends who are genuinely interested in where hope comes from and how it manifests in everyday life, from small personal interactions to broader cultural shifts. Sponsored by Frost Bank, the show deliberately focuses on the constructive, the uplifting, and the possible, offering a necessary counterbalance in a noisy media landscape. It’s a space designed not to ignore complexity, but to explore how we navigate it with a sense of purpose and connection.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 35

Good Newscast (Sponsored by Frost)
Podcast Episodes
#14: Democracy & The Rainbow Railroad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:26
Owen, Andrew and Arely, our fearless questers of positivity, have found hope. It comes in the form of a Rainbow Railroad, a healing program for students with PTSD, and good health from--get this--democracy.
#13: A Story Behind the Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:10
Owen takes us on a pilgrimage across Spain, Andrew spotlights new ways to keep plastic from outnumbering fish in our oceans, and Arely gives us the story behind the story of a hero meteorologist in Abilene.
#12: Half-Full or Half-Empty? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:54
At the halfway point of the series, Owen, Andrew and Arely seek out stories that are good news in the making. These works in progress give us hope--from capping the price of insulin, to funding state parks, to coming to…
#11: Femme Heroes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:43
On episode 11, Owen, Andrew and Arely deftly navigate three stories of three women--all of whom face hardships and danger to emerge as heroes for us all.
#10: Optimism By the Numbers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:59
In this week's episode, Owen, Arely and Andrew extrapolate optimism from 18 pizzas, 3 million meals, and 242 years of American self-governance.
#9: Lightning Round [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:44
In this special "lightning round" episode, hosts Arely, Andrew, and Owen speed through headlines—some good, some not-so-good—seeking optimism in education, examining history and embracing your wrinkles.
#8: 42,000 Pounds of Avocados [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:02
Andrew and Owen discuss their roller derby names while Arely highlights the headlines that can inspire optimism in nature, starting with 42,000 pounds of loose avocados.
#7: Dancing For Myself [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:56
In this special "Happy Hour" edition, Owen tempts the existential crisis of contentment vs. happiness from a story about biscuits. Arely claps for Austin's animal no-kill rate, and Andrew is inspired to dance in traffic.
#6: Be The Match [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:11
Owen and Arely host a special guest for Episode 6. Brenda Garza from GenCure joins the discussion to appeal for blood and marrow donors. She also reveals that her involvement in the program comes from her own personal st…
#5: Laughter, Music & Medicine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:11
In Episode 5, Owen shows us how a Broadway musical can help us to find ourselves, Andrew tells of a UT Medical student bringing doctors to small town Texas, and Arely reveals how Dan Johnson's music is helping save the l…