Kaitlin Olson’s Glorious Things

Every week, CultureWag asks a genius to recommend 3 gifts from the Muses. Ms. Kaitlin Olson, comedy warrior queen, soon to appear alongside Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder in HBO Max’s funny-ouch-funny Hacks, (streaming May 13) gifts you with these:

1. The song “Get By” by Talib Kweli. There’s no bad mood this song can’t snap me out of. I used to blare it in my car on the way to auditions, and sing it at the top of my lungs. It instantly turns me into a superhuman who can accomplish anything — for a good 20 minutes.

2. The children’s book “What Do You Do with an Idea?” by Kobi Yamada. It’s the most beautifully illustrated story—about a kid who has a good idea but second-guesses himself, is worried what other people think, and almost gives up. But the idea’s too special and undeniable, and he chooses to believe it, and himself, and ends up changing the world. I’ve been reading this book to my boys for years, and it gets me every time.

3. Gratitude. This is the most cheeseball of all answers, but I try to acknowledge three things for which I’m grateful every morning. When I remember to do it, it’s a game changer for the day. There’s power in focusing on what you have worked so hard to achieve, because it cancels out the very human desire to long for what you don’t have.