
Do You Have a Culture ...
where leaders and professionals embrace resilience, adaptability and practical optimism ...
that empowers them to navigate challenges, turn setbacks into steppingstones and thrive through adversity so …
your organization can transform obstacles into opportunities, shift from reactive to resilient and lead with optimism?
The way we think shapes the way we succeed. When your team thinks differently, they perform differently. Let’s work together to build an engaged culture of resilience, adaptability and unstoppable success.
Meet Rya Hazelwood
Author | Motivational Speaker | Consultant
I believe in the power of a well-timed reframe. The right mindset isn’t just a feel-good concept … it’s the difference between staying stuck and breaking through.
And the most effective leaders? They don’t just manage outcomes. They shape culture, model resilience and lead with clarity and confidence – even when the map disappears.
I’m Rya Hazelwood, speaker, author and founder of Relentless Optimism™. I help leaders and teams reframe adversity, build high-trust cultures and turn challenges into momentum – all under the powerful umbrella of actionable optimism. Not a feeling, but a strategy. And when practiced well, a superpower.
I draw from: more than two decades of corporate communications leadership; the experience of building, scaling and selling my own business; and a personal journey that’s taught me to lead with authenticity, belief and grit. Through keynote speaking, mindset strategy and storytelling that moves the room, I equip professionals with the tools to:
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Build resilient, optimistic teams
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Lead with alignment and integrity
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Navigate change with courage and calm
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Reframe setbacks into steppingstones
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Shift culture in the micro-moments that matter most
Because optimism isn’t blind positivity – it’s a decision to lead from possibility. And when we do? We don’t just bounce back. We rise.
Ready to equip your team with the mindset shifts and strategies they need to thrive?
Let’s talk about a keynote, workshop or strategy session.
“Relentless Optimism™ is my non-negotiable and the foundation of my work. Not blind positivity, but the kind of optimism that keeps you moving even when the road is steep … The way we think shapes the way we succeed. Transform your thinking and you can transform your life.”
- Rya Hazelwood


Ready to take the first step toward shifting your mindset and transforming your work and life?
I have known and worked with Rya for over 16 years and deeply value our professional relationship and more importantly, our friendship. Rya's determination and loyalty is second to none. She is passionate about her work, helps companies thrive and does it all from a place of service.
- Ashley Snyder
Principal at Cresa
In my line of work, I have the opportunity to work with many fabulous professionals. Without question though, Rya is in a class of her own. Besides being freakishly smart, Rya is kind, incredibly organized, thoughtful, supportive, responsive and everything that you could ever hope for ... To say that I loved my time working with her would be the understatement of the century. If you have the honor of working with Rya, you are in for a world-class experience.
- Shola Richards,
International Keynote and TEDx Speaker, Author of Civil Unity
Rya is one of those rare professionals who also naturally serves as an inspiring mentor. She exhibits strong interpersonal skills and a unique capacity for empathy. These qualities most notably translate in her ability to motivate a team to care about its project and be invested in the project’s success.
- Michelle Roy
Office Manager of Heritage Distribution Holdings




![I was (very briefly) kidnapped in Beijing.
And this photo? It was taken just one day before one of the wildest plot twists of my life.
We had just visited the Great Wall on the most perfect, clear blue day — feeling fearless, adventurous … and completely unprepared for what came next.
Let’s just say: there’s “lost in translation” … and then there’s briefly kidnapped in Beijing.
Yep. That happened.
I first mentioned this moment on page 19 of Relentless Optimism & Other Life Goals — but I’ve never shared the full story. Until now.
What happened, how we got out, and what I learned when confidence collided with chaos … it’s all in my latest blog post.
📖 Read the story behind the smile → [https://www.ryahazelwood.com/post/the-day-i-was-briefly-kidnapped-in-china]
📚 Grab your copy of the book → [https://amzn.to/41w41CI]
#RelentlessOptimism #GreatWallOfChina #TravelGoneWrong #Storytime #MindsetMatters #AuthorLife #OnwardAndUpward #StayRelentless](https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/503807519_2155496818300255_820173593266934734_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=_ph68L_QdJUQ7kNvwFY30H4&_nc_oc=AdlOInTiTEfA7Rj6_OLYwie8-mO8M-zbWWZm78c25uc6qDO4EkAsSRMESyxb9cbG0sg&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=qC-DIWvJTHvXQdaJKDY2zw&oh=00_AfMPiAXM5IJ0EO1Ipq4d_p_XL-iGbTtPjhUX5Vj9Qcarvw&oe=686C9DA4)
![I was (very briefly) kidnapped in Beijing.
And this photo? It was taken just one day before one of the wildest plot twists of my life.
We had just visited the Great Wall on the most perfect, clear blue day — feeling fearless, adventurous … and completely unprepared for what came next.
Let’s just say: there’s “lost in translation” … and then there’s briefly kidnapped in Beijing.
Yep. That happened.
I first mentioned this moment on page 19 of Relentless Optimism & Other Life Goals — but I’ve never shared the full story. Until now.
What happened, how we got out, and what I learned when confidence collided with chaos … it’s all in my latest blog post.
📖 Read the story behind the smile → [https://www.ryahazelwood.com/post/the-day-i-was-briefly-kidnapped-in-china]
📚 Grab your copy of the book → [https://amzn.to/41w41CI]
#RelentlessOptimism #GreatWallOfChina #TravelGoneWrong #Storytime #MindsetMatters #AuthorLife #OnwardAndUpward #StayRelentless](https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/503807519_2155496818300255_820173593266934734_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=_ph68L_QdJUQ7kNvwFY30H4&_nc_oc=AdlOInTiTEfA7Rj6_OLYwie8-mO8M-zbWWZm78c25uc6qDO4EkAsSRMESyxb9cbG0sg&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=qC-DIWvJTHvXQdaJKDY2zw&oh=00_AfMPiAXM5IJ0EO1Ipq4d_p_XL-iGbTtPjhUX5Vj9Qcarvw&oe=686C9DA4)
![I was (very briefly) kidnapped in Beijing.
And this photo? It was taken just one day before one of the wildest plot twists of my life.
We had just visited the Great Wall on the most perfect, clear blue day — feeling fearless, adventurous … and completely unprepared for what came next.
Let’s just say: there’s “lost in translation” … and then there’s briefly kidnapped in Beijing.
Yep. That happened.
I first mentioned this moment on page 19 of Relentless Optimism & Other Life Goals — but I’ve never shared the full story. Until now.
What happened, how we got out, and what I learned when confidence collided with chaos … it’s all in my latest blog post.
📖 Read the story behind the smile → [https://lnkd.in/gMF5E6Tw]
📚 Grab your copy of the book → [https://amzn.to/41w41CI]
#RelentlessOptimism #GreatWallOfChina #TravelGoneWrong #Storytime #MindsetMatters #AuthorLife #OnwardAndUpward #StayRelentless
#StayRelentless](https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/491526418_18007093346735189_4588390051326251363_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=4vVSbAlajqgQ7kNvwGnRs-t&_nc_oc=AdmzW4sdBK24-3yIJ2gauooGit8VTTFDDYx5e3nbMflsSdPfpxFGzNZ8Wx1Do5wanco&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=qC-DIWvJTHvXQdaJKDY2zw&oh=00_AfMx4lnj3LZdxPhbVIQVWgmnpb32gTZVHfAHwDOwHcaEbw&oe=686C9751)
![I was (very briefly) kidnapped in Beijing.
And this photo? It was taken just one day before one of the wildest plot twists of my life.
We had just visited the Great Wall on the most perfect, clear blue day — feeling fearless, adventurous … and completely unprepared for what came next.
Let’s just say: there’s “lost in translation” … and then there’s briefly kidnapped in Beijing.
Yep. That happened.
I first mentioned this moment on page 19 of Relentless Optimism & Other Life Goals — but I’ve never shared the full story. Until now.
What happened, how we got out, and what I learned when confidence collided with chaos … it’s all in my latest blog post.
📖 Read the story behind the smile → [https://lnkd.in/gMF5E6Tw]
📚 Grab your copy of the book → [https://amzn.to/41w41CI]
#RelentlessOptimism #GreatWallOfChina #TravelGoneWrong #Storytime #MindsetMatters #AuthorLife #OnwardAndUpward #StayRelentless
#StayRelentless](https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/491526418_18007093346735189_4588390051326251363_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=4vVSbAlajqgQ7kNvwGnRs-t&_nc_oc=AdmzW4sdBK24-3yIJ2gauooGit8VTTFDDYx5e3nbMflsSdPfpxFGzNZ8Wx1Do5wanco&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=qC-DIWvJTHvXQdaJKDY2zw&oh=00_AfMx4lnj3LZdxPhbVIQVWgmnpb32gTZVHfAHwDOwHcaEbw&oe=686C9751)



