Authors

Sam wrote and edited hundreds of articles during her time with the Goodness Exchange team from 2016-2021. She wrote about topics from the wonders of nature to the organizations changing the world and the simple joys in life! Outside of the office, she’s a part-time printmaker, collector of knick-knacks, and taster of cheeses.

Sam Burns

Former Editor-In-Chief

Hi! I’m Sam.

Over the course of my four years working at the Goodness Exchange (formerly Ever Widening Circles), I wrote 350+ articles on a wide range of topics, from adorable stinging slugs to the power of ballet in favelas, not to mention the countless stories celebrating the work people are doing in science and technology that can enhance all of our lives. (You can browse my articles if you scroll down!)

My time at the Goodness Exchange began in 2016 during a bi-annual hygiene cleaning (as most good stories do) at Lynda and Chuck’s dental practice. I was your typical wandering senior in undergrad with no clue what they wanted to do next, so when they offered me the opportunity to write a few articles a month for “the website Lynda just started” while I finished my degree, I jumped on it. For 4 years I was the Chief Curator and Editor. With different possibilities coming at me daily, showing me the world that existed entirely outside of my bubble, my view of what can be shifted entirely.

But even with all of this writing, it’s still hard for me to write about myself. So, here’s what my boss had to say about me:

“Sam brought a mastery of connection to the Goodness Exchange that is celebrated in every article she touched, and in every aspect of our visitor experiences. She is exceptionally gifted at wearing many hats, fluidly moving through every day from writing, research and business decision making, to diving deep into conversations with the thought leaders in our orbit. Most importantly Sam is an expert in going from “mind & heart”—on any topic—to the printed word that makes us all soar!

Sam is also a superlative “shape-shifter”, so open to everything that she seems always in the process of becoming something radiant and new. The sparkle she brought to every new person she met was a gift we are inspired by every day and we are proud to see all the ways it has infused GE with that same light for 3 years. She had been instrumental in our quest to find the common threads that connect us all.”
Dr. Lynda

Now, you can find me hunched over a table working on a new carving, printing and covered in ink, walking in the woods, at a show, dancing, building a meditation practice, eating bagels, or getting lost on a long drive.

If you see me at a party, ask me about:

The two times I’ve fallen through a floor
My grandmother and the raccoons
The book I’m reading

Check out my artwork and connect with me on Instagram @somethingsburning.ink

Author's Articles

The Key to Living a Longer, Fuller Life? Ditch the Routine!

Live every day you're alive by breaking your routine. Jed Jenkins quit his job, picked up his life, and lived each day to the fullest, choosing adventure and rediscovering childlike wonder for everything new. Read on to learn a little something about the beauty of spontaneity and the amazing things that come with a willingness to do what scares you.

Easy Ways to Go Green: The Compost Pick-Up Services Coming to a Stoop Near You!

Wait! Before those food scraps in the garbage, here's an easy way to make a positive impact as you go about your daily routine. Turn your food waste into a resource without having to make a compost pile in your own backyard by having it picked up and taken away, right from your front door!

No Such Thing as “Unskilled”: The Super-Speed Farmworkers We Couldn’t Live Without

In a world of automation, there is still one central part of our lives that requires the skilled touch of the human hand: food. Your produce doesn't just magically appear on your supermarket shelves, so it’s time we met the skilled people that make that fresh food possible!

The Barber Taking His Talent to the Streets to Change Lives

Could a haircut really change somebody’s life? We've all felt that boost of confidence after a great haircut before. But for the clients of The Streets Barber, a fresh haircut has a much bigger meaning. Click in to see how we can all use our talents and passions for good.

Secrets to Surviving: Lessons from Carnivorous Plants

If you think the Venus Flytrap is cool, wait until you meet some if its fellow carnivorous plant friends. From rodent toilets to bat bedrooms, these plants have found some fascinating ways to stay alive! Check out their stories to learn how we can succeed in our own lives—if only we decide to do something a little unexpected!

The Secret to Happiness? Don’t Try So Hard

Are we supposed to be happy all the time? After endlessly trying to chase happiness, Dr. Molly Countermine encountered a different way of framing it and our other emotions that we all can learn from. Here's how this simple technique can apply to your own life!

Mysterious Orchids of the Everglades: Saving a Flowering Swamp Ghost

Deep in the swamps of Florida, real ghosts float in the air with their tendrils wrapped around the trees. These mysterious flowers have been stumping biologists for centuries, but this team of scientists and photographers has braved the alligators, snakes, and endless mosquitos to solve this puzzle once and for all! Let's join them.

Why Are These Fridges Mysteriously Appearing on Street Corners?

Could a fridge on a curb change the lives of an entire community? In places where getting access to fresh healthy food is nearly impossible, neighbors, restaurants, and friends are teaming up to support and nourish each other. Here's how it works and how you can get involved!