Happiness & Hope

Need a pick-me-up? These feel-good tales of people changing the world for the better will restore your confidence in humanity and put a spring in your step.

Image: A woman standing in front of a large aquarium tank, looking up in wonder.

The Wonder is in Your Eyes, Not in the Scene!

Could the stories we tell ourselves about our experiences matter more than the experiences themselves? It seems all we need is a little perspective and mindset shift to make the most of life. Here's an incredible story of how one man did exactly that.

Image: A valedictorian at commencement, facing the crowd of graduates the way this non-speaking valedictorian did in her speech.

Non-Speaking Valedictorian Gives College Commencement Speech

College commencement ceremonies highlight the transition from being a student to going out into the real world. The moving speech at Rollins College – a private college in Winter Park, Florida – on May 8, 2022, admonished the graduates to use their own voices and serve others. It was especially poignant because the valedictorian is a non-speaking autistic woman who never said a word.

Image: A gratitude jar filled with lights, and a person reaching for it.

Want to Practice Gratitude? There’s a Jar for That

Write it down. Speak it out loud. Express it through song. Convey it through gifts. Say a little prayer. There’s every which way to cultivate the attitude of gratitude. And for those on the artsy side, there’s a jar for that.

Why Shared Struggle is Awesome: Secrets of the Spartan Races with Marion Abrams (Episode #92)

Marion Abrams sees people turn enormous struggle into personal leaps forward, in almost every aspect of her work with the famous Spartan Races. Turns out, we don’t even have to be going for “super athlete” status to be transformed. In this interview she completely upends what we may think about the Spartan movement and her insights point to how any of us can find the awesomeness in friends, family, co-workers and even strangers by finding a role in a Spartan event.

Image: Seven candles and assorted greenery on a table, with a person lighting the candle in the middle.

Today is Enough and You are Enough. Use Your Special Things!

Do you have anything in your home that you're waiting for the perfect moment to use? A bottle of wine, dress, or candle, perhaps? Gillian Dunn has a special trick for how we can stop letting our candles melt in the closet, and instead decide that any moment can be special.

A New Way to Measure Success in the Gratitude Economy

Many of us in the Gratitude Economy have a cherished thank you note on our desk, or a tender voicemail of gratitude that we haven’t erased. In fact, if you are going the extra mile for folks, you probably get many “tender comments” from people whose lives you’ve improved. In this video you’ll learn how to use these metrics as a measure of success, instead of focusing on money… and why that matters.

Raising “Solutionaries” by Teaching Skills Instead of Facts with Zoe Weil and Steve Cochrane (Episode #91)

The biggest challenge for educators is that we need to acknowledge multiple ways of learning, and we need to lean into a new way of teaching that focuses on high level thinking and strategic thinking. That is Zoe and Steve’s mission.

This Glam Squad Lifts Spirits and Self-Esteem for Hospital Patients

Making hospital patients feel beautiful is the mission of the nonprofit Simply From the Heart. But it is much more than just providing glam. The organization’s volunteers – called the glam squad – lift spirits and self-esteem wherever they go.

woman wearing brown sweater holding lips

Three Important Questions

There's a story we're all telling ourselves each day. Peter talks about how to get to the truth of that story.

Six Facets of Wonder

Jeffrey Davis shows us how to bring more wonder in our live using 6 paths: openness, curiosity, bewilderment, hope, connection, and affirmation.

woman smiling while pointing on her right side

Good Vibes at the DMV

Brittney-Nichole shows us how putting good intention into our actions can create amazing positive ripple effects for those around you.

Approaching People with Kindness

Brittney-Nichole talks about how you can be honest with people, but keep kindness at the forefront.

Podcasts

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Videos

Dip into our original videos featuring moments of inspiring perspectives, mini-courses, interviews, and insights from some of our favorite thought leaders.