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.

2 min read

Image: Runners on a track, everyone starting at a different place.

Everyone Has a Story

While we may want to believe the people who rise to the top in life are always most deserving, the objective truth is different. We don't start life on a level playing field, and everyone has a backstory, just like this one of a Lyft driver with a dream.

70 min listen

Mindfully Embracing the Unexpected: Advice from a Zen Teacher with Flint Sparks (Episode #143)

If you or someone you know is struggling with a complexity that seems irrevocably stuck, our guest today—Flint Sparks—will point you in some new directions. He’s been a professional psychotherapist for four decades, and he is also a Zen teacher: a wonderful combination that brings a level of timeless wisdom to the table that adds a path to freedom we may not find any other way.

60 min listen

Filmmaker Tours 150 Small U.S. Communities: The Surprising, Positive Lessons with Sarah Yourgrau (Episode #142)

The media seems to bombard us with stories of how bad it is “out there” and it would be easy to think that anywhere outside our particular pocket of the country is a bit frightening. But our guest today, Sarah Yourgrau, spent time in 150 small communities across America as a producer on Mike Rowe’s uplifting series: “Returning the Favor.” On this journey, she learned things that blew her away with joy. Here are some surprising stories that build a perspective we can all celebrate!

Image: Girls shaking hands over a chess game

Checkmate! All-Girls Chess Tournament Creates Community for Young Players

The most impactful innovations in the world often combine two things no one ever thought to bring together. Here's what we get when we let young girls loose on the game of chess! It challenges many notions all at once.

5 min read

Image: Reversible Head with Basket of Fruit by Giuseppe Arcimboldo

It’s True, We Don’t See the World the Same. Here’s Why

Our own perception of the world differs greatly from those around us. We've all had different experiences, and like it or not, they shape us. Let's explore why and how that might make us more tolerant of others.

60 min listen

Aging Has Its Perks! How to Embrace Life Year After Year with Carl Honoré (Episode #141)

This week we take a deep dive into our expanding potential in every single decade of the aging process. Our guest, Carl Honoré, is raising eyebrows with his novel insights about aging, with special emphasis on how it improves collaboration in diverse groups, the advantages we are gaining with age, and the things to look forward to that we can’t get to any other way.

3 min read

Image: A woman walking through a circular rock maze on a beach near the ocean, taking time for herself to tackle mental load.

Tackling Mental Load: 5 Practical Tips for a Healthier Mind

Many of us have a never-ending list of things to do in our minds, and it feels like there’s no end in sight. This constant mental chatter is known as “mental load,” and it can quickly become overwhelming. It’s not just another buzzword, though. In fact, it’s something that affects many people, especially women, and it can have a huge impact on your daily life. Here are five practical tips to reclaim your mental space and live a more balanced life.

The Choir That’s Leading the Way to a Better World

Have you had a "goose-bump moment" yet today? Here's your chance! From South Africa to the stage of America's Got Talent, the Ndlovu Youth Choir is sharing their dynamic performances and uplifting stories with the world.

Image: A group of friends chatting over a table, with fairy lights, a guitar, and food. They are clearly reveling in the importance of human connection

Happy Reunions: The Value of In-Person Connection

Deep, in-person interaction is becoming rarer today. The increasingly virtual nature of how we live and work keeps us physically separated and communicating through short messages, not long talks. This is a mistake. Here's why you should invest in more in-person moments.

64 min listen

500,000 Volunteers Show Us How We Are All “Rich,” in Some Way with Nipun Mehta (Episode #138)

Turns out, we can have many kinds of wealth besides money: creativity, time, community, compassion, friendships, attention, and patience, to name a few. We can each give those things to others liberally, and in the process, live extraordinarily happy lives. Today’s guest, Nipun Mehta, will help you see that in a world where “capital” like time, ideas, and kindness are priceless, what you have to contribute makes you very wealthy.

Image: Two black women on a beach, one with her arm slung around the other's shoulders in friendship. Both friends are laughing.

On Friendships: Don’t Make the Mistake I Made

When life gets busy, plans with friends are often the first thing we cancel and let fall off our plate. We say we'll check in with them tomorrow, or next week, or next month. But sometimes, tomorrow never comes. So whoever you're thinking of right now, as you're reading this? Reach out to them not tomorrow, not next week, but today.

67 min listen

There are 3 Types of Thinkers. Which One Are You? With Dr. Temple Grandin (Episode #137)

Temple Grandin is a renowned innovator whose lifelong work and advocacy have shed light on the beauty and potential of every brain, regardless of neurological differences. Her insights into animal behavior, autism, and education have had a profound impact on many industries and have opened doors for countless individuals who may have otherwise gone unrecognized. Her new book applies to 40% of our population: people whose creative minds are going unsupported. Listen in and see if you may be one of those folks.

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