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 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.

51 min listen

2 Billion Meals Served to Hungry Kids with Debbie Shore (Episode #136)

Debbie Shore is co-founder of Share Our Strength, which has fed close to 2 billion meals to hungry children since their campaign, No Kid Hungry, began. (That’s billion with a B, folks!) Today's episode is full of stories and insights from that remarkable journey that will give you many nuggets of inspiration and ingenious thinking to take into your own path to make the world a little better place.

Image: A woman relieves stress by walking along a path with her hands on her head, the sun shining.

How to Transform Mental Health With Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Does your life feel like playing a game of Jenga: one wrong move and everything comes crashing down? What makes it so is the pervasive stress that can feel like a never-ending battle to keep everything in balance. The good news is that you can regain your equilibrium in life with mindfulness-based stress reduction.

Image: Two men sitting on a boat laughing hysterically, having fun

The Secret to a Long and Healthy Life? FUN!

Fun isn’t just for kids. Making it a part of our daily lives and encouraging playfulness, connection, and flow has benefits that lead us to live longer, healthier lives.

Image: A player for the Savannah Bananas doing a backflip off of a barrel in front of a cheering crowd.

The Savannah Bananas Bring Fun and Excitement to America’s Favorite Pastime

Have you heard of the Savannah Bananas? This Georgia based team has hit a real home run with their mission: to make baseball fans first, and most of all, fun! Roasting s’mores during a game, going up to bat on stilts, and a dancing umpire are just the tip of the iceberg of antics that go on at these games. And they make this, as the Bananas like to call it, the greatest show in sports!

Image: A pink comfy chair, out of place, sitting on a rock by a beach. It asks the question: what else could we do from the couch, other than watch the news?

News Often Obscures Reality. Maybe it’s Time for a Media Diet

How we feel at any given moment, and where we choose to focus our time and energy, is greatly impacted by the information we receive. If our thoughts are negatively impacted by all the news we are consuming, it may be time to consider a news diet.

58 min listen

Finding the Intelligence in Our Emotions: SleepAwake Camp Offers a Breakthrough with Cat Tweedie (Episode #133)

Turns out, there are no bad emotions (anger, resentment, fear, etc). They can all be good, if we can remember to pause and then search the intelligence in them. In this episode, that is just one of the many pearls that today’s guest, Cat Tweedie, teaches us about. She is co-founder of Sleepawake Camp: a wonderful organization with a fresh take on coping with our world for young people, but her insights are fresh and useful, no matter your age.

5 min read

Image: Natalya Kishchuk, a Hutsul weaver from Ukraine weaves a traditional blanket on a loom

Ukraine Family Uses Etsy to Keep Heirloom Weaving Tradition Alive

In the Carpathian mountains of Ukraine, the Kischuk family has taken to the internet to keep the centuries old tradition of weaving lizhnyk blankets alive. From sheep to final shipping, Natalya Kischuk and her husband Yaroslov, along with their children, use traditional methods handed down for generations to craft beautiful blankets, rugs, and clothing that are now enjoyed by people around the globe.

Do As The Aussies Do, Lose the Shoes!

What’s the deal with Australians being barefoot all the time? Dip your toes into the history behind a cultural tradition that began just after WWII and remains prevalent to this day. You may just walk away feeling relaxed, with a newfound appreciation for your own feet!

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