The Conspiracy of Goodness Podcast
Hosted by Dr. Lynda Ulrich, Goodness Exchange Co-Founder
The Conspiracy of Goodness Podcast is designed to give you more joy, less fear, and no end to the evidence that a bright future is possible. Each episode, we help you make sense of the world by introducing you to people tackling some of the world’s most difficult problems and show you why they still think the future is bright.
55 min watch
As You Rise, Raise Others with You with Dr. Keneiloe Molopyane (Episode #171)
Do you remember your childhood dreams, when you aimed to be something audacious? When she was a child watching cartoons, Dr. Keneiloe Molopyane declared that she would one day be the first South African, black, female archeologist—and now she is! Her story is inspiring in so many ways. Not only is she working in the famous Cradle of Humankind, she has also earned the distinction of being a National Geographic Explorer.
58 min watch
We Don’t Need Religion to Count Our Blessings with Pierre Pradervand (Episode #170)
I’ve often questioned whether I would interview an author who has written yet another book in the “Spirituality” genre—that is, until I met Pierre Pradervand, an 86-year-old author of 23 books. Pierre still puts in 14-hour days to help people find love and kindness outside the chaos of the world’s spiritual “influencers,” and he compares going to the internet with heartfelt questions on spirituality to finding your dinner in the junk food section of the Supermarket. We need a fresh approach!
71 min watch
Neurodivergent Relationships Are a Gift with Mariah and Byron Edgington (Episode #169)
Do you love someone or work with someone (or maybe it’s you) who just doesn't feel like they fit in? It turns out that as many as 20% of us are “neurodiverse,” meaning that our brain pathways do not function like everyone else’s. Our guests, Mariah and Byron Edgington, are on a mission to help us see the missed potential and the joy that we can share when we look at neurodiversity as a gift.
51 min watch
When Cookies Talk: How to Overcome Your Sweet Tooth with Dr. Andrea Grayson (Episode #168)
If the cookies, crackers, soda, or candy are speaking to you seductively when you walk through the checkout line, there is a reason for that. Turns out that mood swings, headaches, brain fog, depression, and exhaustion are also related to that irresistible tug, and it all comes down to the way sugar is hijacking our future, often hourly, every single day. Our guest, Dr. Andrea Grayson, has a fresh approach to helping us break free from this cycle, and unlocking a better future.
54 min watch
Applying an Indigenous Mindset: A Trip Through the Daily News with Connor Ryan PART 2 (Episode #167)
There is an amazing brand of young “influencers” who are diving, whole-heartedly, into their unique opportunity to make the world a better place, and today we are fortunate to have one of them as our guest. Connor Ryan, who was named one of the “20 Most Influential People in the Outdoor Industry” by Outside Magazine, is a proud Lakota tribe member and passionate professional skier, and he is bringing his understanding of Native American perspectives to the problems we need to be solving in our world right now.
55 min watch
Unlearning Modern Expectations with an Indigenous Mindset with Connor Ryan: PART 1
There are a few young “influencers” who are poised to have an enormous positive impact on our shared humanity, and our guest today, Connor Ryan, is one of them. He is an exciting figure, making waves both on and off the ski slopes, and his journey is anything but conventional. What sets him apart is not just his prowess on skis, but his unique role as a bridge—a translator—connecting us to the wonders and nuances of the Lakota language and Native American culture. This interview was so fascinating that we plan to have Connor back for a Part 2, so check that out next!
80 min watch
Nurture Your Positive Worldview and Watch It Change Everything with Liesl Ulrich-Verderber (Episode #165)
Suppose that in 2024 you found there was one simple thing that could improve by just 1% each day, which would allow you to make leaps in personal progress. It would be foolish not to consider it, right? Well, this episode will help you to find that one thing that affects almost everything else. Today, we talk to social innovator, journalist, and CEO Liesl Ulrich-Verderber about how easy and powerful it can be to nurture a worldview that serves us, rather than burdens us.
62 min watch
Time Slipping By? Make Choices That Give You the Best Stories with John K. Coyle (Episode #164)
You know how it can sometimes feel like time is relentlessly speeding by? Well it turns out, we can control that feeling, and even slow things down to the “savoring pace,” if we learn a little about how our brains work. John K. Coyle is an expert in how we perceive time, and his insights can help us live far richer lives, hour by hour. “When life gives you choices, choose the one that gives you the best stories.” That’s just one of the many uplifting ah-ha moments (based on science) from this wonderful episode.
72 min watch
Liberate Yourself From the Scale: A Refreshing Take on Body Positivity with Ronald Young Jr. (Episode #163)
Ronald Young Jr. is an emerging voice in the body positive movement, and he’s leading us to new places on this old topic. His insights on common sense and honesty are like piano wire stretched tight between two important pins, and his boundless good humor is a hammer striking an incredibly beautiful note of wisdom for us all to carry forward. If you or someone you love struggles with their weight, this conversation will provide leaps of insight, and plenty of smiles.
47 min watch
Shifting the Climate Change Narrative: Fearful, or Full of Possibility? with Anne Therese Gennari (Episode #162)
“Climate Optimism.” Now those are two words you don’t see together very often! In this episode, Anne Therese Gennari (mercifully) gives us a fresh perspective on how we can carry our concern about climate change. In her new book, The Climate Optimist’s Handbook, she moves our mental chatter from the gloom of anxiety and guilt, to the thrill of possibility and enthusiasm for all that is happening to improve the future.
45 min watch
If Disaster Strikes, This Knowledge-Sharing App is Here to Help with Meena Palaniappan (Episode #161)
Here’s something that rarely happens on the internet: a celebration of how technology can be used to amplify social connection, instead of amplifying social division. Yes, THIS interview is a celebration of a leap in human potential. Meena Palaniappan is the founder of a technology/communication platform—Atma Connect—that has reached 12 million people and is well-designed so that it is likely to change the lives of hundreds of millions of people in the near future.
59 min watch
Nat Geo Photographer Captures The Beauty That Transcends Our Differences with Dewitt Jones (Episode #160)
Renowned National Geographic Photographer Dewitt Jones shares with us a life-changing habit, available to us all: celebrate what’s right with the world. The perspectives he shares today can open up a radically improved landscape of possibilities for you and I. As a bonus, today’s video episode contains some of his most inspiring images: stunning views of the night sky, time lapses of water rushing in on the shore beneath a gorgeous sky, beautifully-lit hot air balloons reflecting off the water below, and more. This is an episode you won’t want to miss.
52 min listen
92,000 Robots Drawn on Dominos Create Contagious Compassion with Gary Hirsch (Episode #159)
Artist Gary Hirsch has created 92,000+ hand-drawn robots on the back of dominos that are helping people all over the world get through challenging moments.
62 min listen
Solutions to the Tension Between Convenience and Sustainability with Brandi Parker (Episode #158)
Brandi Parker has some uplifting and even “freeing” new ways for us to think about our lives as consumers (with less guilt and shame.) She’s helping us all—industry included—get clarity about who should be responsible for the things we need to “throw away.” Instead of consumers bearing the burden for the “end of life” for everything we buy, she is proposing that the brands we love should be responsible for what they’ve made and put out into the world. And we can push them to do that!
63 min listen
U-Maryland’s Do Good Institute Puts Progress on the Syllabus with Nathan Dietz & Jenny Cox (Episode #157)
U-Maryland’s Do Good Institute Puts Progress on the Syllabus with Nathan Dietz & Jenny Cox (Episode #157) The University of…
43 min listen
Love, Fear, and Courage: Choices that Lead to a Future of Radical Optimism with Kiarra Danielle Lucas (Episode #156)
If you had any doubt about the next generation coming up in colleges today, Kiarra Danielle Lucas will fill you with confidence in Gen Z. Today we all get a new perspective on how children can practice a kind of radical optimism, in the worst circumstances, and use it to build remarkable futures for themselves and others. Kiarra is an 18-year-old inspiration for anyone who thinks their circumstances limit their potential and her vision for the future might be just the spark you need to find exactly what you are built to contribute.
56 min listen
You Can Transform Your Outrage into Action: The Proof Is In This Elephant Plushie with Kristina McKean (Episode #155)
Kristina McKean has a story that demonstrates exactly why we should not wait to start building lives of meaning and purpose. Kristina found a way to take the skills of her working life and combine them with her lifelong passion for animal welfare. Now, she finds joy every day in her work and the impact it’s having on wildlife and a new generation of very young philanthropists through her work at The Elephant Project.
73 min listen
Your Life Is One Continuous Mistake, Just Like Everyone Else’s with Sunni Brown (Episode #154)
Sunni Brown is an intrepid and inspiring “creative” who is zooming through our world, project after project, sparking bursts of hidden potential everywhere she goes. She was named one of the “10 Most Creative People” on X (formerly Twitter), and she has been featured in every major U.S. publication: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, TIME Magazine, and CBS Sunday Morning, the latter of which has celebrated her work twice! And so will you, once you’ve enjoyed her infectious positive energy.
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There is a wave of goodness and progress well underway, all around the world.
