A few days ago, a stranger reminded me how powerful a small act of kindness can be. I was walking in the park, and honestly, I was struggling. I’d overheated, was nearly out of water, and had to stop and catch my breath in a bit of shade. That’s when she noticed me, paused her walk, and asked if I was okay. She encouraged me to rest, offered a few kind words, and even gave me a little pep talk: “You’re here. You showed up. That’s something to be proud of.” And you know what? It was exactly what ...
Jul 09, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 123
The best way to stay in the present moment is to anchor your attention intentionally—here are some simple, powerful ways to do that: 🔹 1. Use Your Senses 🔹 2. Focus on Your Breath 🔹 3. Name What’s Happening 🔹 4. Do One Thing at a Time 🔹 5. Create a Now Ritual BONUS: A Quick Mantra “I am here. This is now. That is enough.”
Jul 08, 2025•4 min•Season 1Ep. 122
I've seen some posts suggesting day drinking to deal with today's news, and I want to offer some suggestions for how to get through today if you don't want to drink, or use drugs. I'm going to suggest these things as someone who hasn't drank or taken drugs in over 9 years. I hope they help. First of all, disclaimer: I'm not a doctor or a therapist. I'm a librarian. If you need professional help, PLEASE SEEK IT. For all of these suggestions, take them as "if you can do this thing, try it." If you...
Jul 07, 2025•4 min•Season 1Ep. 121
"The Believer’s Hymn of the Republic" is a poem written by Amanda Gorman for the July 4th celebration at the U.S. Capitol in 2023. It was inspired by Julia Ward Howe’s “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,”
Jul 04, 2025•2 min•Season 1Ep. 120
Years ago I heard Zig Ziglar talk about the day before vacation. That’s what today feels like if you’re here in the US. It’s the day before Independence day, July 4 and since it falls on a Friday this year, it’s a long weekend opportunity. So, today feels like the day before vacation. The day I want to get all the things done before the holiday arrives. What if, instead of treating the day before vacation like a productivity sprint, we treated it like the beginning of our break? What if we inten...
Jul 03, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 119
A Season of Becoming As we step into this second half, remember that you're not starting from zero. You're building on a lifetime of experience, growth, and resilience. You're exactly where you need to be, with everything you need to take the next step. Your story is still being written, and today begins a new chapter filled with possibility. Regardless of what has come before, today is yours to shape with intention, hope, and the quiet confidence that comes from knowing you've made it this far....
Jul 02, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 118
You know that feeling? The sudden dread when you’re waiting for test results or when your boss calls an unexpected meeting or maybe when a treasured relationship starts to shift. That knot in your stomach or tightness in your chest? Anxiety shows up when we worry things are going to change. We think if we could just keep everything the same, we’d be safe. The real danger isn’t the change itself; it is the energy we waste worrying about what might or might not happen. The true enemy is our own re...
Jun 30, 2025•4 min•Season 1Ep. 1
It’s July 1, the first day of the 2nd half of 2025. There's something quietly powerful about this moment, like turning the page to a fresh chapter while still holding the story of everything that came before. The Gift of Looking Back The past six months have been a teacher, whether we realized it or not. Take a moment to sit with what you've experienced. What moments made you laugh? What challenges pushed you to discover strength you didn't know you had? Which relationships deepened, and which d...
Jun 30, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 117
Hope isn't just a feeling—it's a force that can multiply itself through the choices we make and the actions we take. When we understand how hope creates positive feedback loops, we can intentionally cultivate environments where hope grows stronger with each cycle. What Is a Hope Feedback Loop? A positive feedback loop of hope works like this: hopeful action creates positive outcomes, which reinforce our belief that good things are possible, which motivates more hopeful action. Each cycle builds ...
Jun 27, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 115
When things are uncertain, and the world feels crazy and surreal it’s okay to be happy and joyful and want nice things. Novelist and poet MaryAnne Evans put it this way: We can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them. We can’t give up. I feel lucky that I have days that are full of nice moments when I can feel at ease in the world. It reminds me to be grateful for what I have and to ...
Jun 25, 2025•2 min•Season 1Ep. 113
Hope isn't something that simply happens to us—it's something we can actively cultivate and curate. What Does It Mean to Curate Hope? In the same way a museum curator carefully selects, arranges, and preserves pieces that tell a meaningful story, curating hope is the intentional gathering of moments, stories, experiences. It’s the evidence that remind us that positive change is possible, that humans are capable of remarkable things, and that tomorrow might be better than today. Here are a few id...
Jun 25, 2025•4 min•Season 1Ep. 114
What if kindness went viral? I know sounds naïve but imagine what would happen if all of us were focused on doing something kind for someone else every day. Tony D. Sampson author and academic who studies culture and media defines viral phenomena as spreadable accumulations of events, objects, and affects that are overall content built up by popular discourses surrounding network culture. In Adam Grant's book "Give and Take," he exemplifies how strategic generosity can build networks, create goo...
Jun 24, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 112
In a world that often feels heavy, I believe we each have the power to be someone's light. Hope isn't always a grand gesture—it often shows up in quiet, meaningful ways. Today, I want to share three ways I've learned we can bring hope to others, starting right now. First, be present and really listen. Second, speak encouragement out loud. Third, share your light, even when it feels small. Here's what I've come to understand: bringing hope doesn't require perfection or profound wisdom—it just tak...
Jun 23, 2025•4 min•Season 1Ep. 111
Life has a way of throwing curveballs when we least expect them. Economic uncertainty, health scares, relationship upheavals, career transitions—sometimes it feels like the ground beneath our feet is constantly shifting. In these moments, happiness might seem not only elusive but almost inappropriate. How can we find joy when everything feels unstable? The truth is, happiness during difficult times isn't about pretending everything is fine or forcing toxic positivity. It's about cultivating a di...
Jun 20, 2025•4 min•Season 1Ep. 110
Uncertainty is an inevitable part of life, whether you're making a career change, dealing with a family relationship, deciding on a major purchase or wondering how to manage a health concern. We can't eliminate uncertainty but we can develop better ways to move through it. Here are four powerful questions that can help you find clarity and confidence when the path ahead feels unclear. 1. "What do I actually know for certain?" 2. "What's the worst realistic outcome, and could I handle it?" 3."Wha...
Jun 19, 2025•5 min•Season 1Ep. 109
Ages ago I picked up the book “The Courage to Start” A Guide to Running for Your Life by John Bingham. It’s written to encourage the never-runner or the aspiring runner to get started despite the doubts, fears and insecurities that someone who’s never felt they could be a runner let stop them. The courage to start – is that moment when you finally allow yourself to think, maybe I can do this. Maybe I can be a runner or an artist or a writer or a person who travels the US in a camper with permiss...
Jun 18, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 108
This is a podcast about hope – not politics so in this episode I’m using the term resistance in this context: it’s how we put positive live affirming energy into the a world where the hate and despair seem to grab all the headlines. Hope and the Work of Resistance Hope isn't passive. It's not just wishful thinking or blind optimism. Hope is a verb. It's something we do—especially when the odds feel stacked against us. And one of the most powerful ways we express that hope is through our work. Wh...
Jun 17, 2025•2 min•Season 1Ep. 107
Recently I had the chance to meet up with 2 friends that I seldom get to see in person. We are connected by a common belief in the goodness of humanity and a desire to be people who are choosing love over hate and hope over despair. This past week, after hugs and how are you’s one of made the comment about how hard it is to be hopeful these days. The news is depressing, and the direction things seem to be heading isn’t much better. Then one of them shared this quote “I don’t know what to do, but...
Jun 16, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 106
Some days we just need a quick way to quite the chatter in our heads, or at least change the subject. Today I’m sharing four mantras that can offer gentle hope during difficult times - feel free to use these or create your own. Having some go-to thoughts that support you will always be better than the endless loop we often get stuck listening to. My own mental chatter isn’t usually too terrible, but it’s often boring things like “I need to make a list of ….. or what ever task that I’ve been avoi...
Jun 13, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 105
"What you trade your attention for is what your life becomes." James Clear I realize that if you are listening to this, you’ve given a few minutes of your attention to this podcast, and I hope that you find it worth your time – thanks for that. What your trade your attention for – so many times we don’t even realizes that what we’re doing. A half hour scrolling social – is that the attention choice you want your life to reflect? Maybe some days – often we trade our time and attention out of obli...
Jun 12, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 104
We’ve all said it—“Someday I’ll start the project.” “Someday I’ll focus on my health” “Someday I’ll chase that dream.” But here’s the truth: Today is someday. The future we imagined starts now, not later. Hope isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s built on intention. It’s what happens when we decide that the things we want are worth showing up for—even in small ways. Every step we take with purpose becomes a quiet act of belief in what’s possible. So if you’ve been waiting for the right time, consid...
Jun 11, 2025•2 min•Season 1Ep. 102
In times of struggle, when the world feels heavy or unjust, or if you’re just having one of those days when the easy things feel hard and the hard things feel impossible - creativity becomes more than self-expression—it becomes an act of resistance.
Jun 10, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 102
It’s hard to hold on to hope when the images on our screens show military vehicles rolling through our cities, not to protect us, but to intimidate. When peaceful protesters, people simply asking to be heard and seen, are met with force. When the response to unity and justice is tear gas, rubber bullets, and silence from those in power. Hope can feel naive in moments like these. Fragile. Foolish, even. But hope isn’t about pretending things are okay. It’s about refusing to accept that this is th...
Jun 09, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 101
When I started this podcast back in January, I intended to do this as long as it felt good and as long as I enjoyed writing and recording the content. Today is episode 100 and I wanted to share a few insights on how things look now that we’ve been doing this a while. First, let me say that I still like doing this and in some ways it’s easier than ever. I thought I’d run out of things to say but the more I do this, the more hope-related things pop up. So, I’m going to keep sharing and keep publis...
Jun 06, 2025•4 min•Season 1Ep. 100
When everything feels like too much, hope can feel out of reach. But even in the most overwhelming moments, there are small steps we can take to reconnect with possibility and light. Here are four simple ways to tap into hope and optimism when you need it most: 1. Pause and Breathe 2. Focus on One Small Win 3. Borrow Someone Else’s Hope 4. Name What You're Grateful For
Jun 05, 2025•4 min•Season 1Ep. 99
I’m working with a small cohort of other business owners to update the brand messaging in our business. We work independently and meet on zoom each week to compare notes and get feedback. It’s a good way to get things done. There’s accountability and deadlines – which really help me keep this as a priority for the 5 or so weeks of this program. Yesterday, we met in person to film some video footage and meeting everyone in real life was really amazing. We already kinda know each other, but talkin...
Jun 04, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Our memories have a powerful way of bringing the past into the present. These episodic memories—those vivid snapshots of experiences—allow us to recall specific details, reflect on what happened, and even reframe how we see those moments. They help shape our choices, our moods, and the way we move through life. While both positive and negative memories leave a lasting impact, it’s often the emotional extremes—our biggest wins and hardest losses—that stand out most clearly. These memories don’t j...
Jun 03, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 97
Hope has a funny rhythm to it, kind of like time. When you're in the thick of something hard or uncertain, the days can feel endless. You count the hours, waiting for answers, progress, or even just a little bit of relief. Or maybe the days feel long because we rush from one task to another, feeling like we need to be 3 places at once. When the day ends, we wonder if we accomplished anything at all. Hope can feel fragile in those moments—like you're holding your breath, unsure when you’ll get to...
Jun 02, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 96
I spent a big chunk of one day this week at the hospital with my mom. Unexpected things happen, like an illness, a missed flight or a cancelled event you’ve been looking forward to. It’s the adult version of a snow day only instead of getting to sleep in and watch TV all day, you have to completely switch your priorities, maybe with very little notice. Here are 5 practical tips for managing an unexpected emergency when it throws your normal priorities off track: 1. Pause and Assess the Situation...
May 30, 2025•5 min•Season 1Ep. 95
A hopeful reframe for the inner voice that expects the worst. What If It Does Work Out? A hopeful reframe for the inner voice that expects the worst. That inner voice—the one that jumps to worst-case scenarios, plays out every possible failure, and prepares you for disappointment “just in case”—it thinks it’s protecting you. But more often, it’s holding you back. What if you gave that voice a new script? What if instead of asking, “What if I fail?” you asked, “What if it actually works out?” Wha...
May 29, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 94
