by Mike | Mar 1, 2022 | Podcast
Can you remember a time you thought you were fully committed to an idea or the meaning behind a quote, and then something quickly swept the rug out from underneath you?
In this episode, Gina and I are talking about just that. Some time ago, we created an Alexa routine called “Sparks of Gratitude” which provides you with a different gratitude quote every day (if you don’t know about it, definitely check it out!).
Gina happened to hear one of the quotes that we included in Sparks of Gratitude that took her by surprise, so we just had to explore why. And with that, we’re having an important and much needed discussion about discernment.
So join us for some of our opinions that just might surprise you…but in a good way.
by Mike | Feb 22, 2022 | Podcast
Educators – the impact they have on the children who are our future can’t be overstated.
- Have you wondered why people choose to become an educator?
- Have you wondered how educators can learn from the children they teach?
- Have you wondered how gratitude shows up for those who teach our children?
On today’s episode we’re chatting with June Johnson – a lifelong educator who started out her career as a Special Education teacher and then moved into administration as an elementary school principal.
June chose to spend her career with one thing in mind – “paying it forward”. In this episode, she discusses how that one simple ACT of gratitude shaped both her and the children in ways unimaginable. She talks about her motivation for her servant heart and that “how you make someone feel” will always be more important than whatever it is that you’re trying to teach them.
So join us, to hear June’s story of empathy, goodwill, gratitude and impact.
by Mike | Feb 15, 2022 | Podcast
“A Better Society” – the adventure created through an epiphany, a set of connections, and a small step in bravery.
Question for you – have you had that amazing idea – you know, the one that will completely change the world? The only problem – you really have no idea how to make it a reality?
Heather Tran did just that. She’s the Executive Directory of a non-profit called … you guessed it…”A Better Society” – it’s an idea incubator that helps social entrepreneurs take their ideas and turn them into a reality.
In this episode, Heather will share with us how you can take small and simple steps to turn that idea into something real – one that can make the world a better place and how gratitude can play an incredibly important role in this process. As Heather points out – Creating a better society is all about bringing hope, blessings and joy into the world- and that it isn’t necessarily about creating the big things, it’s about focusing on the little things and creating a ripple of a positive impact.
So if you’ve got that idea that you want to bring to the world, but are feeling just a little stuck in how to go about doing that….join our conversation with Heather. You just might walk away with that aha moment you need to turn your idea into a reality – the one that will allow you to start creating a better society.
To learn more about A Better Society: https://www.abettersociety.org
by Mike | Feb 12, 2022 | Connection, Gratitude, Inspiration
Ok…so, it’s confession time. I’m a little embarrassed to say, but, I love Tiktok, the social media platform that has taken the world by storm over the last few years. I try to use my time wisely, and in all honesty, watching Tiktok videos might not be the best way to do that. But, every so often, I see a video that hits me hard. A good friend of mine recently sent me one that did just that.
It was a video of a young man who was talking about his Grandma…and her pots and pans of all things. Years and years ago, his Grandma wanted a set of copper pots and pans. She bought them because they were beautiful and she was excited to be able to use them to cook meals for her family for special occasions. Christmas dinners, Thanksgiving dinners, birthdays, anniversaries. She was going to cook food for those that she loved….and she was going to use those beautiful copper pots and pans.
But, they were expensive. They were shiny. They were too good to use. Over the years, those “special occasions” just didn’t feel special enough for her to use them. She didn’t want to discolor the copper. She didn’t want to damage or scratch them. Because, they were after all, copper….and they were beautiful. So, she used other pots and pans. And there they were, hanging like a chandelier in the kitchen collecting dust. For years, and then for decades, and then…she passed away without ever making a special occasion meal with her copper pots and pans.
Thankfully, her grandson took those pots and pans, dusted them off, cleaned them up and brought them to his home where he uses them – for special occasions, for not-so-special occasions, for a Tuesday night dinner all the while knowing his Grandma is right there by his side cooking those meals with him.
I think we all do this far too often. We make promises to ourselves, but for whatever reason, we wait. We let time pass. We tell ourselves that the right time will come. And also far too often, that time never comes.
So, use the good copper, visit that high school friend that you haven’t seen in years, buy the fancy shoes, eat the chocolate cake, take the trip, have the conversation. Because, if you don’t, one day you will have never done it and those promises that you made yourself will only be covered in dust, just like his grandma’s copper pots and pans.
Thankfully, we all have an opportunity to act on the promises we make to ourselves. We don’t have to wait. We don’t have to keep the copper pots and pans beautiful. All it takes is a decision, a decision to experience the beauty of life in the moment.
So, a challenge for all of us – today, tomorrow, this week, this month..use the good copper.
by Mike | Feb 8, 2022 | Podcast
What can trees teach us about gratitude? In this episode, we’re going to find out!
We’re going to be chatting about….trees…yup – trees and one man’s journey to give every child the priceless joy of planting and watching a tree grow. We’ll learn about how a simple tree can help instill in us a sense of magic, wonder, gratitude and love for our planet.
Vikas Narula has always had a love for trees and in 2010, after a death-bed experience, founded an organization called Neighborhood Forest. Since 2010, Neighborhood Forest has reached over 400 schools, libraries, and youth groups – over 100,000 families – and planted over 50,000 trees through the hands of children and parents across North America. In 2021, through a series of amazing events and people, Neighborhood Forest went viral and gave almost 20,000 kids in 35 states their very own tree to plant on Earth Day this year!
This conversation hit home for me as I remember when I was in 3rd or 4th grade and got a pine tree seedling on Earth Day. I walked home with excitement for the opportunity to plant and take care of this tree. Even after a transplanting to a new home when we moved, my tree thrived and is standing about 40 feet tall today and it still brings a sense of joy and wonder every time I see it when I come back to my childhoood home.
So join us to hear more about Vikas’s personal journey which isn’t unlike the journey of a tree from seedling to something that creates a beautiful and incredible impact on our environment. It’s a journey filled with hope, challenges, a death-bed experience and incredible gratitude.
To learn more about Vikas and Neighborhood Forest, click here: https://www.neighborhoodforest.org
