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.

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.

“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

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

How GRATITUDE in the hardest work at the most remote locations left this award-winning expeditionist feeling more connected to the world than ever.

In this episode, Polar Expeditionist Ann Bancroft explains just that.  In 1986, she became the first woman ever to reach the North Pole on ice. It didn’t end with that adventure.  Couple her many incredible polar expeditions with her founding of the Ann Bancroft Foundation – an organization which inspires and encourages girls to imagine something bigger to achieve their full potential and Ann has created the recipe to spend her life merging her passions…exploring, teaching and inspiring.

So, bundle up a bit and listen in to hear more about exploring your deep gifts and sharing those gifts with others!

To learn more about Ann and the impact she is making on the world: : https://www.annbancroftfoundation.org/about/ann

It’s a walk down memory lane!!!  In this episode, Mike and Gina will be doing a recap of the incredible journeys of gratitude that was Season 1!!!  Listen in and learn from some amazing people as we talk about the themes that we touched on over the course of our first season like mental health, entrepreneurship and the workplace, parenting, job transitions, resiliency and life-changing traumatic events.  The Gratitude Spark Podcast is about sparking change in our world…and this group of people do just that…in a major way!  

The stories of our guests’ are inspiring, uplifting, encouraging…and, of course, filled with a perspective of gratitude that can change the way you approach your life.  

In this episode, we remember the challenges and struggles that many of our guests spoke of but also the drive and determination that they all had to make a positive impact on our world through their focus on a grateful mindset. 

We were beyond grateful to have had each of our guests share their story this season. It goes without saying that they all embody what this podcast is all about…The Gratitude Spark.