Packets of Hope: Turning Bullying into a Global Life Skills Curriculum with Jill Chalsty

On today's show, Patty welcomes Jill Chalsty and talks about how being bullied in middle school led her to help create Overcoming Obstacles, a free K–12 life skills curriculum now used in nearly 200 countries and reaching about 180 million children. Jill explains the program’s focus on skills like asking for help, communication, conflict resolution, goal setting, problem solving, and especially decision making, and notes updates to address cyberbullying.

She and Patty discuss her free book, Packets of Hope, and how, after losing her husband and facing cancer, she took a five-month world cruise delivering letters and materials to Ministries of Education to drive schools to the Overcoming Obstacles website, leading to responses including a planned Tagalog translation. She shares favorite cruising moments, challenges onboard, and her plans for more books and travel.

Find out more and connect with Jill at the links below:

Packets of Hope |

Overcoming Obstacles

Facebook |

Instagram |

LinkedIn

Episode highlights:

00:00 Meet Jill Chaste

01:01 Bullying to Purpose

03:27 Life Skills Toolkit

05:29 Students Changed Forever

06:58 Full Circle Hospital Story

09:19 Cyberbullying Today

10:15 World Cruise With Purpose

13:35 Packets Not Envelopes

15:20 Resilience Through Setbacks

16:46 Breakthroughs and Translations

18:26 Travel Log With Purpose

19:16 Free Book Big Impact

20:07 Most Vital Life Skill

21:31 Cancer Joy And Service

23:17 Next Journeys And Routes

24:18 Cruise Rapid Fire

25:53 Quotes Love And Smiles

28:28 Chocolate Stories And Cadbury

30:13 Final Thanks And Wrap