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A terrified hello on a budget flight became a life raft—and then a blueprint for community. We sit down with photographer and connection-builder Adam Schluter to explore how he turned awkward street moments into lasting friendships, a global chorus of stories, and a backyard tradition that has welcomed more than 10,000 neighbors to the same picnic tables.

Adam traces the origins of Hello From A Stranger from early rejection to a pivotal encounter with a young refugee in Milan who had never been asked for his photo. That moment reframed the mission: people don’t just want to be photographed—they want to be seen. We unpack why scripts sound like sales, how vulnerability signals safety faster than polish, and why face-to-face time creates empathy no feed can replicate. Along the way, Adam explains how Monday Night Dinners began with burnt mac and cheese and evolved into a zero-agenda gathering with local music, potluck plates, and simple norms that keep business and politics at bay while making space for real talk.

This conversation goes beyond feel-good quotes. We get practical about hosting community without a budget, using music as a social buffer for introverts, and teaching teens the lost skills of eye contact and conversation. Adam shares plans to seed dinners in Mexico City and Japan, plus a clear definition of kindness as service—especially to people who have nothing to offer you. If you’ve been feeling isolated, or you’re craving a way to turn neighbors into friends, you’ll leave with a roadmap you can use this week: say hello, invite two people to eat, skip the pitch, and keep showing up.

If this story resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a seat at the table, and leave a review to help more people find their way to connection.

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What if kindness could rebuild a city block by block—and it started with a free concert? We sit down with Stephan Palmer, founder and CEO of Youth on Fire, to trace the journey from community shows in Hartford to a full-scale mentoring and family support network changing how youth grow, learn, and lead. Stephan’s approach is disarmingly simple: build trust first, then layer in faith, academics, and real-world creativity. When a mentor says, “We’re the GPS; you pick the destination,” kids stop bracing for judgment and start mapping their futures.

You’ll hear how a silent middle schooler lit up over Naruto and, session by session, found his voice, his footing, and a passion for service—now volunteering at coat and school supply drives and bringing friends into the fold. We dig into Hartford’s unique pressures—parents working multiple jobs, kids feeling unseen—and how Youth on Fire answers with relevant skills: music production, fashion design, podcasting, branding, and entrepreneurship. Cross-promotion becomes a classroom, and collaboration becomes a credential. As confidence rises, grades follow, and the spark of possibility grows into a plan.

Partnerships make the model scalable. Schools secured grants and Apple labs that transformed a single laptop into a media hub. A cosmetology school and a retailer help single dads step into interviews with dignity. State leaders supported licensing, MOUs, and family-centered work that stabilizes homes and lifts outcomes. Stefan shares future plans to add a women’s component and thoughtfully expand beyond Connecticut, while keeping the core promise intact: listen deeply, act practically, and let youth leadership drive the ripple effect.

If stories of real transformation give you hope, this one delivers—with concrete tools, candid moments, and a roadmap any community can adapt. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who cares about kids and families, and leave a review so more people can find it. Your ripple starts here.

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A single kind gesture can flip an entire day—and sometimes an entire town. That’s the spark behind this heart-forward conversation with musician and photographer Cathy Catterson, where we explore how small, visible acts of care become a neighborhood’s safety net. From a local pizza shop offering slices to anyone who’s hungry to little free libraries turning into little free pantries, we trace the real-world ways generosity scales at the community level long before it trends online.

We dig into the practical side of compassion: how to support small businesses so they can keep serving as hubs for connection, why paying in cash can ease fee burdens, and what happens when a town rallies to keep doors open. Cathy shares stories from her life—a bumper crop of tomatoes, childhood memories of shared garden plots, and the simple power of a sincere compliment—to show how micro-kindness improves mental health, reduces conflict, and fuels civic pride. We don’t dodge the hard questions either. Yes, a few people may misuse help, but the cost of withholding aid from those in need is far higher. The takeaway is clear: better to feed ten and risk one extra than to starve the nine who depend on you.

You’ll leave with concrete ideas you can try today: restock a pantry, offer a ride to a food shelf, compliment a stranger, or spend intentionally at a family-owned shop. Kindness is a practice, and practice builds culture. Listen to hear how creativity, empathy, and action intersect—and why your smallest gesture might start the next ripple of change.

If this conversation moved you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more stories of everyday goodness, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Your support keeps these ripples going.

This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.com

to learn more.

Enjoyed this episode? Stay connected with us! Follow our podcast community on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok for uplifting, inspirational, and feel-good stories. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and more content designed to brighten your day.

Intro music: “Human First” by Mike Baker – YouTube: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying: https://open.spotify.com/show/1iE5t5Nrbs0MyLORJpfiYu?si=f5b71d45b182448b | Website: https://www.mikebakerhq.com

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What if kindness isn’t about being agreeable, but about choosing love that expands you? We sit down with energy healer and 13-sidereal astrologer Tiffany O’Hearn to unpack the real difference between performative niceness and the kind of kindness that heals trauma, strengthens boundaries, and rebuilds community. From the first moments, Tiffany grounds the conversation in integrity—why intent matters, how language shapes energy, and how a simple thank you can open a closed nervous system.

We explore the three P’s of people-pleasing—prevent, persuade, please—and how they quietly drain respect for self and others. Tiffany shares practical tools to spot the twist of a fearful yes, listen for the first voice of intuition, and make choices that feel expansive rather than constricted. You’ll hear how receiving praise, help, or a paid coffee without instantly “paying it back” restores the giving-and-receiving loop that keeps generosity alive. We dive into the mirror effect of trauma on our narratives, the way we seek evidence to confirm our beliefs, and how curiosity disrupts judgment across political, cultural, and personal lines.

The conversation moves from inner work to communal practice: creating low-wall spaces where people can gather without performance, from trail communities to neighborhood rituals. Tiffany’s nature metaphors—a flower that doesn’t negotiate with the bee, grass that rebounds after a step—offer a blueprint for resilience and grace. Expect candid stories, clear frameworks, and grounded takeaways you can use today: accept the compliment, check your body’s signal, set the kind boundary, and ask what you don’t yet know.

If this resonated, share it with a friend who needs some encouragement, subscribe for more conversations like this, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Your kind word might be the spark someone else is waiting for.

This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.com

to learn more.

Enjoyed this episode? Stay connected with us! Follow our podcast community on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok for uplifting, inspirational, and feel-good stories. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and more content designed to brighten your day."

“Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com”

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What if bliss isn’t something you hunt, but something you remember? We sit down with meditation teacher and healer Anni Eza, co-founder of Seeds of Bliss, to explore a grounded path to emotional freedom that blends ancient wisdom with modern psychotherapy. Annie shares how she created a structured yet flexible method that honors each person’s story, nervous system, and pace—so healing stops feeling like a maze and starts feeling like a homecoming.

Across the hour, we unpack the difference between joy, happiness, and bliss; why linear productivity burns us out; and how honoring the seasons of the soul restores energy and clarity. Annie walks us through real, moving case studies: women navigating recurrent miscarriage who carried to term after clearing deep fears and inherited beliefs; elite athletes told they were done who returned to the field with a layered approach that paired medical care with somatic and energetic work. The throughline is integration—body and mind, science and soul, self and community.

We also talk about the loneliness that comes from feeling “other,” and why community is a healing technology in its own right. Group sessions at Seeds of Bliss address collective patterns like shame, grief, and belonging, while one-on-one work tends personal trauma with precision. Annie’s stance on self-leadership is refreshing: reclaim your power and choose what’s right for you, while holding the long-term good of the collective. If it harms the whole, it won’t serve you either.

Looking for a community that speaks your language? Annie’s team runs a free Facebook group and launches a new membership to support ongoing practice, seasonal resets, and kindred connection. Listen, reflect, and share with someone who needs proof that wholeness is possible. If the conversation resonates, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and pass it on—who in your life needs this bridge between science and soul?

This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.com

to learn more.

Enjoyed this episode? Stay connected with us! Follow our podcast community on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok for uplifting, inspirational, and feel-good stories. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and more content designed to brighten your day."

“Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com”

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What if kindness wasn’t a mood but a method? We sit down with leadership coach and former educator Matthew Reynolds to explore how a daily equity lens can turn compassion into measurable change at work, in classrooms, and across communities. Matthew shares the origin story behind Crafting Your Equity Lens—born from years of watching metrics eclipse humanity—and why co-creating norms, inviting play, and centering dignity can transform culture faster than any slogan.

We dig into the core question, “How much of my thinking is my thinking?” and unpack how culture, trauma, and hierarchy script our choices until we rewrite them with intention. Matthew, through his consulting group MRRConsulting maps a clear path from introspection to action: a scaffolded workshop, accountability pods, 90‑day challenges, and a living equity lens you read daily and revise as you grow. He offers a powerful advocacy example—creative, nonviolent, and consent-aware—that shows how to disrupt harm while honoring everyone’s dignity.

Along the way, we challenge performative protest, contrast rugged individualism with belonging, and outline concrete steps to start today: define your terms, map your influences, pick one behavior to disrupt, and one practice to divest from. You’ll leave with tools to build psychological safety, strengthen teams, and design community action that is authentic, effective, and humanizing. If you’re ready to move past good intentions and build a kinder culture on purpose, this conversation will meet you where you are and invite you forward.

Enjoyed the conversation? Follow and share the show, leave a quick review, and subscribe to our newsletter for weekly reminders and resources that help you craft your own equity lens. Your ripple starts now.

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Ever notice how fast a comment thread jumps from one story to “they’re all like that”? We take a close, compassionate look at overgeneralization—why our brains reach for it, how it spreads through media and memes, and what it does to real people on the other end of the label. With clear examples and an accessible dive into social psychology, we unpack the mental shortcuts that once kept us safe and now flatten complex identities into easy categories.

Mike shares the subtle ways language shapes reality, exploring how repeated phrases harden into beliefs that chip away at empathy. We talk through the ripple effects when immigrants are branded criminals, when people with disabilities are reduced to a label, or when entire generations are dismissed as lazy. The conversation stays grounded in practical change: person-first language that centers dignity, curiosity that opens doors instead of closing minds, and calm, respectful ways to challenge “those people” statements at the dinner table or in your feed.

You’ll also get a simple one-day experiment to spot and disrupt blanket statements in your own world, plus gentle prompts that help rebuild nuance without losing conviction. By the end, you’ll have tools to notice labels, ask better questions, and choose words that make room for human detail. If you value empathy, accuracy, and kindness rooted in truth, this one offers a clear path forward.

If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review to help more people find conversations that put people first. What generalization will you challenge this week?

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A rainbow that loses its colors is a striking image—and the perfect doorway into a conversation about how small acts of kindness can change a day, a classroom, and a community. We sit down with preschool teacher and author Kelly Turner to unpack the heart and craft behind The Little Rainbow Who Lost Its Colors, a children’s book where friends restore brightness through caring deeds and gentle encouragement.

Kelly brings 14 years in the classroom to her writing, starting every story with a clear moral and building characters and scenes around that message. She shares how focusing on empathy, responsibility, and simple, repeatable actions makes the story not only memorable but useful for social-emotional learning at home and at school. You’ll hear how teachers are adapting the book with a playful “kindness wand,” turning compliments and helping hands into a daily ritual that boosts confidence and fosters belonging.

We also get practical about the creative process. Kelly walks through drafting, editing, and self-publishing, including finding an illustrator on Fiverr, handling revisions, and learning from early misprints. She explains why a bilingual Spanish edition matters for accessibility, how a bundled coloring book deepens engagement, and what’s next for the rainbow as a series—tackling self-esteem, bullying prevention, and positive identity in kid-friendly ways. Along the way, Kelly’s message stays simple and strong: kindness is cool, kindness is free, and it’s powerful enough to color the sky.

If you care about raising kinder kids, teaching empathy with tangible tools, or creating meaningful children’s stories, this one’s for you. Listen, share with a friend who loves children’s books, and leave a quick review to help more families and educators find the show.

This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.com

to learn more.

Enjoyed this episode? Stay connected with us! Follow our podcast community on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok for uplifting, inspirational, and feel-good stories. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and more content designed to brighten your day.

Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com

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