Poets and artists of all stripes remind us that hope is essential to a life of purpose, empowering courage and connection.

Jan shares the true calling card of growing our future by locating the crack created by heartbreak that lets the light in.

Each of us has someone, or ones, who have taught us lessons that last a lifetime, continuing to guide us. Giving thanks annually, if not more often, treasuring their example, lifts us as well.

Jan shares the lessons his own dad taught him by word and example that continue to stand the test of time.

We invest in ourselves when we discover purpose, that each of us has a voice only we can share. Jan celebrates playwright Wendy Wasserstein, who painted worlds with her words that made us laugh, cry, and helped illuminate the power and complexity of modern day women.

New out of Russia is that the great voice of moral clarity, Alexei Navalny, has been silenced. Yet, this news, and his life, underscore the power of conscience to illuminate injustice and inspire us to compassion and courage, in our own way, in our own lives.

When life throws inevitable roadblocks and difficulties, it matters that we show up, for ourselves, and for others. Jan shares the gratitude in having a dad who did just that, and the opportunity we each have to make meaning out of reaching out.

Jan shares quotes and observations from poets, performers, and philosophers to start your week, reminding us of the power in realizing we are 'alive in a broken world', capable of creating our own path of positivity, day by day.

Many cultures have created circles of stone that we marvel at, wondering their purpose. Jan shares the story of a personal stone circle and the powerful mirror to our souls these stones can represent, reminding us of the permanence of memories and what matters most in our lives.

In chaos it is possible we are unsure if we can still shine. We can.

Jan shares the words of a poet who asks the questions our hearts may be asking. More powerfully, suggests the possibility of creating new maps to future light.

Life is often governed by questions we put to ourselves: What's in it for me? What's the worst than could happen? Who's it going to hurt?

Jan shares the personal story of a stranger who called him to his death bed to pass on a life lesson of positivity that the man had learned from a life of manipulation, hoping to help others before it was too late.

Each of us has experiences that shape the way we see ourselves and the role we want to play in life.

Jan shares the story of a welding genius whose art has taught the world what freedom can look like when you fashion with your hands the visions of your heart.