Hey everyone, it’s Cynthia Zeito and Lynn Kindler! We’re so excited to share this episode with you—an expansive, honest, and hope-filled conversation with our longtime friend and inspiration Sara Hickman. Sara is a celebrated singer-songwriter, artist, advocate, and a true force for community, belonging, and healing in the world. This episode is all about finding and making meaning, even in troubled times, and how our smallest acts can ripple outward in powerful ways.
As your co-hosts, we know life can sometimes feel like one big, messy question. Today, we dig into the details with Sara—what does it look like to keep your heart open when so much feels overwhelming? How do you keep showing up with love, integrity, and creativity, even when the world is hurting? Sara walks us through her journey from global activism to a more community-focused approach, and she shares moving stories about what she’s learned along the way—about purpose, about the healing power of music and art, and the simple sacredness of being present and listening to one another.
We also get vulnerable about the state of the world—the heartbreak, the backward steps, the “cockroaches in the kitchen.” But what stands out is Sara’s continuing faith in the chorus of everyday people coming together locally to lift each other up. We talk about the value of authentic connection in the age of isolation and online noise, and why now, more than ever, compassion is our superpower.
In this episode, you’ll hear us explore:
- How Sara Hickman has shifted her focus from international activism to deeply local community-building, and why that’s so powerful right now
- The dangers of isolation and hostility in our technology-driven culture, and what it means to truly see and hear one another
- The impact of “just listening”—no advice, no fixing, simply holding space for people to be heard
- Sara’s belief in the healing power of music, art, poetry, and creative community, especially when institutions and politics fall short
- Moving firsthand accounts of activism, such as delivering instruments to children in Uganda and supporting immigrants and refugees at the border
- How her own purpose as an artist has always been to make people feel like they matter, even when her industry pushed for something different
- The challenges facing artists—and all of us—when it comes to speaking truth to power and sustaining hope
- The importance of self-compassion, replacing the “negative tapes” in our heads with grace and understanding
- What courage and faith mean in practice, and how “God nudges” and inner guidance keep Sara engaged instead of discouraged
- What brings us joy: family, laughter, community, small-town connections, and favorite bits of music
- A fun rapid-fire round, including dream dinner guests and the songs we wish we’d written
- Above all, why kindness matters, why it feels lighter, and why it might actually be the secret ingredient we’re all searching for
To learn more about and connect with Sara Hickman, visit www.sarahickman.com.
If you loved this conversation, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe to Another Way to Think About It on your favorite podcast platform! And please, share this episode with someone who might need a new way to think about it, too. Stay open, stay curious, and keep showing up with heart—we’re all in this chorus together.