Erin takes the podcast to Cancun for her yearly trip with her sister to see Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds play live on the beach. Before the trip even started, she got scary news that changed her perspective. Then you'll hear why Erin's old instincts caused her to dive into the resort pool and swim crazy fast to the other side. Plus, meet some great humans who tell their own stories of kindness and how it can turn around someone's day!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Niki's phone is never off. She never knows when it'll ring at 3am with updates and/or good news from overseas. She puts things in motion and then waits for MANY pieces to fall into place so she can facilitate a special reunion, thousands of miles and hours in the making.

You'll wanna hug this incredible human for all of the love and kindness she pours into her job at Paws of War.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Such a simple, kind idea. Get some food for the homeless on Thanksgiving. But what about the rest of the year? Who helps then? Are these people getting any necessities in addition to the occasional meal? Do they have anyone to talk to?

Find out what inspired Jay to help so many, during a time when he was barely able to help himself.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is an episode all about being in the right place at the right time. Ruby just happened to witness something that bothered her to the core and found a way to use that experience to make a difference for hundreds of other kids!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This New Year’s Eve episode is the perfect one to check out if you’ve missed any part of the podcast thus far, because it is a compilation of clips from every guest this year.

Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and provided fantastic inspiration to us. You’re making the world a better place!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack is 18 years old. He’s a Kansas state champion swimmer who was fielding scholarship offers from schools across the country when a diagnosis turned his world upside down.

Instead of watching from the deck and cheering with the crowd, he swam through the pain and won an entirely different kind of national award.

And when offered a once-in-a-lifetime gift, what he did with it speaks volumes about the kind of human Jack truly is.

His story is one of strength, resilience and faith that will have you cheering by the end of the episode.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Erin found Santa’s crew!! They’re happily waiting for you to visit in Palmer, Alaska. Lauren Waite’s grandfather began the Reindeer farm in 1986, and it remains one of the most visited sites in the state. Here, people can feed and pet the reindeer, along with the many other animals who happily reside on the farm.

The episode ends with a Shinin’ Bright Spotlight on a local place Erin heard about that does a giving tree and so much more all year. A reminder that something similar is likely in your town, too!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here’s what I love about this episode. I’ve heard it said many times “I’m only one person-what difference can I really make?” Every idea starts with one person. Yes, others may join in to help along the way, but never devalue what you could do to make the world a better place. Darlene had an idea 12 years ago, and through social media and word of mouth, has made a lasting impact in her community. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A knock on his door late one night changed the course of Stephen’s life. 8 months into his own recovery, a friend showed up asking for a ride to rehab after a relapse. Through tears, she said no one would take her dog and could he drop “Jade” off at a shelter on the way? Not only did he bring his friend to rehab, but Stephen kept the dog and, in the process, found a major flaw in our recovery system. He is spending his life fixing it. A surprising amount of people refuse to go to rehab because they have no one to watch their dogs when they’re gone. Kudos to CNN because he is, indeed, a hero.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Erin reminds you what NOT to talk about around the Thanksgiving family table, while giving you a heartwarming update of two people who began as total strangers, and are about to spend their 10th turkey day together. She chats with Jason Barker, a remarkable volunteer at My Brother's Table soup kitchen, who shares eye-opening information about just how crucial these places and fellow volunteers are-long past this week. In fact, it's because of those volunteers that this soup kitchen has been open over 13,000 consecutive days!!! They even found a unique way to still help during Covid. Start your holiday with this episode that highlights what to be grateful for every day.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.