My brother has had and still has a difficult life. He left home at 14 and made his way from there. Now both in our sixties, I wanted to know what had saved him.

Alexandra DiPalma and her partner Kenya moved from New York City to Mexico City. But soon after they arrived, Kenya needed major surgery. And Alex, accustomed to fixing problems, had to learn a new skill and an important lesson.

Sana Fayyaz grew up in Pakistan and then moved with her family to the United States as a child. A Muslim who didn't fit in America, Sana was happy to move to another country with her new husband. They moved to Saudi Arabia, and because it is a Muslim country, Sana expected to be welcomed. But that isn't what happened, and there were consequences for her unborn daughter.

When we sit in a stylist's chair, especially if it's a stylist we've seen many times, they get to know us well. But we often know so little about them. André is the person who cuts my hair. I had a feeling he would have a good Hard Times & Hope story to tell and that he would tell it well. The last time I saw him, I asked André if he'd like to be a guest on the podcast. I am so glad he said yes.

Rachelle Ramirez is a writer and certified editor. When Rachelle was 15, her mother gave her an impossible choice: "Raise your baby brother as your own, or I'm giving him up for adoption." This experience led Rachelle to pursue questions that show up repeatedly in her writing: How can we craft better endings? And do we have any control over how things end?

Bruce Devereux is the recreation and volunteer manager at a campus of care for elders. His life changed quickly within a two-week period. First, Bruce's wife Makiko was diagnosed with breast cancer. Then, on a mild Tuesday afternoon in March, Bruce answered his phone at work to hear, "Ken's been shot."

Dejah is the middle child of five and the first to go to college. She is smart, driven, and logical—she began college her junior year of high school. But after graduating from college with a major and two minors, when there is no longer a clear roadmap, when there are things she doesn't know how to do, Dejah hits the wall of a steep learning curve.

In this episode, instead of an interview with someone about a hard time, I answer questions people have asked over the last nine months. Why did you start a podcast? Why did you pick hard times for your topic? Where do you get your guests? Will you quit when the year is up?

Nadine Kelly pursued the path of high achievement, excelling in school, medical school, and pathology residency, followed by additional study to become a cytopathologist. However, Nadine's body was trying to talk to her. She wasn't listening, but it was trying to tell her that something was very, very wrong.

When Robyn Rose was ten or twelve years old, through no fault of her own, something happened that shouldn't have. At that age, our minds don't know what to think. Robyn's mind decided that what happened was her fault, and that distorted thinking shaped her self-perception for decades.