“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou

The world needs more organizations like “Girls on the Run” and more people like my dear friend, Molly Snow… who is leading this beautiful organization in Los Angeles! (More about Molly below.) They are doing such amazing work empowering and building confidence in girls ages 8-14 with the hope that these girls will grow into our future leaders of the world… and will lead with compassion, kindness, empathy and integrity - something that seems to be lost these days in a world full of noise and negativity. 

In this episode, Molly explains the components of the program and the powerful transformation and results that she sees every season running the program. My favorite: the feeling that each girl experiences as they cross the finish line of their 5K. 

“Your existence can make the world better… (we are all) here is some way to contribute positively”… just about sums up a huge component of what GOTR is teaching (as described by Molly.) And you know, how much that resonates with me! 

I’m pretty sure, you’ll leave this episode inspired to be a part of this work in some shape or form! Here’s some ways you can support GOTR LA:

GOTR Los Angeles Spring Fling Silent Auction April 23rd - May 1st: https://www.32auctions.com/2022SpringFling (there’s a Project WonderFULL print amongst many beautiful items for auction, so get in there and get in on the bid!)

To learn more about GOTR LA and to make a general donation: https://www.gotrla.org/Donate 

Finally, as always, to learn more about Project WonderFULL and ways you can support and get involved including buying a print, head on over to: https://www.projectwonderfull.com 

A little bit more as written by the Board of Directors of GOTR LA:

"Molly is an authentic steward of the mission, a passionate voice for the girls served by the program, and an inspirational leader who motivates people to get involved. During her 10+ years with Girls on the Run of Los Angeles County, Molly has spearheaded smart, sustainable growth and professionalization of the organization. Molly has a deep commitment to access and inclusion, and as Executive Director she has ensured that the organization has the financial resources to allow every girl the opportunity to participate, regardless of financial situation. She connects people in an authentic manner to the mission of Girls on the Run."

If you’ve been listening for a while, you know that I am a huge fan of getting out in nature, feeling the great energy and capturing it with my camera! I’ve always come home feeling so good! I’ve known there was some science to explain why I’ve always felt so good… but didn’t realize how great it was! 

In this episode, I’m so excited to share the wisdom of Dr. Peggy DeLong. Peggy shares everything from research backing how healing nature and beauty is, to how you can easily apply some practices… Spoiler alert: get outside in nature! 

This has been a long time coming: sharing Peggy’s work and her impact in the world! I hope you enjoy learning from her, as I did! My intention with this episode is to leave you inspired to take even a 10 minute break from inside today and while you're at it, reap the organic benefits of nature and beauty! 

Thank you for listening! 

A little more about Peggy: 

Dr. Peggy DeLong is a psychologist, known as The Gratitude Psychologist. She teaches people how to harness the power of gratitude and joy to live their best lives, especially through difficult times. She does this through psychotherapy, her on-line monthly membership Feeling Good with Dr. Peggy, on-line courses, speaking engagements, books, and bracelets. 

Peggy is the author of I Can See Clearly Now: A Memoir about Love, Grief, and Gratitude, The Gratitude Journal: A 365 Day Gratitude Journey, and Feeling Good: 35 Proven Ways to Happiness, Even During Tough Times. She is also the owner of LOVE in a Bracelet, where she designs bracelets for coping with grief and loss, mental health, and inspiration.

Peggy coordinated a weekly women’s walking group for 7 years, and she hosts women’s hiking events for spiritual growth and personal development.

When she’s not focused on her businesses, you’ll find Peggy with her husband and three children in the mountains, downhill or telemark skiing, kayaking, hiking, or mountain biking.

You can learn more Peggy’s beautiful work at: drpeggydelong.com 

And to join the fun of Project WonderFULL’s 3rd Birthday Challenge for free, subscribe to the newsletter at projectwonderFULL.com/home#newsletter 

And finally, if you’re looking to get in on some monthly beauty for your desktop and phone screensavers, you can learn more at projectwonderfull.com/patreon

In this heavy and noisy world, there ARE ways to show up and lead with empathy! 

This episode and conversation with the beautiful Keri Jones-Fonnesbeck is an absolute gift as she shares stories of this kind of presence through her life’s work and her work with the wonderFULL organization: YWCA. 

Her example and those she shares of others, is an inspiration that will lead you to feel less heavy and more empowered to take even the smallest of steps to building a better and more together world. 

Be sure to listen all the way through to hear all of Keri's meaningful stories including one that takes place in Nairobi, Kenya and to hear her important call-to-action at the end. 

To learn more and/or to support the YWCA: www.ywca.org  

A little more about Keri: Keri Jones-Fonnesbeck, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), has dedicated the majority of her career to the mission of Eliminating Racism and Empowering Women through work at the YWCA, both locally and nationally.  She currently serves as the Senior Director of Member Services at YWCA USA and has since 2019.  In that capacity, she oversees a team of directors implementing a variety of technical assistance and training needs for over 200 YWCA’s across the US. Before joining YWCA USA, she worked in many different roles at the front line and management teams for YWCA Utah. During her 17 years of service there, her work focused primarily on serving families who have been impacted by domestic violence, providing oversight for emergency and transitional housing, early education, and YWCA Utah’s Family Justice Center; and in the operational side of the organization through oversight of facilities, administration, IT, and human resources. In addition, Keri brought and led implementation of the Sanctuary Model — an evidence-based organizational change model rooted in trauma-informed care — to YWCA Utah.

Before starting her journey with YWCA, Keri worked with cancer survivors, youth from war-torn areas around the world, and within hospital social work. She has served on the Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission, and on several nonprofit governing boards. In 2014, she was honored as a “Rising Star: 40 under 40” by Utah Business Magazine, and in 2016, she was given the “ACE: Advocacy, Collaboration and Education” award from the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition.  Keri has a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University in Social Work and Management, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Denver. She lives in Centerville, Utah, with her husband and two children.  Finally, if you’d like to support the production of Podcast WonderFULL and the work of Project WonderFULL, head on over to www.projectwonderfull.com/patreon   Thank you for listening and for all of your support in making this world a better place! 

Our world is in crisis again. This time, in the beautiful country and amongst the beautiful people of Ukraine. People are fearing for their lives, being separated from family and losing every earthly possession. This, all in the name of war. 

With a heavy heart, I have a hard time navigating the best way to help in these situations and I’m guessing, if you are listening to this podcast you might, too. 

My intention and commitment through this podcast and all of my work, is to illuminate the beauty and kindness of the world… even and especially in the darkest of times… times so loaded with fear and sadness, that it’s sometimes so overwhelming to figure out what to do. 

Today, my goal is to highlight the kindness that often occurs in the center of fear… and the realization that both can exist simultaneously… and that we get to chose which one to lean into. And to highlight the people making and impact one step at a time… Community coming together creating a force of love and support…

And to tell you that you get to have a part if you choose in this kindness whatever way you’d like and that it matters. Every single action, matters. 

My hope is that you leave this episode feeling empowered and very much ready to take some kind of action to spread kindness, not only to those in the heart of disaster in Ukraine, but also to all those around you, whatever they are going through. And that you know, that love is always a choice… especially in the face of fear. 

Here are the organizations and ways in which you can support the people of Ukraine. Remember, every steps helps! 

https://novaukraine.org

https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal 

http://www.airbnb.org 

https://act.38degrees.org.uk/act/safe-passage-ukraine (petition to allow safe passage for refugees) 

Help cover shipping of needed supplies to Ukraine from New Jersey by donating to: Meest in Clifton: Paypal: [email protected] Venmo: @Vasyl-Tehza 

Finally, I’d love to hear the steps that you’ve taken. Send me a note at [email protected] or find me on my website at projectwonderfull.com 

Thank you for listening and for all of your support in making this world a better place! 

In this episode, Molly shares her thoughtful advice and stories about what she calls her love language: fundraising. She gives not only practical steps from the “ask” to the “thank you”, but also perspective on inviting donors to be a part of the overall experience… It’s about doing it together. 

I promise that you’ll leave inspired and charged to take that next step in fundraising whatever that may be… all along knowing that you are making a difference in the world! 

A bit more about Molly: Molly Fast found the peer-to-peer fundraising space after her own mother's breast cancer diagnosis in 1999 led her sister Kara to participate in the Breast Cancer 3-Day. She became a participant in that event too and then it became her job. For more than 20 years, Molly has been using fundraising as a way to lead, connect and inspire those around her. After her father died of esophageal cancer in 2004 at the age of 55, Molly turned her personal fundraising attention to raising money for rare cancer. Through her participation in Cycle for Survival, she's raised more than $330,000 in the past 10 years. She also serves on the board of Girls on the Run of Los Angeles. And loves to play the role of personal fundraising coach and cheerleader to all her friends and family who fundraise for all the causes that mean so much to them. When Molly isn't teaching people about her love language (fundraising), you can find her wandering around her home-away-from home in Ireland. 

You can reach out to Molly on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollyfast/ 

Join Molly as a patron in Patreon to continue to fund Project WonderFULL, including this podcast: https://www.projectwonderfull.com/patreon 

I learned from Brene Brown several years ago in her book “The Gifts of Imperfection” that engaging in play is so important to living a whole-hearted and fulfilled life… It was then that I started to engage in it more (and I’ve noticed the benefits when I do it)! 

In this episode, I share with you, the top five benefits based on an article in “Help Guide”. 

Learning all of this has inspired to build even more play into my every day!

I hope it does for you, too! 

If you’re interested in taking part in my form of play: monthly scavenger hunts with beautiful patrons of the Patreon community: https://www.projectwonderfull.com/patreon 

You’ll not only have access to these scavenger hunts (and other benefits), but also support the production of this podcast as well as help illuminate the beautiful people and wonder of the world! And for that, I am very grateful. 

Also to note, the work of the work of researcher Stuart Brown, MD and author of “Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul” is often cited in this episode. 

Do you enjoy journaling like me? I’ve been journaling for several years now, but never thought about capturing the moment and my thoughts through drawing until I met my dear friend, Shantele Ianna. 

In this episode, you’ll hear stories from Shantele of healing and joy through the practice of art journaling, including the experience of having her first child, Archie, pre-maturely and how she processed heavy emotions while he was in the hospital dealing with complications.

It’s beautiful, as is Shantele’s work all made with such love. She now shares some of these images from her journals in the form of prints, cards and most recently flash cards as one of her passions is also to educate with her art.

You can find out more about Shantele and see (and purchase) her work here: http://shanteleianna.com or check out her Instagram: @shanteleianna (Her products are perfect for gifts! Grab them soon as shipping can be a bit slower from Australia!) 

Finally, if you’re interested in being a part of the group of people supporting this podcast as well as the work of illuminating the beautiful people and wonder of the world, you can learn more here: https://www.projectwonderfull.com/patreon 

Listen in the episode for some Project WonderFULL special holiday offers or head on over to https://www.projectwonderfull.com to learn more! 

Do you feel daunted by trying to live a more sustainable and green life?

Well, this episode is for you! 

I recently had a wonderFULL conversation with Kristina Hunter, who is helping people to live more sustainably for themselves and for the planet. 

Kristina is a wealth of knowledge, having a huge background in environmental studies as well as sustainable well-being (amongst many other things) and was a professor for over 20 years teaching several people on this topic.

What I love most about Kristina’s approach is that it really starts with us… how we take care of the planet begins with how we take care of ourselves. And she gives permission to design our part in making a difference on this front uniquely to what works for you.

I’ve learned so much from Kristina… I can’t wait for you to, too! And I’m so excited for you to feel ready and confident to take your next steps to living your best green life without overwhelm.

Kristina has so many resources including a blog and a podcast. She is currently an online educator about to launch a course. You can see more on her website as well as book some time to talk with her here if this resonates with you: https://www.kristinahunterflourishing.com 

She can also be found on Instagram: @khflourishing 

Finally, if you’re interested in being a part of the group of people supporting this podcast as well as the work of illuminating the beautiful people and wonder of the world, you can learn more here: https://www.projectwonderfull.com/patreon 

Thanks for being here!

How do you want to feel when you are traveling? That’s the question I ask before I take a trip and I apply the answers to strategically pack. 

In this episode I share seven travel and packing tips based on how I like to feel while traveling that will lead to a meaningful experience! 

I hope you enjoy one, a few or all seven of these tips! Let me know if you apply any of these… I’d love to hear about your experience. [email protected]

I’d love for you to come along on this journey with people like you who want to be a part of illuminating the beauty and kindness of the world! You can learn more at: projectwonderfull.com/patreon 

Thanks for listening and being here with me! Sarah 

Remember the spinning wheel in the fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty? Seems pretty old-fashioned right? But based on my conversation with my friend, Kelly Mason, I’m feeling quite the opposite.

There are so many benefits to this beautiful art and Kelly tells us all about it. From environmental to mental wellness, I was overwhelmed (in a good way) by how positive an impact the art of spinning can have. 

Kelly’s energy is beautiful throughout: full of joy, love and curiosity… we could have talked for hours!

To learn more about Kelly and her wonderFULL work: Instagram: @spindleandcompany (You’ll love her reels!) Website: https://www.spindleandcompany.com.au 

And to join Kelly in supporting Podcast WonderFULL and to be a part of illuminating the beauty and kindness of the world through the work of Project WonderFULL, head on over to projectwonderfull.com/patreon