The Kindness Extremist with Shola Richards

After 70 episodes and 15 months of showing up every Monday, Shola Richards is closing the chapter on The Kindness Extremist Podcast. But this isn't a farewell rooted in sadness. It's a celebration of what has been built together and an invitation for listeners to carry the mission forward.

In this deeply personal finale, Shola reflects on why ending the podcast feels like finishing, not quitting, and shares three final kindness strategies designed to keep this work alive long after the last episode. From recognizing your own growth to revisiting timeless lessons and becoming the kindness extremist someone else needs, this episode serves as both a thank you and a passing of the baton.

The Kindness Strategies:

• The Kindness Inventory
• The Rewind
• Become a Kindness Extremist

The podcast may be ending, but the movement towards a kinder world continues.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome to The Final Episode

04:16 - Reflecting on Your Kindness Journey

08:41 - Revisiting Past Episodes 

13:07 - Becoming a Kindness Extremist

17:14 - A Proper Farewell

or speaking requests or collaborations:

https://sholarichards.com/speaking/?utm_source=kindness_extremist&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep71

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com

Read more on Substack.

This podcast is produced by https://www.micmoguls.com 

How do you treat the people who make your coffee, deliver your food, clean your hotel room, or bring your groceries?

Most of us believe we're kind people - but the truest test of our character isn't how we treat our friends or coworkers, but how we treat the people we'll probably never see again. In this episode, Shola Richards examines one of the most overlooked opportunities to create a kinder world: the everyday interactions we have with service workers. From eye contact and genuine appreciation to the uncomfortable reality of tipping culture, this conversation challenges us to rethink what kindness actually costs.

This episode explores why service workers often become invisible, what research reveals about the psychology of tipping, and three practical ways to make a meaningful difference through small, intentional actions. 

The Kindness Strategies:

• The Service Worker Reframe
• The New Baseline Tip
• The Manager Praise Practice

If you truly want to create a kinder world, this episode will help you do just that every day of your life!

Timestamps:

00:00 - Day-to-Day Kindness: How We Treat Service Workers

03:39 - Bringing Back Visibility

09:29 - The Realities of Tipping 

15:01 - Giving Positive Feedback

20:24 - Conclusion: Committing to Kindness

For speaking requests or collaborations:

https://sholarichards.com/speaking/?utm_source=kindness_extremist&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep70

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com

Read more on Substack.

This podcast is produced by https://www.micmoguls.com 

What does real allyship actually look like when there's no audience, no applause, and nothing to gain? In this episode, Shola Richards explores the difference between performative allyship and the kind of everyday actions that create lasting change. Inspired by lessons learned in the years following the murder of George Floyd, Shola shares why meaningful allyship isn't measured by social media posts or public statements, but by the quiet choices we make when nobody is watching.

Through the episode, Shola shares research about the bystander effect and illustrates what courageous leadership looks like with real-life examples. He also introduces three practical strategies for becoming a more effective ally across race, gender, disability, sexuality, religion, and other differences that shape our experiences. The episode will help every ally understand how to use social and professional capital to support others and why the focus should be on building sustainable, lifelong allyship habits.

The Kindness Strategies:

• The Private Allyship Test
• The Real Cost Practice
• The LongHaul Commitment

 If you want to be a better ally, this one is for you! 

Timestamps:

00:00 - Mainstream Performative Allyship

04:26 - What Do You Do When No One Is Watching?

09:39 - Using Your Professional & Social Capital

14:50 - Allyship as a Lifetime Commitment

18:45 - Conclusion: Be a Better Ally

For speaking requests or collaborations:

https://sholarichards.com/speaking/?utm_source=kindness_extremist&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep69

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com

Read more on Substack.

This podcast is produced by https://www.micmoguls.com 

Most of us think we're kind, patient people - that is until someone cuts you off in traffic. In this episode, Shola Richards explores why road rage happens, the surprising psychology that makes us judge other drivers differently than ourselves, and three practical strategies to help you stay calm when traffic puts your character to the test.

The Kindness Strategies:

✔️ The Driver Reframe

✔️ The 30-Second Pause Practice

✔️ The Driver Intention Practice

If your commute leaves you feeling angry and stressed, this episode might just change what happens every time you get behind the wheel.

For speaking requests or collaborations:

https://sholarichards.com/speaking/?utm_source=kindness_extremist&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep68

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com

Read more on Substack.

This podcast is produced by https://www.micmoguls.com 

Most of us would never speak to a friend the way we speak to ourselves in the mirror. So why do we believe our bodies deserve criticism instead of compassion? In this episode, Shola Richards uncovers the hidden cost of negative body talk and why self-criticism rarely creates positive, lasting change. Backed by research on self-compassion and filled with practical kindness strategies, this episode challenges the belief that shame is a good motivator and offers a healthier, more sustainable path forward.

Shola explains how body kindness is different from body positivity and explores where your inner critic may have come from in the first place. Plus, he shares three simple practices that can help you build a more compassionate relationship with the one place you'll spend your entire life: your body.

The Kindness Strategies:

✔ The Body Gratitude Practice

✔ The Mean Talk Interruption

✔ The Body Kindness Action

If you've struggled with body image and are ready to quiet the harsh voice in your head, this conversation will help you move forward with self-kindness instead! 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Dr. Kristin Neff: https://self-compassion.org/
• Episode 31: The Truth About Procrastination [It's Not What You Think] https://youtu.be/FEz4XEZGxIE

For speaking requests or collaborations:

https://sholarichards.com/speaking/?utm_source=kindness_extremist&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep67

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com

Read more on Substack.

This podcast is produced by https://www.micmoguls.com 

Can you actually tell the difference between anxiety and intuition? For many people, distinguishing between these two sensations can feel impossible. In this episode, Shola Richards breaks down three practical strategies that can help you recognize which inner voice you're actually hearing before making your next big decision.

Through the episode, Shola shares the personal story of how anxiety nearly convinced him to walk away from the work he was called to do, plus examples of what happens when you learn to listen to your intuition. You'll discover why anxiety creates urgency, why intuition rarely does, and how slowing down may be the most powerful decision-making skill you can develop.

The Kindness Strategies:

✔ The Body Signal Check

 ✔ The Pattern Test

 ✔ The Slow Knowing Practice

Stop getting caught up in the stories that anxiety is feeding you, and start listening to your inner wisdom instead. Whether you're facing a career decision, relationship challenge, or simply relearning to trust yourself, these strategies can help you move forward with greater clarity and confidence.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Dr. Antonio Damasio, Author of Descartes' Error: https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/antonio-damasio/

For speaking requests or collaborations:

https://sholarichards.com/speaking/?utm_source=kindness_extremist&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep66

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com

Read more on Substack.

This podcast is produced by https://www.micmoguls.com 

Most people assume that asking for help makes them a burden. But the truth may be the exact opposite. In this episode, Shola Richards explores a powerful truth that many high-achievers, caregivers, and chronic over-functioners need to hear: asking for help is not a weakness. On the contrary, it's actually one of the most profound acts of kindness you can offer yourself and the people who care about you.

Through the episode, Shola reveals why so many of us struggle to ask for support, how we dramatically underestimate people's willingness to help, and what it looks like to build healthier, more connected relationships by allowing others to show up for us. You'll learn a simple framework for identifying where you're carrying too much alone, how to make effective requests without guilt or awkwardness, and why learning to receive help may be the growth edge you've been avoiding.

The Kindness Strategies:

• The Self-Reliance Inventory 
• The Specific Ask Protocol
• The Receiving Practice

Allowing people to help you may be one of the greatest gifts you can give them, and this episode will help you do so without shame.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Dr. Vanessa Bohns: https://www.vanessabohns.com/
• Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson: https://www.heidigrantphd.com/

For speaking requests or collaborations:

https://sholarichards.com/speaking/?utm_source=kindness_extremist&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep64

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com

Read more on Substack.

This podcast is produced by https://www.micmoguls.com 

Someone in your life is winning right now. Maybe they landed the promotion you wanted, or their business is growing faster than yours. Maybe they're receiving recognition, opportunities, or attention you've been working toward for years. And if you're honest, part of you isn't celebrating. Instead, you're grappling with a difficult question: Why them and not me?

In this episode of the Kindness Extremist Podcast, Shola Richards tackles envy, one of the most universal and least discussed emotions we experience. Rather than treating envy as a character flaw, Shola explores how it can become valuable information about what you truly want, where you're feeling stuck, and how comparison may be quietly stealing your joy. He discusses the difference between destructive envy and productive envy and explores how to break free from the comparison loop and transform resentment into growth.

The Kindness Strategies:

• The Envy Admission
• The Comparison Fast
• The Celebration Practice

Envy doesn't make you a bad person. And if you've ever felt behind, overlooked, or triggered by someone else's success, this episode offers a practical roadmap for turning those emotions into personal growth and deeper kindness.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 23: Why Appreciation Could Be the Key to Happier Work & Life
• Episode 42: Social Media Is Rewiring Your Brain for Anger [Here’s How to Stop It]

For speaking requests or collaborations:

https://sholarichards.com/speaking/?utm_source=kindness_extremist&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep63

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com

Read more on Substack.

This podcast is produced by https://www.micmoguls.com 

Have you ever been told you're "too sensitive?" Maybe it came from a parent, teacher, boss, friend, or simply from a culture that celebrates toughness while treating emotional depth as a liability. Over time, many deeply caring people learn to hide parts of themselves just to fit in.

In this episode, Shola Richards challenges one of society's most damaging myths: that sensitivity is weakness. Drawing on research from Dr. Elaine Aron and his own experience as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), Shola explores why sensitivity is actually one of the greatest sources of empathy, connection, leadership, and kindness. He also shares practical strategies for protecting your emotional well-being without suppressing the very qualities that make you uniquely powerful.

The Kindness Strategies:

• The Sensitivity Reframe
• Your Protection Protocol
• The Sensitivity Declaration

If you've spent years trying to develop "thicker skin," this conversation offers a different path forward.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 57: Hustle Culture Is Killing Your Kindness (Here's Why) 
• Dr. Elaine Aron: https://hsperson.com/

For speaking requests or collaborations:

https://sholarichards.com/speaking/?utm_source=kindness_extremist&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep63

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com

Read more on Substack.

This podcast is produced by https://www.micmoguls.com 

Most people spend years chasing a feeling of being enough, tying their worth to promotions, praise, productivity, and the approval of people around them. But what if that entire approach is backwards? 

In this episode, Shola Richards makes the case that genuine self-esteem is not something you find, it is something you deliberately construct, and the building process is simpler and more accessible than most people think. If you have ever felt like your confidence depends on everything going right, this episode will change how you think about your own worth and your capacity to show up for the people who need you most. 

Mentioned in This Episode
The Kindness Extremist Podcast Ep 48: The Necessity of Doing Hard Things: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-necessity-of-doing-hard-things-3-strategies-to/id1808367842?i=1000750997021

Dr. Kristin Neff, researcher and author on self-compassion: https://self-compassion.org/

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com

Read more on Substack.

This podcast is produced by https://www.micmoguls.com