If you were, or are, fortunate enough to have a close relationship with a grandparent or older family friend in your life, you know how lucky you are. There is just something magic in these times – for people of both generations involved.

These interactions used to happen more frequently and naturally in our families and in our neighbourhoods. We as a society have been retreating inward, as our homes become more comfortable, more filled with all of the conveniences we need, and many of us are working from home. This is changing the landscape of connection and interactions amongst us. How do we nurture our social health, if we are not connecting as much anymore?

And loneliness and isolation? They are rising, especially in the older demographic, and in young people.

This episode is about the benefits of intergenerational programs, and intergenerational connection. I have a wonderful mix of some interviews from a non-profit called Volunteer Grandparents and some on-site recordings at a seniors’ Care Centre. And this Centre has something really original: a Child Care Centre for 3 - 5 yr-old's right in the premises.
It will blow your mind.
So you will hear portions of my interview with Veronica Grossi, and Hope Stenhouse of Volunteer Grandparents, as well as my on-site interview and visit Ava Turner.

Veronica Grossi, is the Program Manager at Volunteer Grandparents, and has been with them for 18 years. Her background is in Family and Nutritional Sciences and Gerontology.

Hope Stenhouse is the program’s Coordinator, has her bachelor's degree in Health Administration, and she is studying aspects of aging and aging issues such as social isolation and ageism in Gerontology at SFU.

Ava Turner, has worked as Executive Director and now CEO at George Derby Care Centre, for several years now and has a background in the Home Health Care Program with Fraser Health.

volunteergrandparents.ca
georgederby.ca

This episode will touch your heart, and I bet it will inspire you to enliven some of the intergenerational connections in your life, or, just create some. You’ll hear reasons why these connections are so valuable to all of us, why we need them more than ever now.

Hello. I am so glad you are joining me, and if it is your first time, welcome! Today I am going to introduce you to Tina Shaw who leads a group “100 Women Who Care Fraser Valley”. This group of women is so inspiring and I am excited to share what they do with you. Basically, the women each bring $100 to a meeting, 4 times a year and then because there are 100 of them, they present a $10,000 cheque to a local charity each of those 4 times. Amazing, right?

If you are a long time listener of the show you might remember the episode in which I interviewed Mike and Frank from the “100 Guys That Care South Surrey”. It was Episode 22 and I put a link to that in the notes here.

Today, Tina and I talk about how it all started, how she came to lead the group, what kinds of charities they support and how they decide on which ones get the money. We also hear some of the stories of how their funds have made a difference, what these charities do for folks in the community, and how you can support charities in various ways, even if you are not able right now to support financially. You will love Tina’s heartfelt story, her enthusiasm and dedication, and how she leads.

Love Sweet Love episode 22 with 100 Guys That Care South Surrey: https://open.spotify.com/episode/05Dy9ON5iw6YQdRy6XDOSM?si=c54dc46905674336

Link to 100 Women Who Care Fraser Valley’s website:
https://100womenfraservalley.com/

Link to many of the charities and non-profits in the Surrey area of BC:
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/explore/charities/region/BC/city/Surrey/?q=Surrey

Link to the Beayoutiful Foundation:
https://thebeayoutifulfoundation.com/

Link to the Care for Women Foundation:
https://careforwomen.ca/

100 Guys That Care South Surrey Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/100_guys_that_care_s_surrey/?hl=en

If you find yourself wondering what the heck is going on with the world today, along with our growing feelings of meaninglessness and despair, I think you will find this episode not just interesting and informative, but actually helpful. Today, I am so pleased to say that I am speaking with Dr. Seth Kaplan.

Dr. Kaplan is a leading expert on fragile states, a consultant to multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, the US State Department and others. He is a Professional Lecturer at SAIS and Johns Hopkins University and he is the author of the book: “Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One Zip Code At A Time”.

Seth and I talk about how he answers the question that so many people ask him: “Is the US a fragile state?”, the link between our striving for upward mobility and what he calls, “social poverty”, the signs that tell him that a neighbourhood is thriving, what kids need in a neighbourhood, what his “sideways approach” to improving neighbourhoods is, the importance of each of us having a sense of “place”, what he says are 5 “Social Repairers”, and what are some actionable things we can do right now, to help repair our neighbourhoods, and our society.

I’d love you to let me know what you think of the episode and the podcast. A review would be so helpful, especially if you loved this content.

Here is a link to Seth Kaplan’s book and website:

Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One Zip Code at a Time
https://sethkaplan.org/

Here are the links to two other LSL episodes that delved into neighbourhoods:

Ep 38 Neighboring is a Crockpot, Not a Microwave & Why Knowing Neighbors Matters with David Burton:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Ei6ZiivWUhXAWtYKlyNxy?si=mpXRkS2gTammaWji1SMcGw

Ep 2 Gather, Belong, Shine and Lead - Neighbourhood Houses:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7eYL1ARXBcjEm03hY9n0gf?si=arOuFUFyTAmu4VfyPRsw1g

This is an episode I am excited for you to hear. This topic -- about what we clamour for to feel successful, and why, in the end, we don't even feel fulfilled. In fact, we often feel worse. In this episode, I will share with you some research findings and expert opinions on the one thing that makes us the happiest and healthiest in life. It is accessible to all of us. It has been tested and tested and tested, and the findings are clear. This one thing also will help us stay on the right track and not be repeatedly pulled into the powerful lure and of those false markers of success that we all get pulled into. I know I do -- and I think and write about this all the time and I still get sucked in!

I'll give you a new way to look at life that might be helpful to you. I know it has helped me to keep my eyes on the most important prize, so to speak. I'll also give you four questions to ask yourself that can help you know if you are actually on the right track, that I have found have been helpful to me. I will finish up by giving you six concrete suggestions for getting more of this one, powerful, strengthening element into your life.

Enjoy, and feel free to share it with someone who might need this reminder.

Welcome to this episode of Love Sweet Love. If this is your first time here, I hope you come back again! I love sharing inspiring ideas, initiatives and innovators who are growing good and even spreading love (I know! Cue the eye-roll, but it’s true!) in the world.

Today’s guest is David Burton who teaches the very popular Engaged Neighbour Program at the University of Missouri Extension. He is a writer, speaker, community developer and of course, an engaged neighbour. He will tell you that it wasn’t always this way, however, and he and I talk about how he came to do this work, what his course consists of, how Missouri celebrates and fosters engaged neighbouring, why he thinks some people are reluctant to know their neighbours these days, what we can all do to move toward connecting ourselves in our neighbourhoods, and why it is imperative that we do this. I hope you enjoy this informative, funny and warm conversation with David Burton, as much as I did.

RESOURCES
https://mohumanities.org/speakers/david-burton/

https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/greene/engaged-neighbor-project

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-burton-5041728/

Welcome back everyone. I am so thankful you have chosen to listen. Listening to the stories of some of the good that is happening in the world, really helps us stay strong, while we try to deal with and process all the negative around us. You will find today’s episode really interesting and entertaining.

Today, I am bringing you a conversation with Marj Kleinman, the founder of NYC’s Stoop Stories. Marj is an award-winning filmmaker and visual storyteller, and she and her team connect NY neighbours, across generations and differences to celebrate, preserve and enliven Stoop Culture through documentary films, story-telling and community events.

Marj wrote for children’s television such as PBS kids and Sesame Workshop, for over 20 years, and she has a background in Theatre and an MA in Educational Psychology. Marj and her team have been featured in the NY Times, the Washington Post, the We Love NY Campaign and several other news outlets. Marj and I talk about how it all started, why she is driven to preserve this culture, why intergenerational work is so important, how they aim to reduce loneliness and increase joy and compassion through their films and activities, what play has to do with all of this, what happens if we don’t have a stoop, and so much more!

Enjoy this conversation and I hope you take a piece of what Stoop Stories is doing, and bring it into your own life!

Resources & Links:

https://www.stoopstories.com/

Award Winning Documentary Film: Stoop Chat with Jimmy and Shanaya

https://youtu.be/5OVo5xCL7Kc

Social health is becoming a widely talked about segment of our lives! It has been for years but the attention it is getting right now is finally doing it justice!

This episode is just me. It is me sharing with you some of the thoughts I have, and have written about, regarding our connections, regarding loneliness, regarding our responsibility to ourselves and our kids, to figure this out, and fast.

Today’s episode has two main parts. The first part is about a dangerous misconception we have and how that manifests. I will talk about why this is happening, and why we absolutely DO need each other. I’ll focus on one of the simplest, accessible, impactful ways we can nurture these connections and our social health – our HEALTH, period – and that is through our connections with our neighbours and actions we can take in our neighbourhoods.

The second part is looking at friendship and loneliness. It is about what loneliness is and isn’t, why we, and our KIDS are feeling lonely, and what is our part in that reality. I talk about what can be done. where free play fits into loneliness for our kids (and even us), how our technologically-saturated lives are affecting our ability to thrive, and why now is the time to do something about this.

I think you will find this episode informative, maybe a bit sobering, and also inspiring. It is not too late. We can do this, We can do this together, for our and our kids’ sakes.

I’d love it if you took a moment to rate and review the podcast, and even share it with just one friend who may need to hear this message, or is, like you and I, passionate about getting us, and our loved ones, back to feeling well and healthy and connected.

So, sit back with a glass or cup of something good, or get your walking shoes and earbuds on, and enjoy. We’ve got this.

Let’s grow some good together.

Lenore Skenazy’s ‘Let Grow”:
 https://letgrow.org/

To check out Jonathan Haidt’s book, “The Anxious Generation”:
https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/the-anxious-generation-how-the-great-rewiring-of-childhood-is-causing-an-epidemic-of-mental-illness/9780593655030.html

Dr. Seth Kaplan’s Website and book information:
https://sethkaplan.org/

Block Party USA website:
https://www.blockpartyusa.org/

I am excited for you to meet my two guests today, Karl Schatz and Margaret Hathaway. They are a married couple who are co-founders of a non-profit called Community Plate, in Maine. They also have a goat farm, are authors, have a busy family and a real love of bringing people together and building community.

You’ll find out how a cookbook, celebrating Maine’s bi-centennial, was kind of a spark for their non-profit, and how these recipes led to another cookbook and then those led to the vision of these dinners. Karl and Margaret always believed in the power of food (and the stories around food), to bring folks together and so you’ll hear why and how they began these free, community potluck evenings that have strangers eating side by side, over conversation around food and family.

They masterfully design these simple, yet carefully planned evenings for inclusion, connection and belonging, and they have seen the positive impacts these dinners have, not just when they are happening, but that there are ripple effects for long afterward. This couple knows that now, more than ever, we need to connect with each other.

Find out the details, learn about how it has grown and where they see Community Plate going next, Hear some touching stories, and find out about the goat hikes (they have about 20 goats!) they offer at their farm!

You’ll love this delightful couple and their deep dedication to community, gathering, food, story and joy.

Website: 

https://www.communityplate.me/

Some people just radiate love and community and positive energy. I am so glad you are choosing this episode today, as this is one of my all-time favourite interviews. Sometimes, my guest and I welled up with tears because of the beauty we felt in what we were speaking about. My guest on this episode really understands community and love and culture and celebration.

She has only been a few years here in Canada, and she is making all kinds of impact in her city of Port Coquitlam. Her name is Mithila Karnik Adarkar. She is a professional, a community-member, a believer in diversity and inclusion, a sharer of culture and builder of understanding. She is a visionary and a solution-seeker and fierce advocate of women.

Mithila is the founder of the Poco Diwali celebrations. She is also a co-founder of the “Make a Fuss Movement”, which empowers women of today, the past and the future. You’ll hear Mithila talk about why she believes in community involvement, what she gains from it and what she wants her daughter to learn from her engagement. We talk about where she came up with the idea for the Diwali celebrations and what these events look like and how she pulls it all off.

Mithila talks about diversity and how representation is key to moving a city forward in an equitable way, and she describes her desire to both embrace this new home of hers and the wonderful traditions of Canada, and at the same time, celebrate and share her heritage and be able to hold both passionately.

Mithila will astound you. Her passion and intelligence is extraordinary and you will gain a lot from this woman, I promise you. Enjoy! Share it and be inspired by this spirit of love and community. I know I was!

My guest today is creating community and wellness on quite a massive scale! My guest is Vanessa Elias and she is a mental health activist, a certified parent coach (she has her own company called, Thrive with a Guide), and writes and speaks about child and family wellbeing. Vanessa is also the founder of Block party USA. She is a firm believer that block parties are a cure for most of what ails us today. They are simple, actionable, free, joyful ways to allow for face to face connections, free play for kids, and many other benefits to us and our children.

You'll be surprised at the myriad ripple effects of a block party! Today we talk about why Vanessa id such an advocate for mental health, how Block Party US originated and why, what the many benefits of block parties are and why they are so impactful, why face to face connections are so vital fro our wellbeing, and why kids need to have free play opportunities. We talk about the benefits to teens, to our support systems, the resources vanessa has for you, and the simple, essential few things to make your block party a success. Enjoy this important and uplifting conversation with Vanessa.

Follow the show so you don't miss any future episodes.
And... let me know if you try a Block party!
I am organizing one this Sunday!

How to get in touch with our guest, Vanessa Elias:

Website: https://www.blockpartyusa.org/

What happens when we are consumed by our work, or the titles and roles we have? And when I say consumed, I mean that almost literally – like swallowed up, or as if we melded into one like some kind of chemical reaction that happens when two substances merge.

If there is no boundary between work self and non-work self, no off switch, like when you come home from work, or when you finish with the last client as you work from home, how does the transition to relax happen? The transition into the “you” without work? IS THERE a you without work? Also, even more worrisome… what happens when you lose that title or role you have completely given yourself to? I am saying when, not “if”, because you will lose that title eventually. Nothing ever stays the same. Eventually, things change.

Today, in this episode we are going to look at some of the aspects of over-identification with our roles and titles. For those of us who happen to be super-achievers, strivers, very capable people, this will likely be of help to you.

This episode looks at:
What happens when we over-identify with our roles and jobs, at work, and at home as mom, and lose ourselves in them? How do we love our jobs and work hard and be our successful selves, without losing ourselves completely? How do we compete or deal with the images we are shown in the media and movies of the perfect woman and the perfect mom. What happens when we finally figure out what is most important, and who we are – as our non-work selves – and what are some ways to do that? We will also look at how our strengths and friendships fit into all of this, why our definition of success is so important to our self worth and ability to be happy, and why we need to not just DO all the time, but also learn how to BE.

So get comfy, or start walking, or grab a notebook and a cup of something, and settle in. Let’s grow some good together.

I am looking forward to sharing this inspiring and informative conversation with you. I speak to Greg R. Baird, who has been dedicating his life to inspire, empower, and educate folks about the fact that each of us has something to offer, and we all matter. Especially now, as we see the long fought-for DEI policies in the States under attack, these kinds of conversations matter.

Greg and I talk about his childhood in a small town and affected him, how and why he went into teaching and then moved into speaking around the globe, why he feels storytelling is an effective mode of communication, how these DEI orders are affecting him and what he does, how we can try to stay sane and navigate the onslaught of negative news around us, what communities need to be productive, how we can be better allies and neighbours, where he got this caring demeanour from, and much more.

Get in touch with our Guest, Greg Baird:
http://www.gregrbaird.com/home.html

You can also see clips of our conversation on YouTube@gaylebeavil

This is a fun episode for me, as today I am talking with a friend I have known for 47 years! I asked him to be on the podcast because I have been marveling at him and his wife and what they have done for 32 years now.

They have created a fundraiser for children’s charities where they invite over 100 friends, and friends of friends, to an annual Bonspiel. They have a dinner and an auction and other various ways to make money, and I can tell you first hand, it is a lot of fun.

At this event, everyone has a connection to Bob and his wife, Sue, somehow. Bob carefully creates teams and combines people from different friend groups, so connections are made and fun is had.

In this episode you will learn how Bob and Sue (and many family members and dedicated friends) make this work and how they have kept it going for more than 3 decades. You will hear what the event looks like, how they choose the charities each year, and some of the touching (and hilarious) stories of success they have had.

You hear how Bob has a zest for life and friendship and generosity, unlike anyone else.  

I am glad you are tuning in, and I think you will be inspired and entertained by this story of incredible generosity and dedication.

Welcome to today’s episode. I am so pleased to have Lyda Salatian on the show with me. It was honestly one of my favourite interviews I have ever done. Her passion and dedication just burst through in every moment of our conversation.

Lyda founded the nonprofit, Green Teams of Canada, in 2011. She has won some very prestigious awards for her passions and commitment, such as: British Columbia Achievement Foundation Community Award and the YWCA Women of Distinction Award - Environmental Sustainability.

Lyda believes inviting people into nature and engaging them in meaningful, fun hands-on action, will instill an ethic that will lead people to care more about the environment and responsible environmental behaviour. Lyda has worked and volunteered in the nonprofit sector for 20 years.

Lyda and I talk about:
-how she began, and what motivated her to take on this huge task.
-what the events look like and what projects they do
-who can come to the events (hint – EVERYONE – all ages and abilities are welcome!)
-why taking care of the environment is pulling weeds and planting seeds, but even more         
  importantly – about connecting to each other
-the difference acting in community can make
-what the future vision of Green Teams of Canada is
-how people can find out about the events and get involved
-why environmental action should be our top priority and why it is urgent we act now

My conversation with Lyda will move you, inspire you, make you think and likely have you want to get your whole family involved. See you there!

Links

https://greenteamscanada.ca/locations/lower-mainland-green-team/

https://www.instagram.com/greenteamscanada/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-teams-of-canada/posts/?feedView=all

Welcome to another episode of Love Sweet Love.

I am so glad you are here. Today you are going to find out about a revolutionary program that will turn your thinking around aging upside down. This program is called From Aging to Sage-ing and it was created by Rabbi Zalmon Schachter-Shalomi. It supports participants to consciously move through the challenges and transitions of life by engaging in the older years more joyfully, compassionately and deliberately.

One of my guests today is Janey Talbot. Janey is a Sage-ing program facilitator, a hospice volunteer, a mom of 5 and a grandparent of 6. Janey has had a 35 year career in community education and development and has always been passionate about gathering groups of women for deep and rich conversations. Janey lives on the Sunshine Coast of BC.

My 2nd guest is Wendy Scott. Wendy has taken two of the sage-ing programs and was made aware of them after she retired. Wendy has had a 35 year career in the municipal recreation field and has worked with countless community groups and citizens. Wendy is a widow, a mother of two and a grandmother of one. Wendy lives in Nanoose Bay, BC.

Today, Janey and Wendy and I talk about the 6 pillars of the program. We also talk about what these groups look like, how both Janey and Wendy feel have changed and grown through the program, and what they feel the major benefits are to this refreshing, respectful and honouring lens through which we can look at the aging process and also engage in the aging process.

You don’t want to miss this. It will help you if you are moving into this phase of life, and also if you have a loved one who is an “emerging elder”.

Enjoy this conversation. Please follow the show so you won’t miss an episode, and please feel free to share this episode with a friend!

I’d love it if you gave the podcast a 5 start review, too! It helps get it spread to more people – it’s an algorithm thing!

Sage-ing International website:
https://www.sage-ing.org/

Contact Janey re program information or registration:
janeytalbot@gmail.com

Book: from Aging to Sage-ing:
https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/from-age-ing-to-sage-ing-a-revolutionary-approach-to-growing-older/9781455530601.html

The Maharishi effect study:
https://research.miu.edu/maharishi-effect/reduced-violent-crime-in-washington-dc

Anyone who has been a busy mom (I had three kids in 6 years) and worked part time as a teacher. It was so busy and stressful at times. I was exhausted. I had no time for myself. Sound familiar?

Studies show that what is most correlated with our happiness, is the sense that we have more TIME to enjoy our lives. Time actually matters more to your happiness than money, or anything else, according to Yale’s Dr. Laurie Santos, who studies and teaches about the Science of Happiness. She calls this “time affluence”.

I know one of the factors of busy-mom-ness is the factor that we have no time. We are rushed. We are frantic. We are multitasking. It makes sense that I did not feel very happy sometimes at home. I must say here that there were MANY, many times of delight and fun and happiness and gratitude, amongst the stress, but I believe if I had known the important impact of time and our happiness in that phase of my life, I might have treated myself differently. Prioritized myself differently.

In this episode, I will share with you what exactly “time affluence” is, and why research says it is so key to our levels of happiness. You will hear where money fits into the equation, the effect of being frazzled, busy and pulled in all directions, has on our lives, how time affluence works and its effects on our mood and our overall health, and, maybe most importantly, I will share 9 strategies that will help you get more time to enjoy your life.

I think you will find this episode surprising and inspiring and I hope it motivates you to get some more of this important, sometimes elusive, entity in your life.Thank you for being here. I appreciate your time so much and I know you will benefit from this episode. Enjoy!

Resources: 

https://www.drlauriesantos.com/

Join Gayle on Substack. Subscribe to her “Growing Good in the Juicy Middle” where you will get weekly posts about what makes us thrive through midlife and beyond, as Gayle shares knowledge, research and practical ideas through personal stories.

https://gaylebeavil.substack.com/

LInks to 2 posts on Substack of Gayle’s about time and time affluence:

https://gaylebeavil.substack.com/p/do-we-have-time-for-happiness?r=3m9x4e

https://gaylebeavil.substack.com/p/getting-time-on-our-side?r=3m9x4e

When I mention “time blocking” and my mentor, my mentor is from a wonderful women’s business and mentorship group I’m in, called “Living in Balance”. I highly recommend this group for female entrepreneurs and business owners.

How to Get in touch with Me:

Email me at Lovesweetlovepod@gmail.com if you want more info.

https://gaylebeavil.substack.com/

My guest today calls herself a story-telling enthusiast. She is a professional journalist and after 8 years of television news reporting, she decided to move into the nonprofit world and charity work. My guest is the inspiring Kate Glaser.

Kate heads the Hope Rises Network which tells and shares good news stories of love and hope from around the world, and Hope Rises also, importantly, takes action in Kate’s local community of Buffalo, New York.

They raise money, often partnering with other brands and companies and give back to local families and causes. Besides all of this, she has a weekly spot on the Television show, Daytime Buffalo where she shares these good news stories and supporting local causes, she runs a marketing company, she is a mom of three, and much more.

I am so thrilled to have her on the podcast, and to highlight her and her amazing work and life.

We talk about:
-why she moved from tv news to the nonprofit sector
-the origin of Hope Rises and their mission
-how they raise money and the causes they support
-why storytelling should be t the core of all brands
-recent examples of folks they have highlighted and helped
-advice for folks with a dream or passion and what it takes to grow
-different ways we can support Hope Rises

Enjoy, and I know you will be inspired.

Resources:
Hope Rises Network on Instagram 
Hope Rises News on facebook
https://hoperisesnews.com 

Hi there. Thank you for being here with me on the Love Sweet Love Podcast. This episode is about something life changing and life-saving and that we can add into our lives.

Life-changing and life-saving.

It is free. It is accessible.

My hope with this episode is that it will have you pause and think about how you can get more of this in your life, and into the lives of your kids, your grandkids and all of your loved ones.

It is not just a good idea. It is imperative.

I share with you some of the most impactful research findings on this subject, and put it all into one place, right here, on this episode. I have some examples and stories which I weave research through, and then near the end, I put all the benefits to your life together on one very compelling list.

It will Blow. Your. Mind.

What is this powerful piece that we can easily add into our lives? It is what i am calling the “other”, Vitamin “C”. It is: community.

To end the podcast, I include some of the parting words of Dr. Vivek Murthy, the departing US Surgeon General as he ends his time in office. He has written extensively on the epidemic of loneliness and the powerful positive, preventive impacts of community.

I am really excited for you to have this information that will positively impact your health and wellbeing in so many ways.

Enjoy. See you soon!

Link to Dr. Dacher Keltner’s book: “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life”

https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/awe-the-new-science-of-everyday-wonder-and-how-it-can-transform-your-life/9781984879684.html

Link to Dr. Vivek Murthy’s book: “ Together: the Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World”

https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/together-the-healing-power-of-human-connection-in-a-sometimes-lonely-world/9780062913296.html 

Link to Dr. Vivek Murthy’s “My Parting Prescription to America”

 https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/my-parting-prescription-for-america.pdf

A local community kitchen. A shelter. A mobile meals program. These sound like very helpful services for our community, but maybe you are thinking that helpful doesn’t exactly make for an exciting and entertaining podcast, necessarily…. Well, don’t be fooled. This episode will inspire you, make you laugh, astound you with its vision and leadership and dedication of volunteers. Hundreds of volunteers.

Honestly, this is one of my all-time favourite episodes I have ever recorded. I went down to the ward-winning Cloverdale Community Kitchen (or The Storehouse, as it is often called) , and met with the executive Director, Marty Jones. We talked, we laughed, he toured me around. He shared the workings of the place and all of their services – and I got to capture it in person for you.

This is what community is all about. They actually operate by a code of words like: dignity, inclusion and compassion and you will hear why, and you will also hear that this is not just an empty kind of mission statement. These folks practice what they preach. They engage a huge community in service, care and compassion and you know what? They seem to have an amazing time doing it.

Listen, enjoy, share and let me know what you think.
Thank you for being here.
I love that you are growing good with me.

Website
https://www.mycck.ca/

My guest today is Rachel Marie Martin! Yes, I mean the author, Rachel Marie Martin, who has supported and inspired so many of us, especially those of us who are moms and parents, to remember we are enough, we are not alone, we can get through hard times, and that we all have strengths and gifts that we are meant to embrace and even bring to the world.

Rachel has been blogging for decades, has over 1.1 million followers on Facebook, and her website, findingjoy.net has millions of visitors each month. Her first two books are: “The Brave Art of Motherhood”, and “Mom Enough”, and her new book is called: “Get Your Spark Back”.

In this conversation, she and I talk about all of it! We talk about how and why she started writing, how her personal struggles (such as a painful divorce, and even estrangement), affected her life and work, the importance of beginning or just taking a first step, why we need to think about our future selves, her new book and why she wrote it, the tools she included in the book that can help us get our spark back – and, importantly – keep it ignited, the importance of the lost art of wondering, and a lot more.

So… grab a pen, a notebook, your notes app, or however you remember things, and get ready for an instructive, inspiring and reaffirming episode.

Rachel is absolutely spreading love and support in the world and I can’t wait for you to hear this conversation.

Rachel's Website: 
https://findingjoy.net/