After Amy Schmitt of Woodhaven, Michigan, rushed her son Jacob to the hospital for a medical emergency, she learned that they would need to stay in the hospital for several days, including for one of their favorite days of the year, Halloween. She had the wherewithal to find time to rush home to place a sign in front of the house saying they were at the hospital and there was no candy, so kids wouldn’t be disappointed when nobody answered the door during trick or treating. What happened next should challenge any negative narratives you may have about kids these days.

This is My Good Three

I had planned to honor veterans today with a story or two about heroic veterans, but I changed my mind. It’s impossible to celebrate Veteran’s Day without mentioning the immense challenge we face in dealing with veteran suicides. I did hesitate talking about it, since there are some studies saying that we may be making it worse by consistently talking about the issue, but I have to think not talking about is worse. To call what is happening among post-9/11 warfighters a mental health crisis isn’t quite capturing the severity of the issue; what we’re dealing with is a full-blown epidemic.

In this episode I briefly share the statistics, and compel listeners to do more than just donate to a veterans cause this Veteran’s Day.

This is My Good Three

Hello Fridays. Where have you been all my life?

The invention of the Blackberry years ago marked a shift for workers worldwide. With our office suddenly fitting in our pockets thanks to technology, work began coming along with us wherever we went - and it’s only gotten worse. But there is hope on the horizon for anyone who feels like they can’t get away from the job. Thanks to Four-Day Week Global, and the Four-Day Week Campaign, we are closer than ever before to the tipping point in the quest to have employers across the globe adjust the work schedule to a four-day workweek.

This is My Good Three

Some things in life just seem to fit together perfectly…almost, mysteriously. A few weeks ago in Kansas City, the owner of KC Flower Company had a customer purchase an arrangement of flowers, and then hand them right back to her. What happened next was heartwarming, and it renews your belief that some things are larger than mere luck.

This is My Good Three

As we enter Election Day, changing our routines to fit voting into our day, sometimes questioning whether it’s worth it, we look back at the history of voting rights and just how much people sacrificed so we can freely walk into a polling station and cast our votes. While it doesn’t seem like much now, we can all be thankful for the system we have that respects all Americans and their vote.

This is My Good Three

Do you feel like you’re cynical, and there’s nothing you can do to change it? If so, there’s good news. Changing is much easier and faster than you think, and the benefits of being less cynical are worth fighting for. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be an idealist, just make some small changes and prepare to see your future in a brighter light.

In this episode I reference findings from Dr. Jamil Zaki, Director of the Social Neuroscience Lab at Stanford University, which he shares in his new book, Hope For Cynics.

This is My Good Three