Kindness Matters Podcast

Mike
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Relationships
  • Updated Weekly

So. Much. Division. Let's talk about how to change that. Re-engage as neighbors, friends, co-workers and family. Let's set out to change the world. Strike that. Change A World. One person at a time, make someone's life a little better and then do it again tomorrow and the day after that, through kindness.Kindness is a Super-Power that each of us has within us. It is so powerful it has the potential to change not only your life but those around you, too. Let's talk about kindness.

  1. 17h ago

    The Lesson of Gander.

    Send us Fan Mail I can't believe it's been nearly 25 years.  7,000 people step off diverted planes into a town they’ve never heard of, carrying fear, exhaustion, and the sickening uncertainty of 9/11. Gander, Newfoundland a place of moose, cold weather, and a quiet airport suddenly becomes the safest spot in the world, not because it has more resources, but because it chooses to treat strangers like neighbors. We walk through how 38 flights end up on this tiny corner of North America, what it feels like to sit on a plane for hours without answers, and why the mix of passengers matters. Families, solo travelers, newly adoptive parents, and people from at least 95 countries are all stranded together, including Muslim passengers who have reason to fear being targeted. What follows is a breathtaking example of community kindness: shelters opened in schools and arenas, prescriptions filled for free, public phones set up as lifelines, and private homes offered for showers, beds, and meals. Then we zoom in on the small moments that define the larger story: kids helping clean bathrooms for strangers, a local “screech-in” ceremony that says “you belong here,” and a town that offers welcome without keeping score. We also track the long tail of generosity, from returning visits to a scholarship fund that grows past $1 million, and we ask the question that won’t let go: what if we didn’t wait for disaster to let goodness rise? If you want a story about empathy, humanitarian response, and what real belonging looks like, press play, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.com You can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world. Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com Support the show

    The Lesson of Gander.

  2. Jul 16

    How Kind Speech Builds Emotional Intelligence In Children

    Send us Fan Mail A kid isn’t “being difficult” in a vacuum. Most of the time, they’re broadcasting a need they don’t have words for, and the adults around them are deciding what that behavior means. I sit down with Bobbi Chegwyn, an Australian-born life coach turned children’s author, to talk about the hidden power of everyday language, and why the way we speak to kids becomes the way they eventually speak to themselves. Bobbi shares what changed for her when she moved to the United States and chose an unexpected job to learn her new community: driving a school bus. She created the “kind bus,” tied rules to kindness, and noticed something important about the kids labeled “challenging.” When we separate the child from the behavior and look for the belief underneath, we can turn conflict into connection. Her “railroad monitor” story is a simple, memorable example of strengths-based parenting and classroom management that actually protects dignity while improving safety. We also dig into what blocks healthy communication: assumptions, urgency, shame, fear of being wrong, and the “filters” built from culture and upbringing. We talk about how tone, timing, and body language carry meaning, why texts get misread (yes, even a period can sound angry), and how parents and teachers can use open-ended questions to help children name emotions instead of acting them out. Finally, Bobbi walks us through her Radical Ray children’s book series and how bibliotherapy can help kids explore empathy, inclusion, trust, identity, and grief through story, without forcing vulnerability too fast. If you care about emotional intelligence for kids, kinder communication at home and school, and practical tools that work in real life, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.com You can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world. Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com  Support the show

    How Kind Speech Builds Emotional Intelligence In Children

  3. Jul 9

    Civic Exclusion And The Kind Communities Build

    Send us Fan Mail You can feel it before you can explain it: you show up, you speak, and it’s like the decision was made before you walked in. Now zoom that feeling out from a meeting to an entire neighborhood and you start to see what civic alienation and political powerlessness do to real human lives. I wanted a quiet, solo conversation about what happens to a community when large groups of people stop believing their voice matters, and what kindness looks like when the stakes are high. We dig into what social science says about civic exclusion and community health. When people experience learned helplessness in civic life, the ripple effects can be brutal: trust in neighbors drops, volunteerism declines, and mental health suffers. I talk through research on social capital and why participation is not just a “politics” issue, but a community stability issue. I also lean on ideas from Robert Putnam and Robert Sampson to make sense of what strengthens communities, especially the concept of collective efficacy, that shared belief that we can act together and make things better. Then we ground it in stories: the Mothers of East Los Angeles organizing with dignity and persistence, civil rights era organizing in Lowndes County built on mutual care, and modern examples like mutual aid networks, community land trusts, and participatory budgeting. Finally, I share practical ways to respond with courage: listen to understand, show up in local rooms, learn your community’s history, connect across difference, and remember that kindness is not neutral when someone is being excluded. If this lands with you, subscribe, share it with someone who feels unheard, and leave a review so more people can find these conversations. This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.com You can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world. Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com Support the show

    Civic Exclusion And The Kind Communities Build

  4. Jul 2

    Bootleg Barbecue And Big-Heart Mentorship

    Send us Fan Mail A lot of people say they want to support veterans. Jon King is building systems that actually do it, one mentor match and one shared meal at a time. John spent over 20 years in the Air Force and Army, flew medevac missions, and lived the kind of pressure most of us can’t fully picture. After leaving the service and navigating disability, career shifts, and a major layoff, he put his energy into work that feels real, local, and human. We talk about Bootleg Barbecue and why feeding people is more than a side hustle. John explains how a room full of disagreement can go quiet over good food, and how that one shared “yes” becomes a bridge to everything else. From there, we dig into Veteran Reach Back Group and the Eagle Rising Foundation, including a mentorship model that removes cost barriers for mentors and mentees, and a smart way to partner with small businesses so the program can sustain itself. Jon also lays out a bigger vision: mentorship at every level, entrepreneurial support for transitioning service members, and even VR-based skill transfer that lets experienced vets coach the next generation from anywhere. If you care about veteran transition, mentorship, PTSD recovery paths, community events, and veteran entrepreneurship, this conversation delivers practical ideas and a lot of hope. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you’re going to use. This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.com You can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world. “Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com” Support the show

    Bootleg Barbecue And Big-Heart Mentorship

  5. Jun 25

    What If Small Kindness Is Anti Trafficking Work

    Send us Fan Mail Human trafficking can feel like a distant headline until someone explains what it really is and how it actually works. We talk with Stephanie Page, co-founder and executive director of Stories Foundation, to break down the definition in plain language: trafficking is driven by force, fraud, or coercion, and it includes both sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Stephanie explains why labor trafficking is often the bigger global problem, and why awareness matters most when it changes how we see everyday vulnerability and control. We also dig into what prevention looks like on the ground. Instead of only focusing on worst-case scenarios, Stephanie shares how Stories Foundation teaches teens, kids, and families to spot manipulation and unhealthy relationship patterns before they become gateways to exploitation. That conversation gets real fast, because manipulation is everywhere, and normalization is exactly what traffickers rely on. If you care about human trafficking prevention, healthy relationships, and practical education that communities can use, this part is for you. Then we get into survivor support and the power of community storytelling. Stephanie walks through wraparound services, from practical needs like housing help and car repairs to a therapist-led support group. We also explore the social enterprise model behind Storyteller Cafe and how a mission-driven restaurant can fund nonprofit work, provide opportunity, and serve as a daily reminder that culture change is built from small actions done together. Listen, share it with someone who needs a clearer picture of modern human trafficking, and subscribe so you do not miss the next conversation. If the show helps you, leave a review and tell us what takeaway you want to act on this week. This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.com You can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world. Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com Support the show

    What If Small Kindness Is Anti Trafficking Work

  6. Jun 18

    Kindness And Recovery

    Send us Fan Mail A sober living home can be more than a roof. It can be a turning point. We sit down with Amber Miller, the founder of Angels House of Healing, to hear how she turned grief, addiction recovery, and a promise to break a generational cycle into a real transitional living community for women. Her story starts with losing her mother to alcoholism at 44, and the clarity that the deeper wound was unhealed trauma. From there, Amber shares what it took to get sober, face shame, and rebuild an identity rooted in values and integrity. We also get practical about what makes women’s sober living work day to day: creating safety and trust for residents arriving from treatment, incarceration, or unsafe housing, setting clear standards, and building a culture where kindness includes boundaries and accountability. Amber explains who Angels House of Healing is for, why the program expects readiness and inner work, and how community can help someone stop living in survival mode. A standout takeaway is the focus on independence. Amber wants women leaving with two essentials: knowing their worth and gaining financial education. We talk about financial literacy, budgeting, and even using AI tools to help residents learn money skills that many of us were never taught. We also touch on the ripple effect of healing through kids, families, friendships, and the broader community, plus Amber’s upcoming non-alcoholic one-year celebration and fundraiser, Raising Spirits, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. If this conversation hits home, subscribe to Kindness Matters, share the episode with someone in recovery, and leave a quick review so more people can find these stories. What part of Amber’s approach to healing do you want to try first? This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.com You can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world. Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com” Support the show

    Kindness And Recovery

  7. Jun 11

    Breaking The Silence On Suicide

    Send us Fan Mail  *This episode includes open and honest discussion about suicide, suicide loss, and mental health struggles. We talk about lived experiences, prevention myths, language that reduces stigma, and ways to seek help when safety is at risk. If these topics are difficult or activating for you, please listen with care. You may want to pause, step away, or skip this episode entirely if it feels overwhelming. Your wellbeing matters, and it’s okay to take the space you need. * Silence can feel polite, but around suicide it can be deadly. I sit down with Kelly Poelker, the heart behind Glow for Hope, to talk about what happens when we stop whispering about mental health and start building real community around it. Kelly shares how personal loss shaped her mission, and why creating spaces where people feel safe enough to speak can be the first step toward saving a life.  We dig into what Glow for Hope actually does, from glow-in-the-dark events like Spike Out Suicide to community tables where a single brochure and a simple question can lead to a breakthrough conversation. Kelly explains the organization’s pillars, how fun and connection can coexist with grief, and why lived experience matters alongside clinical expertise. We also tackle common suicide prevention myths, including the fear that asking about suicide “puts the idea” in someone’s head, and why the words we choose like “died by suicide” can reduce stigma and make room for healing.  If you’re a parent, we talk about modelling emotional regulation, starting coping skills early, and learning to listen without rushing to fix. If you’re struggling yourself, we name clear starting points for help, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (call or text), trusted people in your life, and emergency options when safety is at risk. Subscribe, share this with someone you care about, and leave a review so more listeners can find these conversations that can truly change outcomes. Support the show

    Breaking The Silence On Suicide

  8. Jun 4

    Kindness Is The Comeback

    Send us Fan Mail One bad stretch can make you believe you’re stuck as the worst thing that happened to you, and that’s exactly what we push back on with Jesse Lewis. Jesse is a professional stage hypnotist whose live shows vanished during Canada’s COVID shutdowns, and the fallout hit fast: lost income, a divorce, and a season of life where he lived in the cab of his truck on the side of a mountain in British Columbia. We talk through what survival actually looks like when there’s no clean “turning point.” Jesse shares the unglamorous details: limited service, a snowbank as a fridge, reading to stay mentally sharp, and calling his kids as often as possible. He explains why the comeback wasn’t a dramatic breakthrough, but a thousand quiet choices like showing up to a job he didn’t want, refusing to miss child support, and rebuilding self-respect one decision at a time. From there, we get practical. Jesse tells the story of building a hot dog cart from salvaged parts during the shutdown, turning it into a licensed operation, and eventually using that momentum to return to corporate events and stage performance. We also dig into the deeper theme of the Kindness Matters podcast: why kindness isn’t weakness. Jesse frames kindness as honor, truth told with care, and boundaries that keep you from giving yourself away. If you’re navigating burnout, divorce recovery, financial stress, or a total reset after the pandemic, this conversation offers real resilience tools and a reminder that you can keep moving forward. Subscribe for more stories that bring us closer together, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show. Support the show

    Kindness Is The Comeback
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About

So. Much. Division. Let's talk about how to change that. Re-engage as neighbors, friends, co-workers and family. Let's set out to change the world. Strike that. Change A World. One person at a time, make someone's life a little better and then do it again tomorrow and the day after that, through kindness.Kindness is a Super-Power that each of us has within us. It is so powerful it has the potential to change not only your life but those around you, too. Let's talk about kindness.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    178
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Kindness Matters Podcast
  • Show Website
    Kindness Matters Podcast