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“From wonder to wonder, existence begins.” Lao Tzu’s wisdom is the first invitation we receive in Dacher Keltner’s new book: Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life. It foreshadows the journey and revelation he offers in it: Awe is a compass towards meaning. “If you listen to the feeling of awe, you’re pointed towards the truth of your existence.” Dacher has been a pioneer studying awe, meaning, and compassion, as a professor at UC Berkeley and the Faculty Director of The Greater Good Science Center. I was first drawn to the book when I heard him share that while we often associate awe with nature, the most common source of awe is human connection. Our conversation is an exploration of how we experience awe across the eight wonders of life, from music to moral beauty, art to the divine. By “claiming openness,” as he shares, we discover it’s closer than we think.

The moment I read the title of Pico Iyer’s new book — The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise — I was hooked. Yet, the more I read about people’s pursuits, the more I began to question the notion of paradise. “The struggle of your life is your paradise.” — Eido Roshi Pico’s life offers him an intimate understanding of the nature of human longing; Both as a lifelong traveler and a writer who lives in a small town in Japan and often stays at a monastery. So, I was curious… What are our souls longing for when they cry out for home, as the Sufis write? Do we ever get there? And, if not, where do we go? “It’s the longing for paradise that gets in the way of paradise and prevents us from seeing it,” he shares. “When you step into a temple in Kyoto, there's often a Japanese sentence written on the ground that means: Look beneath your feet. In other words, this is paradise. Don't look into the future. This is the paradise we have to discover and make.” In our conversation, Pico awakens us to the countless opportunities we have to do so. His invitations offer us freedom from distraction, as he describes, reminding us of our agency in a highly stimulating world.

When Tembi Locke was in her twenties she left a letter in a drawer at a coffee shop that read: "I want to live a life of love and companionship." Her heart-expanding memoir and Netflix series, From Scratch, encapsulates its manifestation across three love stories: With her late husband Saro, daughter Zoela, and mother-in-law, Nonna. From Scratch begins with Tembi landing in Italy for a semester abroad, where she’d soon run into Saro on the streets of Florence. The more I reflected on the book, the more its true gift revealed itself. Their family’s journey navigating life’s great questions — on love and loss, forgiveness and reconciliation — isn’t solely an exploration of the answers. It’s an embodiment of them. We see it in Tembi’s conviction reconciling Saro and his family, after their marriage separated them. In his mother and sister’s bravery answering their invitation in a traditional culture. Then, in their family’s choice to begin anew, rather than relive the past. Throughout, we witness Tembi and Saro’s choice to live fully, despite his devastating illness, and how it was his mother’s love that carried her through his loss. Our conversation is an exploration of what matters most and how we may all embrace it.

“Where you stand, be the soul of that place.” This Rumi quote always reminds me of Manish Chandra. He’s not only the soul of every place he’s in. He illuminates the soul of every person he meets, as a father, friend, and the founder of Poshmark. Manish is an incredible teacher who I’m honored to call my friend. I was thankful to explore the spirit he embodies in today’s episode — One of love and connection, gratitude and perspective. I’ve returned to his words on adaptability over the last few months… “Adaptability is, given a set of situations, instead of resisting it, you embrace and surrender to it. Then, figure out: How do you succeed in that situation? How do you adapt? There's always a winning strategy. If you approach it with that possibility, first of all, it’s hopeful, right? It's optimism. It means that you can succeed. Second, by not resisting the circumstances, you take the time to understand the circumstances. Third, life is a series of these episodes. So, you can apply your learnings to different circumstances and grow in various ways. All of these things are amazing byproducts of first accepting the circumstance, then adapting, then succeeding.” I’m thankful to close our Inspiring Hope series with Manish’s wisdom. In illuminating our agency, he reminds us that hope is always possible.

“My faith lies in the belief that when I help people I live a happier life.” Rebecca Minkoff became an emblem of these words early in our friendship. The more I watched her create change, the more I admired her. I’d soon learn that her optimism isn’t just a mindset. It’s an active commitment to be a force for good. Our conversation is a collection of stories that illustrate this; From being one of the first designers to feature a model breastfeeding at Fashion Week to advancing thousands of women entrepreneurs at The Female Founder Collective and building a community that fosters true relationships. Each story traces back to an intention that drives her. In exploring her perspective on purpose, service, and success, she invites us to reflect on our own.

When Justine Lucas was 22 she got Love & Rage tattooed on her forearm. It symbolizes the way her late friend, Eric, signed his letters. What began as a way to honor him went on to shape her perspective in an enduring way. “I often glance at it and reflect on the evolution of its meaning,” she says. “I give myself permission to let in and give out all of the love. But, I also recognize that there is a time and place for rage. My love for humanity is what drives me, but also my rage at injustice.” It’s this love that makes justice, as she describes, the throughline of her values, work, and how she spends her free time. Our conversation is an exploration of the experiences that shaped her activism; Beginning with the AIDS ride that taught her that justice is a fight through becoming a pioneer in the climate justice and resilience movements as Executive Director of The Clara Lionel Foundation. Justine illuminates the courage we discover when love meets purpose, and invites us to turn hope into action.

The morning I watched Pati Jinich’s documentary on the US-Mexico border coincided with a jarring decision being made in our country. It’s the reason that I remained hopeful amidst the news. La Frontera is a manifestation of Pati’s mission to share the souls of people and places and the food that brings us together. That morning, it was also a lesson on the hope we inspire when we focus on the best in who we are. As a revered chef, cookbook author, and TV host, Pati illustrates how each of our journeys contributes to our collective vitality. These stories, told over 11 seasons of Pati’s Mexican Table, offer a glimpse into our shared humanity. Our conversation is a rich exploration of the gifts of her journey, from cultivating compassion to expanding our sense of belonging and accepting that “what we have is what we have right now.”

How can I make this person feel seen, heard, and valued in the most authentic way possible?  Girls Who Code CEO Dr. Tarika Barrett asks this question before every conversation. Her exuberance sharing it became an anchoring insight in our Inspiring Hope series…  “These are vital acts — Be it with your children, colleagues, family, or friends…We don’t give joy its due; By being agents of joy, we can enact change. We think about every problem around us, as opposed to recognizing that these small and big acts of joy have tremendous power.”  In our conversation, we explore her wisdom as an invitation. When we measure our impact by magnitude, change feels out of reach. When we measure it by the difference we can make in one life, we awaken to a deeper sense of purpose.  As we embark on this series, I invite you to join me in adopting her ritual over the next five weeks. Prior to every interaction, consider asking: How can I make this person feel seen, heard, and valued in the most authentic way possible?  Imagine the collective hope we’ll inspire when we do. 

“The word health originates in a word for wholeness,” says renowned physician, author, and speaker Dr. Gabor Maté. “Whether one looks at it from a medical or spiritual point of view: To be healthy is to be whole. As I pondered what I saw with my patients and in my own journey, I realized that the fundamental issue is not: How do we become whole? But, how do we lose the wholeness that is our birthright and our nature? Then, how do we come back to it?” Our conversation about his urgent new book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture, explores how our experiences shape that path; Beginning from early childhood through inevitable trauma and healing. The indispensable role connection plays is among my greatest lessons from his esteemed work: It is life-giving to see and affirm each other’s wholeness. Whereas society often focuses on the negative aspects of our nature, Dr. Maté invites us to be the best in it.

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” — Mother Teresa  Today, we’re beginning a new mini-series, Inspiring Hope: A collection of five conversations with admired chefs, activists, and leaders about how they design lives of meaning and impact.  Each episode will explore a question that helps us do so. Through answering them, our guests awaken us to the hope that thrives within and between us.  Here’s who we're fortunate to hear from... Dr. Tarika Barrett, CEO of Girls Who Code  Pati Jinich, Chef, Cookbook Author, and TV Host  Justine Lucas, Executive Director of The Clara Lionel Foundation   Rebecca Minkoff, Founder of her namesake brand and Co-founder of The Female Founder Collective  Manish Chandra, CEO and Founder of Poshmark  We’re kicking off with a perspective from each guest on how we can grow closer to ourselves and each other. I hope they deepen your relationships as they have mine. 

“If there is one thing that has made a difference in my life, it is the courage to turn and face what wants to change within me.” Elizabeth Lesser’s gift is putting words to the feelings and longings that shape our human experience. She’s helped over a million people realize them through her life’s work co-founding the Omega Institute. Still, what I admire most about her is her courage opening to the whole human experience. As you’ll find in our conversation, Elizabeth is at once deeply wise and laugh out loud funny. We explore why “real fearlessness is the product of tenderness,” how to stay open during difficult times and experience the dignity of true relationships. Her stories of love and loss illuminate the aliveness we discover when we connect deeper with ourselves and each other.

 “We’ve really become something quite special. I think at the time of my death, I will remember you.”  My eyes filled with tears when The Dalai Lama said this to Archbishop Desmond Tutu during their last conversations captured in Mission: Joy.  They center on the concept of Ubuntu that the Archbishop describes — “We can only be human together.” — and awaken us to our belonging to the human family. Ubuntu not only reflects how we contribute to each other’s vitality. It illuminates how caring for each other elevates our own.  This week, we have the gift of meeting Peggy Callahan, producer and co-director of Mission: Joy: the documentary that invites us to the Holy brothers’ table. As a human rights activist, whose teams at Voices4Freedom and Free the Slaves have helped free over 15,000 people, she embodies the values they discuss.  Peggy’s stories about people overcoming unimaginable trauma and dedicating their lives to helping others reflect our innate nature to support each other in achieving our shared human freedoms and desires. Her’s is driven by an unreasonable love.  “Unreasonable love is that force that compels you, sustains you, and inspires you to keep moving when the journey ahead feels too hard,” she says. “We all have something we really care about, want to change, create, or learn.” 

“Have you ever had that sense of: ‘I’ve got to go back!’? If you ever hear ‘Turn around’ inside, do it! That’s the universe telling you: You missed something good back there.”  Acclaimed illustrator Wendy MacNaughton heeded that call when she passed a boot making workshop on a road trip. In sharing the unforgettable friendship that transpired, she invites us to pause and truly see each other. 

“Letting go gives us freedom and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If in our heart we still cling to anything — anger, anxiety, or possessions — we cannot be free.” — Thich Nhat Hanh This week, we’re looking at letting go through the lens of forgiveness. In sharing her courageous journey forgiving her father, Dr.Michele Harper illuminates that forgiveness not only offers us peace in the present. It becomes a compass to live in pursuit of it. 

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique…It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.” — Revered Choreographer Martha Graham This week, Bob Roth shares how we can keep the channel open. Renowned Transcendental Meditation teacher and CEO of The David Lynch Foundation, he’s learned that creativity isn’t as mysterious as it seems. Instead, it flourishes in “the genius lounge:” a network in our brain he introduces us to in this snippet. 

In this episode snippet, pilates and wellbeing leader Erika Bloom illuminates our body's quest for equilibrium and invites us to approach the balance question from a new lens.  What is one signal your body is giving you this week? How might you slow down and listen to it?   

“In the moment of pause, there is something sacred.”  This week, we’re excited to share an invitation to pause and appreciate the beauty around us from Reverend Jen Bailey, Founder of Faith Matters Network and Co-founder of The People’s Supper.  What feels sacred to you? How might you pause to honor it this week?   

“Your past shapes your present. It doesn’t have to define your present.”  In this episode snippet, psychotherapist and Frame Co-founder Sage Grazer illuminates the impact of the stories we tell ourselves and how to rewrite them to serve our wellbeing. 

In this episode snippet, author and renowned life coach Martha Beck illuminates how we can awaken to our inner freedom and live in integrity to sustain it.

We often hear that awareness is the greatest agent for change. Our guests teach me it’s also a gift of understanding.  Insight around how dopamine influences our behavior is one I carry with me from Dr. Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford and Chief of their Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. Her description of dopamine deficit states offers a moment of clarity when I find myself engaged in a habit I know doesn't serve me.  Habits can be a source of stress or sustenance. In this episode snippet, Dr. Lembke illustrates the pain-pleasure balance that drives them and how we can harness them for good.