Sparks of Gratitude What being paralyzed taught me about joy and purpose - Barry Shore
In this powerful episode of Sparks of Gratitude, Randy Sparks talks with Barry Shore — the Ambassador of Joy, mental health activist, and founder of the Keep Smiling Movement. They explore how joy, gratitude, and perspective can transform even the most challenging circumstances. Barry shares his extraordinary journey from total paralysis to global impact, along with practical tools to help you live with purpose, choose joy daily, and make a meaningful difference—yes, even by learning to love dog poop.
🔥 You’ll learn:
✔️ How to find joy even in life’s hardest moments
✔️ The deeper meaning behind “dog poop” (yep, really)
✔️ Why gratitude, choice, and service are the keys to resilience
✔️ What it truly means to “go MAD” and make a difference
✔️ How small acts—like smiling or skipping—can create ripple effects of healing and happiness
Whether you're a CEO, creator, student, or seeker, this episode will shift how you think about your path forward.
📍 Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
02:22 - The 3 Fundamentals of Life
05:00 - SMILE = Seeing Miracles in Life Every day
05:45 - Barry’s paralysis story: a sudden life change
11:20 - Why Barry can speak about joy
15:03 - 6 most important words: “Choice, not chance, determines your destiny”
17:22 - How happiness became his life’s mission
19:50 - Barry’s path to happiness: decision made at 17
22:37 - Influences: the happy people Barry admired
25:00 - Attraction through energy, not appearance
27:35 - Two powerful words from Barry’s mom: “Thank you.”
29:02 - Barry’s greatest role model: his mother
36:28 - The journey through aquatic therapy
40:20 - First breakthrough: 92 minutes of swimming
45:28 - Three keys: Blab, Skipping, and Dog Poop
51:22 - Skipping = total immersion in joy
54:17 - Learn to love DOG POOP explained: Doing Of Good, Power Of One Person
1:00:17 - H.U.G. = Heartfelt Unlimited Gratitude
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