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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.

The first lesson I learned in The Greater Good Science Center’s Science of Happiness course is that I had the wrong definition of happiness. Happiness isn’t solely our positive states, we learn from Science Director Dr.Emiliana Simon-Thomas. It’s feeling content within our whole human experience, which of course, includes emotions like grief and sadness. What’s the most enduring way to cultivate it? Her research continually leads to the same destination: Connection. ‘We often measure life satisfaction by asking: Have I been successful enough? When the real question is: Who am I in relationship to other people?’ We explore this question in our conversation; Examining it through the lens of meaning and belonging, compassion and forgiveness. The Science of Happiness course is free and an inspiring journey to embark on. Consider beginning with Dr.Simon-Thomas’ episode and taking the class with a loved one.

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.