100 Episodes, 150,000 Downloads, and Countless Moments of Courage - Let's Celebrate Together!

Y’alllllll!!!!!!

Can you believe we're just four days away from Episode 100? As I sit here reflecting on this milestone, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude - not just for the 150,000 times these stories have been downloaded (though wow!), but for every time you've written to tell me how a story touched you, every moment you've spent listening while running or cleaning or commuting, every episode you've shared with someone who needed to hear it right then.

At a time when half the world feels like it's burning and the other half feels frozen in place, you've helped create something extraordinary: proof that change is possible. Not just inspiration but real, tangible evidence that we can transform challenges into breakthroughs, that we can turn pain into purpose and that we can create change even when it feels impossible.

This Thursday's episode is unlike any we've done before. Instead of featuring one story, it brings together the patterns and practices I discovered across all 99 stories - a collective wisdom that shows how change happens. As a researcher, I've analyzed these conversations, and what emerged is remarkable: despite the incredible diversity of these journeys, there are clear, common practices that enable us to build courage and create change, and in our next episode, I get to share them in hopes that they’ll help inspire YOUR journey.

I'd love to hear from you as we celebrate this milestone! What story has stuck with you? How has an episode impacted your own journey? Share your memory or reflection either by responding to this email or through this quick form. We'll be weaving these together as part of our celebration over the next couple of weeks.

How you can join the celebration:

• Help spread these stories of proof and possibility on social media (find me here)

• Listen to Episode 100 when it drops this Thursday - I can't wait to hear what resonates with you

• Share your memory or impact story through our form [link] or by replying to this email

I'm excited to share that we’ve launched a story directory to help you find exactly the story you need right when you need it! Just click the tabs at the top of the page on Substack to explore collections of stories grouped by Trailblazers, Movement Makers, and Personal and Professional Transformers.

Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you for believing in the power of our stories. Thank you for helping create proof that change is possible.

With deep gratitude and excitement for what's ahead,

Aransas

PS: We still have tickets available for Uplifters Live, so get yours and join us to celebrate 100 episodes and so much more!

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Paid Subscriber Zone

✨ Huge gratitude to our paid subscribers! Your support makes all the difference. Thank you,

Mandi Hooper

, for supporting this work.

✨ Join our weekly virtual co-working session for some focused fun and community.

✨ Check out the recording for our Values-led Time Blocking Workshop.

✨ As always, all of my writing is free and you can listen to every episode of the podcast for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or wherever you get your podcasts. For those of you who are more visual or want to take a deeper dive with our guests and who want to support this work with a paid subscription, you’ll find the extended-cut video of my conversation with Dr Shayna Kaufman below.