Podcast appearances and mentions of houston kraft

What does it mean to truly practice kindness? Houston Kraft, spent his career studying kindness, wrote a book about it (Deep Kindness) and shares powerful insights into how kindness can transform our lives. He explains: The difference between “confetti kindness” (random acts of kindness) and deep, intentional kindness Why kindness is misunderstood as “free” and why it's anything but The difference between being kind and being nice Does it pay $ to be kind?  How kindness requires courage, emotional regulation, and empathy The link between kindness and forgiveness—and why forgiveness is a cornerstone of kindness Why kindness is often harder than we think but worth the effort How to practice kindness in leadership, relationships, and everyday life Why “nice guys finish last” might be true—but kind people finish first Practical tips to close the gap between what we believe in and how we show up This episode is packed with emotional stories, practical tools, and thought-provoking insights to inspire you to be more intentionally and deeply kind in your life. Book Rec: On Being Nice by the School of Life  Follow Houston Kraft here

In this episode, we discuss the complexities of kindness, contrasting "nice" behavior with deeper, more intentional kindness that requires heart, effort, and showing up for others. Inspired by Houston Kraft's ideas, we share fun stories and personal moments that show how small, intentional actions can make a big difference. Tune in for an uplifting chat on bridging kindness gaps, connecting with others in meaningful ways, and adding a little extra joy to the world around us! Support the podcast by sharing this episode, leaving a rating and review, and considering a one-time donation on Kofi:https://ko-fi.com/lamontandleah or a monthly contribution on Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lamontandleah/support. Thanks for being a part of the Lamont N' Leah Podcast! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lamontandleah/support

In this episode, we kick off Season 7 with CharacterStrong Co-Founders John and Houston! They discuss the latest updates and exciting developments at CharacterStrong, including the recent CASEL SELect designation, new bullying prevention lessons, high school lesson updates, and a series of new videos. Plus, they introduce the brand-new Behavior Response Protocol and Attendance Toolkit. They also share how CharacterStrong is now a full MTSS solution, offering Tier 1, Tier 2, and the newly launched Tier 3 solutions, which became available on September 5th! Learn More About CharacterStrong:  Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Learn more about the NEW Tier 3 Solution Attend our next live product preview Visit the CharacterStrong Website

CharacterStrong co-founder Houston Kraft and Stanford Psychologist Dr. Jamil Zaki talk about practical insights and strategies to provide hope and empathy in this new school year. They discuss hopeful skepticism and meaningful ways to support students (and adults) as we start the first few weeks of school.  Learn More About CharacterStrong:  Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Attend our next live product preview Visit the CharacterStrong Website Dr. Jamil Zaki is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab. Using tools from psychology and neuroscience, he and his colleagues examine how empathy works and how people can learn to empathize more effectively. His writing on these topics has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, and the Atlantic. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and their two daughters.

Most people intuitively understand kindness, but defining what it means, how it impacts those around us, and how to practice it can be truly revealing. We're joined by Houston Kraft, co-founder of CharacterStrong, and Nikki Sparks, lead of the American Student Council Association (ASCA), to discuss the ways principals, staff, and students specifically can lead with empathy to create a kinder school and community. Houston Kraft is co-founder of CharacterStrong, an organization providing curriculum and training to help teach leadership, character, and social-emotional skills, and author of Deep Kindness, and Be Kind. Nikki Sparks is assistant executive director of executive services and recognition programs at NAESP, administering programs such as ASCA, the President's Education Awards, and the National Distinguished Principal® program. Donna McGuire is assistant principal at The Park Terrace School in New York City, a 2023 NAESP National Outstanding Assistant Principal, and moderates the NAESP Assistant Principal Community of Practice.

Today our guest is CharacterStong co-founder Houston Kraft! We talk with Houston about gratitude and how gratitude is one of the most low burden, hi impact things that we can do for our mental well being. He shares that we can start to practice gratitude by acknowledging and being aware of the good things in our lives, figuring out where they have come from, and then having this lead us to appreciation. Houston also unpacks the idea of beginning to train ourselves to look for the good things that are around us each and every day. Learn More:  Download FREE Gratitude Resources for Students Visit the CharacterStrong Website

Season 6 Kickoff! We talk with CharacterStrong Co-Founder Houston Kraft about key strategies that can help us be more intentional in our work and relationships. He shares about the power of specificity, surprise, and constraint, and how these approaches can help us better connect with others. Houston also shares about the importance of consistency over time. He reminds us that true change and growth come from sustained effort and dedication, and reminds us that we need to cultivate habits of kindness every day. Learn More:  Get the Be Kind Journal: bekindjournal.com Visit the CharacterStrong Website  

My guest today is Houston Kraft. He is a professional speaker, author, curriculum developer, and kindness advocate who has a passion for sustainable impact, positive culture change, and student success. His aim is to create a more loving, kind, and compassionate world. He is the co-founder of CharacterStrong, an organization that provides curricula and training for schools all around the United States and Canada. Houston is the author of the book “Deep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness” which takes an honest look at the gap between our belief in kindness and our ability to perform it well, and shows us how to put intention into action.We explore the importance of kindness and empathy in our world. We delve into why empathy has decreased in recent times and the barriers that prevent us from being kind. We also discuss how we can develop our empathy muscle through specificity, sacrifice, and awareness. Houston also discusses the difference between confetti kindness and deep kindness, and we learn about the importance of paying attention to shame and understanding the needs of others without expecting anything in return. Join us as we explore the power of kindness and how we can cultivate it in our society.[05.10] Kindness isn't normal – We start the conversation by diving into the question of why kindness isn't normal in our world. [14.21] Deep kindness – Deep kindness is how you understand a person's needs and the willingness to offer them without expectations. [25.11] The Power of words  – We talk about how specific vocabulary can make a difference in complimenting someone. [34.45] Increasing empathy – We talk about how self-awareness and perspective-taking help increase empathy inside people. [42.21] Holding space - To hold space is to give the gift of attention.[52.39] Mental health – All of us experience mental health at some point in our lives. Houston talks about the importance of normalizing mental health in our lives. [01.00.34] Understanding shame – We talk about how to give our love to others by loving ourselves first.[01.05.00] Authentic kindness – Authentic kindness comes with the ability to say no and make your yes's genuine. Connect with Houston:Website - houstonkraft.com/                 characterstrong.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/houstonkraft/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/houstonkraftTwitter - twitter.com/houstonkraft Resources:Book by Houston KraftDeep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in KindnessBook by Marc BrackettPermission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society ThriveBook by Jamil ZakiThe War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured WorldBook by James C. HunterThe Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of LeadershipBook by The School of Life LibraryOn Being NiceBooks by Robert Jordan and Brandon SandersonThe Wheel of Time SeriesBook by RA SalvatoreRelentless: A Drizzt Novel

Houston Kraft is a professional speaker, author, curriculum designer, and kindness advocate whose book, Deep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness, has inspired millions to examine the difference between niceand kind and why specifically deep kindness is not only a revolutionary act, but a necessary one.Kraft is also the co-founder of Character Strong, which develops training programs and curricula for effective, sustainable school culture change. To date, his work has reached more than 1 million students and their teachers.There is something special at the intersection of Houston Kraft's initiatives, something we've forgotten along our journey toward building bigger, better, faster organizations and teams. To us, it appears that Houston has given us a profound reminder that social-emotional learning benefits the whole person; at Character Strong, it's for the school kids, and with Deep Kindness, we realize it's for us big kids, too. Thanks to Houston and his team for creating the time for this conversation. We're honored to offer it to our Mission Forward community. (00:00) - Welcome to Mission Forward (01:50) - Introducing Huston Kraft (07:51) - Nice v. Kind (12:56) - The Vitamin Concept (19:22) - The Power of Habit (23:48) - The DEI Kindess Question: Circles of Care

Today we talk to CharacterStrong co-founder Houston Kraft about practicing gratitude. He shares how when it comes to gratitude, constraint increases creativity, specificity drives significance, and absence amplifies. Houston also shares some words of gratitude to all of those in education that are serving students and families every day.

Confidence makes you more attractive. It just does. So, I begin this episode by offering a short list of simple things you can do that will make you feel and appear as confident as possible. https://www.askmen.com/money/body_and_mind_150/173_better_living.html You often hear people use the words kind and nice interchangeably. Actually though, they really don't mean the same thing. To be kind is a lot harder and riskier and has a much greater chance of making the world a better place. Nice is just, well, nice. Listen to my conversation with Houston Kraft, author of the book Deep Kindness A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness (https://amzn.to/2SFKPhj) as he explains what it means to be kind and how it can change the world. We are often told that we must “Trust the science!” So what does that actually mean? What is science anyway? What makes something “scientific.” Here to answer that is James C. Zimring, M.D. and Ph.D. in Immunology and professor of pathology at the University of Virginia. James is also author of the book, What Science Is and How It Really Works (https://amzn.to/2GNQQWA). Listen as he explains how science is used and sometimes misused to explain the world and why a lot of people don't trust science. When driving, you likely turn left from time to time without giving it much thought. However, left-hand turns are amazingly dangerous. Listen as I explain why avoiding left hand turns is a good idea whenever you can and why you seldom see a UPS truck turn left. https://www.friedgoldberg.com/blog/how-left-hand-turns-affect-road-safety/  PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Helix Sleep is offering up to $200 off all mattress orders AND two free pillows for our listeners at https://helixsleep.com/sysk.  We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!  Confidently take control of your online world with Avast One — it helps you stay safe from viruses, phishing attacks, ransomware, hacking attempts, and other cybercrimes! Learn more at https://Avast.com Did you know you could reduce the number of unwanted calls & emails with Online Privacy Protection from Discover? - And it's FREE! Just activate it in the Discover App. See terms & learn more at https://Discover.com/Online Along with alarms, fire extinguishers are essential. Make sure to place fire extinguishers on every level of your home and in common spaces like the kitchen and know how to use them. For more information on fire safety products, safety tips and educational activities you can do at home with your family visit https://firstalert.com/firepreventionmonth   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CharacterStrong Co-Founders John Norlin and Houston Kraft kick of season 5 talking about systems that we can put in place this year that will help us drive forward the impactful work of education. They talk about 3 goals: purpose for learning, engagement, & relationships, and give practical ways we can build systems that will help these goals come to life in our classrooms.

In the Recharged Podcast series I invite fellow content creators and artists to explore exciting ways to make a difference in the world. I take my guests to visit local social good projects in my self converted electric 1973 VW van. We'll be having real and raw conversations about our lives and hearing from social good heroes that we can all be inspired byfollow the recharged podcast herehttps://www.youtube.com/c/RechargedPodcasthttp://www.instagram.com/rechargedpodcasthttp://www.twitter.com/rechargedpodcstGo follow Kandeehttps://www.youtube.com/c/kandeejohnsonhttps://www.instagram.com/kandeejohnsonhttp://twitter.com/kandeejohnsonGo follow Houstenhttps://www.houstonkraft.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/CharacterStronghttps://www.instagram.com/houstonkrafthttps://twitter.com/houstonkraftGo follow Louishttp://www.youtube.com/Louishttp://www.instagram.com/Louiscolehttp://www.twitter.com/louiscolehttp://www.facebook.com/funforlouisOn today's podcast our guest is Kandee Johnson a mother of 4, award winning makeup artist and Tv host she was one of pioneers of the youtube beauty community and one of the first beauty influencers. She launched her Career on Youtube 12 years ago with beauty, style and fashion tip videos and has now built a social following of over 7 million.  Beyond just the makeup and beauty aspects she often discusses challenging topics from online bullying, coping with trauma, her own personal struggles and how she overcomes them. She is known for her positivity and encouragement. Her ultimate goal is to help people feel loved and make them feel happy.Today we're visiting Houston Kraft a Speaker. Author, Kindness Advocate and co-founder of CharacterStrong. He has spoken at over 600 schools, events, conferences, and companies around the world and is passionate about helping people create lives filled with compassion and love. In 2016, he co-founded CharacterStrong to help infuse character, empathy, and connection into education. Houston believes in the power of story and practical exercise to shape a more loving world.

Have we all forgotten how to be kind? Does it serve us to be kind today? This art is not lost and fact is that it can open more doors professionally and personally than any other habit. In this episode, we are reminded of this power and how you can nurture your own appreciation for this simple, yet extremely effective act. Houston Kraft is the co-founder of CharacterStrong, an organization which provides curriculum and training for 2,500 schools in 50 states and 9 countries. He has spent time in over 600 schools internationally delivering trainings and keynotes. He is dedicated to changing the way we educate young people about compassion and character. His first book, Deep Kindness, an essential guidebook to making the world a kinder and more accepting place. Listen out for: Why Kindness is key to open doors and make life worth living The 4 barriers that hold us back from being kind regularly The important difference between being kind and being nice What happens when you start to be more kind to others and yourself Bonus: Get a copy of Houston's book, Deep Kindness Go to Sellingwithlove.com for video access to the show or directly to youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5VaR6Z3wfElWFZn64ugOBw New to Selling with Love Podcast? I'd love to connect with you. You can find me, your host, Jason Marc Campbell on the following Channels: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonmarccampbell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmarccampbell/ *Selling with Love Podcast was previously known as Superhumans at Work by Mindvalley.

We reflect with CharacterStrong Co-Founder Houston Kraft about things that are going on in education, and how disappointment is the result of unmet expectations. Houston also shares how we can be proactive with the time that we have, and gives 3 strategies that put a focus on well-being.

We chat to Houston Kraft, a speaker, author of Deep Kindness published in 2020, and kindness advocate and co-founder of Character Strong. We explore what kindness is, how it is anything but simple and easy, and how it is not just about ‘being nice'. We explore how to practice kindness to self and to others as an act of courage and how to build this practice. He sets out a very convincing case for kindness and why we should bother to focus on the importance of kindness, and make it a priority. Please follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @forgotpodcast Please note that the information and advice provided via the [‘Things I forgot were good for me'] podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be construed or substituted for professional medical advice, counselling, or any other type of therapy or professional advice. I do not provide specific medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and, if you have any concerns about a medical condition, please consult with your GP or other qualified health care provider. Please do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have heard whilst listening to the podcast 

John talks with CharacterStrong Co-Founder Houston Kraft & Team Member Don Bartel about the recent CharacterStrong leadership conference, and the role and impact that student leadership has in school culture & climate.

When we started this season of Mission Forward, we wanted to go back to our roots. We are, after all, a communications firm. It seems only right that we spend a little time talking about communications. And so, we began our journey to meet ten people influencing and shaping how we communicate at scale for social change. Authors, journalists, and designers sat down with us to share their journey against the headwinds of change, illuminating how they use the tools of their craft to change minds and influence markets for action. This week on the show, producer Nimra Haroon joins Carrie Fox to review lessons learned over the course of this season, distilling for you the highlights of ten interviews that plumb the depths of our field. It is a bittersweet close to this chapter of the podcast as we break the holidays and the new year, but we will return in 2022 with season five, and a new collection of conversations to help you move your mission forward. Our cup runs over with gratitude to Ashton Lattimore, Tim Hykes, Najma Robers, Greg Galle, Grady Powell, Houston Kraft, Eleni Stamoulis, Rae Oglesby, and Dan Buettner, along with each representative of their teams who helped to bring this season of interviews to fruition. Thank you to all — guests, production partners, and listeners alike — for making this podcast such a rewarding journey for us to undertake.

When we started this season of Mission Forward, we wanted to go back to our roots. We are, after all, a communications firm. It seems only right that we spend a little time talking about communications. And so, we began our journey to meet ten people influencing and shaping how we communicate at scale for social change. Authors, journalists, and designers sat down with us to share their journey against the headwinds of change, illuminating how they use the tools of their craft to change minds and influence markets for action. This week on the show, producer Nimra Haroon joins Carrie Fox to review lessons learned over the course of this season, distilling for you the highlights of ten interviews that plumb the depths of our field. It is a bittersweet close to this chapter of the podcast as we break the holidays and the new year, but we will return in 2022 with season five, and a new collection of conversations to help you move your mission forward. Our cup runs over with gratitude to Ashton Lattimore, Tim Hykes, Najma Robers, Greg Galle, Grady Powell, Houston Kraft, Eleni Stamoulis, Rae Oglesby, and Dan Buettner, along with each representative of their teams who helped to bring this season of interviews to fruition. Thank you to all — guests, production partners, and listeners alike — for making this podcast such a rewarding journey for us to undertake.

What percent of your day have you designed to be kind? Are you intentional…everyday? Join the BobCast crew and special guest, Houston Kraft of Character Strong, as we discuss Compassionate Culture!! Enjoy!

Houston Kraft is a professional speaker, author, curriculum designer, and kindness advocate whose book, Deep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness, has inspired millions to examine the difference between nice and kind and why specifically deep kindness is not only a revolutionary act, but a necessary one.Kraft is also the co-founder of Character Strong, which develops training programs and curricula for effective, sustainable school culture change. To date, his work has reached more than 1 million students and their teachers.There is something special at the intersection of Houston Kraft's initiatives, something we've forgotten along our journey toward building bigger, better, faster organizations and teams. To us, it appears that Houston has given us a profound reminder that social-emotional learning benefits the whole person; at Character Strong, it's for the school kids, and with Deep Kindness, we realize it's for us big kids, too. Thanks to Houston and his team for creating the time for this conversation. We're honored to offer it to our Mission Forward community.

Houston Kraft is a professional speaker, author, curriculum designer, and kindness advocate whose book, Deep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness, has inspired millions to examine the difference between nice and kind and why specifically deep kindness is not only a revolutionary act, but a necessary one. Kraft is also the co-founder of Character Strong, which develops training programs and curricula for effective, sustainable school culture change. To date, his work has reached more than 1 million students and their teachers. There is something special at the intersection of Houston Kraft's initiatives, something we've forgotten along our journey toward building bigger, better, faster organizations and teams. To us, it appears that Houston has given us a profound reminder that social-emotional learning benefits the whole person; at Character Strong, it's for the school kids, and with Deep Kindness, we realize it's for us big kids, too. Thanks to Houston and his team for creating the time for this conversation. We're honored to offer it to our Mission Forward community.

Join us as Houston Kraft shares how to cultivate empathy in young children and two ways to overcome the mental health challenges related to social media. Key Takeaways From This Episode The first step to raising kind and empathetic children One way to help your kids see kindness as an achievement The three biggest barriers to cultivating empathy The key for practicing real kindness A constructive way to respond to differing opinions Resources Mentioned In This Episode UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World Deep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness The School of Life: An Emotional Education About Houston Kraft Houston is the co-founder of CharacterStrong - an organization that provides curricula and training to help teach leadership, character, and social-emotional skills in over 5,000 schools globally. In 2019, his face was featured on Lays BBQ chip bags as someone who helps "spread smiles.” In 2020, his first book, Deep Kindness was published by Simon & Schuster. Connect with Houston Website: www.characterstrong.com Instagram: @houstonkraft; @characterstrong Facebook: Houston Kraft; CharacterStrong   If you are struggling with feeling overworked or overwhelmed, access the Top 10 Stress Management Tips for the Overworked free right now.  Kristel Bauer, the Founder of Live Greatly, is on a mission to help people awaken to their ultimate potential.  She is a wellness expert, Integrative Medicine Fellow, Keynote Speaker, Physician Assistant, & Reiki Master with the goal of empowering others to live their best lives! Follow her on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co Clubhouse: @livegreatly LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer  Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To learn more about Live Greatly's transformative online courses for personal development and self-improvement, to discuss collaborations and partnerships, or to book Kristel as a speaker or consultant, click here.

My guest this week is speaker and author Houston Kraft. Houston is the author of the best selling book "Deep Kindness" and co-founder of CharacterStrong, which empowers young people in schools. This conversation was based around empathy, education and our ability to connect with each other. We also dive into what deep kindness is and how to do it. You can follow Houston @houstonkraft and check out his book Deep Kindness. It's a beautiful read.

We kick off SEASON 4 with CharacterStrong Co-founder Houston Kraft and talk about the importance of having a strong foundation as we face adversity, and the difference between mental health and mental illness. We also chat about AET vs TDI, and the impact that focusing on academic engaged time has in our classrooms.

Houston Kraft, author of Deep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk and Act in Kindness joins the show to connect his ideas about kindness to our work with young children and with each other.

Houston is a speaker, author, and kindness advocate who has spoken at over 600 schools or events internationally. In 2016, he co-founded CharacterStrong - curriculum and training that help teach social and emotional skills. To date, they have worked with over 2500 schools globally serving over 2 million students. In 2019, his face was featured on Lays BBQ chip bags as someone who helps "spread smiles.” In 2020, his first book, Deep Kindness (Simon & Schuster, Tiller Press) was released. His mom is his hero and her best life lesson is to “hug like you mean it.” Show Highlights    A Woman on the airplane closes the Rhetoric Reality Gap What it means to be Wonderful SEL learning and character development Collective cultural value of kindness and how to practice it 2 day leadership development conference leaders need Your To Be List is what distinguishes you Practical tips on accountability to make actions more impactful The one question everyone should answer each day  Random acts of kindness doesn’t shift culture in a meaningful way  How do we repeatedly do the things that we want to become       “What we give our time to is what we value. Getting clear about that for ourselves is like a first important step. Then the second step is if we want to make those things, any level of a priority in our life, and it doesn't become about making time, it becomes about protecting time.”  -Houston Kraft   Full Transcript Houston Kraft Transcript   Houston Kraft’s Resources & Contact Info:   DeepKindness Book CharacterStrong Administrator's Leadership Conference LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Instagram    Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog SHOW SPONSORS: HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader.   TEACHFX School leaders know that productive student talk drives student learning, but the average teacher talks 75% of class time! TeachFX is changing that with a “Fitbit for teachers” that automatically measures student engagement and gives teachers feedback about what they could do differently.  Learn more about the TeachFX app and get a special 20% discount for your school or district by visiting teachfx.com/blbs.   ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2020 Twelve Practices LLC

Houston Kraft is CEO and co-founder of CharacterStrong, an organization dedicated to infusing character, empathy, and connection into education. He is an author, keynote speaker, and curriculum developer. A self-proclaimed kindness advocate, he is passionate about spreading it in meaningful ways. His most recent book, Deep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness, explores kindness as a skill set and competency that can bring revolutionary change. He joins Marcel Schwantes to discuss how kindness can improve our quality of life and shares actionable tips to help us be more kind every day.   Marcel asks Houston why he wrote his recent book. Houston explains that it’s because he appreciates how much words shape our lives. “Language is the vehicle to experiences, emotions, and memories inside our brains, so it stands to reason that the way we think about things is a huge indicator of how we act.” [6:52] Our culture views kindness as a nice-to-have instead of a must-have, according to Houston. We see it as fluffy, so we don’t see the need to develop it in ourselves as a skill. [9:14] “We are experiencing an increase in accountability. People are being seen, watched, exposed, listened to and critiqued more deeply than they have in the past,” Houston remarks. “The bridge that we are now tasked to cross is how to show loving accountability. Accountability without love is condescending; it creates friction without room for growth,” he adds. [15:45] Houston defines forgiveness and describes what it entails. “By extending forgiveness, you’re setting yourself free from holding on to anger and resentment while also setting clear boundaries around the behavior of [who you are forgiving] so it doesn’t violate you again,” Marcel comments. [18:19] Provide a specific constraint to make your goal of kindness more actionable. For example, asking ‘How do I be kind today towards my mom?’ may yield more actionable answers than simply asking ‘How do I be kind today?’ [25:08] “There’s power in scheduling time to worry,” Houston quotes. “Give yourself 15 minutes a day to worry and only do so during that time. So many of us let worry bleed throughout our day which makes the stuff in the background seem bigger and more monstrous.” [33:33] “My mom wrote notes in my lunchbox from kindergarten to 12th grade. They took her 2 minutes every day, and when I look back and add it up, [I realize] it’s the most profound action of love I’ve experienced. The little things are the big things,” Houston shares. [39:39] Marcel welcomes Tom Geraghty, the creator of the Psychological Safety Toolkit, to share insights about the importance of psychological safety in the workplace and why it’s good for business. Resources Houston Kraft on LinkedIn | Twitter HoustonKraft.com Deep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness Tom Geraghty on LinkedIn | Twitter PsychSafety.co.uk

Get the book, Deep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness Visit Houston's Website, HoustonKraft.com Visit the CharacterStrong Website, CharacterStrong.com Follow Houston on Twitter @HoustonKraft About the Author Houston Kraft is a popular speaker working in schools around the country and co-founder of CharacterStrong, which provides curriculum and training for safer and kinder schools.

What does it mean to be deeply—actively kind?  Houston Kraft spent his career studying kindness, wrote a book about it, and is sharing all of the answers. We talk about the importance of going beyond practicing “confetti kindness” (random acts of kindness), how to really show up for people in need, kindness in leadership + business, how to be a more actively and deeply kind person, and his thoughts on if “nice guys finish last”. You might think you are practicing kindness, but Houston shares some tips and tools to help us look inward to see if we are practicing kindness in the ways that make the greatest impact and change.  Produced by Dear Media.

Houston Kraft is a professional speaker, author, curriculum designer, and kindness advocate who speaks at schools, conferences, and events internationally. He has spoken to over half a million people at 600 engagements and counting. He is the co-founder of CharacterStrong - training, and curriculums that create more compassionate cultures in schools and communities. They work with 2,500. schools serving over 1 million students with their content. In 2019, he was featured by Lay's on BBQ and Jalapeño chip bags for their “Spreading Smiles” campaign. His first book, Deep Kindness, is being published by Simon & Schuster on September 22, 2020. For More Content on Going From Stuck to Unstoppable, we invite you to stay connected. Follow Us On... FaceBook Twitter Youtube Instagram LinkedIn  Journey Principles   Stephen Scoggins  

In this episode I speak with Houston Kraft, Co-Founder of http://characterstrong.com and author of "Deep Kindness" about how a camp experience with a special counselor showed him the transformational power of kindness.

Everyone can agree that kindness is a vital character everyone must possess, but in today's world soaked in ambition, achievements, and ego, its meaning sadly wanes day after day. Houston Kraft, the author of Deep Kindness, believes that this can still be remedied by integrating the idea of kindness in the education system. Together with John Livesay, he discusses how providing training and curriculums centered on compassion can help change the perspective of kids in showing kindness rather than merely chasing success. Houston also explains how to bridge the empathy gap by sharing his touching story of one rainy night in Haiti. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here's How » Join The Successful Pitch community today: JohnLivesay.com John Livesay Facebook John Livesay Twitter John Livesay LinkedIn John Livesay YouTube

Houston Kraft, author of Deep Kindness ( https://deepkindness.com/ ) , cracks open the definition of kindness and shines a light on how our culture has oversimplified this essential way of being. He invites us to reflect on our belief in kindness and the ways we actually practice it, exploring the difference between confetti kindness and deep kindness. How often are our “acts of kindness” actually meeting a need? This is a beautiful, heart-opening conversation you don’t want to miss! Today on The SimplyBe. Podcast: * The role of theatre in Houston’s life story and career * Becoming an effective storyteller * How kindness is broken & oversimplified in our culture * Implementing deep kindness vs. confetti kindness * Listening in order to understand someone’s need * Becoming a thought leader around what lights you up * Developing curriculum on social and emotional skills for kids The Be. Experience: simplybeagency.com/be-experience ( https://www.simplybeagency.com/be-experience ) Follow Houston: * Instagram: @houstonkraft ( https://www.instagram.com/houstonkraft/?hl=en ) * Website: houstonkraft.com ( https://www.houstonkraft.com/ ) ; characterstrong.com ( https://characterstrong.com/ ) * Book: Deep Kindness ( https://deepkindness.com/ ) ; deepkindness.com ( https://deepkindness.com/ ) Connect with Jessica: * Buy Jessica’s Book “Be.” here ( https://www.amazon.com/Be-No-Bullsh-Increasing-Simply-Yourself/dp/1683646991 ) * Sign-up for The SimplyBe. Society here ( https://jessicazweig.lpages.co/simplybe-society/ ) * Jessica’s Website: jessicazweig.com ( http://jessicazweig.com/ ) * Jessica’s IG: @jessicazweig ( https://www.instagram.com/jessicazweig/?hl=en ) * SimplyBe.’s Website: simplybeagency.com ( https://www.simplybeagency.com/ ) * SimplyBe.'s IG: @simplybeagency ( https://www.instagram.com/simplybeagency/ ) * Join the Facebook Group: SimplyBe. Society ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/199716284134370 ) This show is produced by Soulfire Productions ( http://soulfireproductionsco.com/ )

“I can say, ‘I forgive you and no, you're not allowed to do this.’ That way I can show up more readily with other people in my life and still be kind.”Amy talks to kindness advocate, Houston Kraft. He's reached millions of people with his his message that just might change the way you think about kindness.Houston shares why hanging posters that say, "Be Kind," might doing more harm than he good. He also talks about the different types of kindness, how to establish boundaries that help us to become kinder, and how to create a regular kindness practice.Houston is proof that you can be both kind and strong.

Houston Kraft is a professional speaker, author, curriculum designer, and kindness advocate who speaks at schools, conferences, and events internationally. He has spoken to over a half a million people at 600 engagements and counting. He is the co-founder of CharacterStrong - trainings and curriculums that create more compassionate cultures in schools and communities. They work with 2,500. schools serving over 1 million students with their content. In 2019, he was featured by Lay’s on BBQ and Jalapeño chip bags for their “Spreading Smiles” campaign. His first book, Deep Kindness, is being published by Simon & Schuster September 22, 2020. Join Dr. Michelle and Houston as they talk about: His background, childhood, and how kindness came to be an important part of his being. Some of the mentors in his life including fellow Co-Founder of CharacterStrong, John Norlin. The idea that we’re not human beings but “human becomings.” Why kindness is not an act but a habit and what that practice looks like in a daily routine. Taking a closer look at the values we hold important both personally and in the world of business. Why creating systems that hold us accountable to our goals are so important. How leaders can help their team members navigate through the mental health challenges that they are facing in 2021. What new way of thinking can help you prioritize what is actually important to you. Why it’s so important to protect your time, from work and meetings to personal downtime. Mentioned In This Episode Houston Kraft CharacterStrong Deep Kindness John Norlin Janice Hughes Are You As Busy As You Think? SCBS Sleep Campaign Your Wellness Connection SCBS 40 Days of Gratitude Big Shifts Foundation CommunityAmerica Credit Union AdventHealth SCBS 31-Day Kindness Campaign Connect Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube

John talks with CharacterStrong Co-Founder Houston Kraft & Team Member Don Bartel about the recent CharacterStrong leadership conference, and the role and impact that student leadership has in school culture & climate.

Houston Kraft is a speaker, author, and kindness advocate who has spoken at over 600 schools or events internationally. In 2016, he co-founded CharacterStrong- curriculum, and training that help teach social and emotional skills. To date, they have worked with over 2500 schools globally serving over 2 million students. In 2019, his face was featured on Lays BBQ chip bags as someone who helps “spread smiles.” In 2020, his first book, Deep Kindness (Simon & Schuster, Tiller Press) was released. His mom is his hero, and her best life lesson is to “hug like you mean it.” Houston Kraft joins me today to discuss the importance of normalizing deep and vulnerable kindness in our lives. He talks about moments in his life, both significant and minor, that have helped him normalize this in his life, and how this message is spread through his organization CharacterStrong. Houston breaks down how empathy can be lost over time, and how small practices of empathy and deep kindness can have a significant shift in our perspective.        “And perhaps the most meaningful first step we can take towards practical, deep kindness is to listen first, in order for us to love better.” – Houston Kraft This week on Rebel Souls: What helped Houston focus on compassion early in life and lead him on his path The difference between social and emotional skills How Houston is teaching social and emotional skills in schools The power of changing your perspective Examples of deep kindness from Houston’s new book How kindness can be a precursor to pain, and how this affects us as we get older Distinguishing deep kindness from common kindness The difference between empathy, sympathy, and apathy How well-intentioned kindness (not informed by empathy) can be unhelpful How empathy works What gets in the way of practicing empathy How to practice deep kindness Houston’s deep kindness exercises Related Content: Website CharacterStrong Connect with Houston Kraft: Email Houston Houston Kraft Houston on Instagram Houston Kraft on Facebook Houston Kraft on YouTube Houston Kraft on LinkedIn Book: Deep Kindness Liberate Your Soul & Join the Rebelution Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Rebel Souls with your host, Shelley Paxton, the podcast dedicated to helping leaders reject the status quo, liberate their soul, and become a lifelong rebel. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe to the show and leave a review. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram and share your favorite episodes across social media. And for more great content and information, visit our website and grab your copy of Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel’s Guide to Finding Your Best Life.

We celebrate our 200th episode! John and Houston look back at some good things in the midst of the hard over last 12 months, they look forward to what is needed in 2021 & share some hope.

After John and I discuss zombies, books, and board games (random, I know), CharacterStrong co-creator and Deep Kindness author, Houston Kraft, ranks his top 5 foreign words that encapsulate human emotions with me. And at the end, I tell him I love him...what??? Buy Deep Kindness CharacterStrong Lost in Lists dan@lostinlists.com Facebook: @lostinlists Twitter: @inlists --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lostinlists/support

Suzy Benson is an inspiring coach, speaker, and facilitator who leads with passion, energy, and vision. Her mission is to help people become better leaders, find fulfillment in their work and live happier, healthier lives. Suzy founded and directed a non-profit-the African Promise Foundation - for 10 years. She then transferred her experience and skills to form African Promise Expeditions-an organization that takes people on leadership and personal development journeys to Uganda, Africa. In 2018, she and Houston Kraft collaborated and took a team of students on a two week expedition. In addition, Suzy operates a succesful coaching and leadership business, Suzy Benson Coaching. Suzy trained under Dr. Brené Brown to become a certified Dare to Lead™ facilitator. Suzy focuses on developing courage-building skills to help individuals, teams, and organizations develop emotional intelligence. Suzy is a certified teacher and spent 20 years in education. Suzy has a strong commitment to her clients and uses her gifts of empathy and compassion to connect deeply with them. Her optimism is infectious, and she conveys an empowered perspective on life. Suzy advocates for those without a voice and has a seemingly endless resource of energy, love, and compassion.

What does it look like if you're scaling your speaking business? Our guest today shares his journey from being a one-man show to scaling his speaking business beyond just himself. Houston Kraft is a speaker in the education world, as well as an author and the founder of Character Strong. On today's Awesome Health, he tells us how and why he started Character Strong along with the long-term implications of being a youth speaker in the education space. Listen in to hear all the details on episode 322 of The Speaker Lab!   THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW: How did he combine his interests and passions to find his speaking path? How do you start with what and who you know? What's the best way to find a need you can fulfill for your audiences? Why is this business a momentum business? What's the first thing to think about if you want to build a speaking business not dependent on you? The importance of boundaries when you're scaling your speaking business. Can you say yes to too many things? How your content can shift if you aren't the only one delivering it. And so much more! EPISODE RESOURCES Houston Kraft's web site Character Strong web site Houston Kraft on Twitter Houston Kraft on Instagram Free Speaking Fee Calculator The Successful Speaker Booked and Paid To Speak program Got questions? Send them in here! Subscribe on iTunes, and leave us a rating or review

What does it mean to be kind in today’s world when we need it more and understand it less? Houston Kraft discusses the gap between believing and doing, being nice and being kind, and how to form meaningful habits that orient us toward compassion.

What does it mean to be kind in today’s world when we need it more and understand it less? Houston Kraft discusses the gap between believing and doing, being nice and being kind, and how to form meaningful habits that orient us toward compassion. Houston Kraft is a speaker, author, and kindness advocate who has spoken at more than 600 schools and events internationally. In 2016, he co-founded CharacterStrong: curriculum and trainings that transform the way schools teach social-emotional learning, character education, and Kindness. To date, they have worked with more than 2500 schools globally serving more than 1 million students. In 2019, his face was featured on Lays BBQ chip bags as someone who helps "spread smiles.” His new book is “Deep Kindness.” Find out more about Houston and his work at deepkindness.com.

What does it mean to be kind in today's world when we need it more and understand it less? Houston Kraft discusses the gap between believing and doing, being nice and being kind, and how to form meaningful habits that orient us toward compassion. Houston Kraft is a speaker, author, and kindness advocate who has spoken at more than 600 schools and events internationally. In 2016, he co-founded CharacterStrong: curriculum and trainings that transform the way schools teach social-emotional learning, character education, and Kindness. To date, they have worked with more than 2500 schools globally serving more than 1 million students. In 2019, his face was featured on Lays BBQ chip bags as someone who helps "spread smiles.” His new book is “Deep Kindness.” Find out more about Houston and his work at deepkindness.com.

  Houston is a speaker, author, and kindness advocate who has spoken at over 600 schools or events internationally. In 2016, he co-founded CharacterStrong- curriculum and trainings that help teach social and emotional skills. To date, they have worked with over 2500 schools globally serving over 2 million students. In 2019, his face was featured on Lays BBQ chip bags as someone who helps “spread smiles.” In 2020, his first book, Deep Kindness (Simon & Schuster, Tiller Press) was released. His mom is his hero, and her best life lesson is to “hug like you mean it.” Houston joins me today to discuss the importance of normalizing deep and vulnerable kindness in our lives. He talks about moments in his life, both significant and minor, that have helped him normalize this in his life, and how this message is spread through his organization CharacterStrong. Houston breaks down how empathy can be lost over time, and how small practices of empathy and deep kindness can have a significant shift in our perspecitve.        “And perhaps the most meaningful first step we can take towards practical, deep kindness is to listen first in order for us to love better.” – Houston Kraft This week on Rebel Souls: What helped Houston focus on compassion early in life and lead him on his path The difference between social and emotional skills How Houston is teaching social and emotional skills in schools The power of changing your perspective Examples of deep kindness from Houston’s new book How kindness can be a precursor to pain, and how this affects us as we get older Distinguishing deep kindness from common kindness The difference between empathy, sympathy, and apathy How well intentioned kindness (not informed by empathy) can be unhelpful How empathy works What gets in the way of practicing empathy How to practice deep kindness Houston’s deep kindness exercises   Related Content: Website CharacterStrong Connect with Houston Kraft: Email Houston Houston Kraft Houston on Instagram Houston Kraft on Facebook Houston Kraft on YouTube Houston Kraft on LinkedIn Book: Deep Kindness     Liberate Your Soul & Join the Rebelution   Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Rebel Souls with your host, Shelley Paxton, the podcast dedicated to helping leaders reject the status quo, liberate their soul, and become a lifelong rebel. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe to the show and leave a review. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram and share your favorite episodes across social media. And for more great content and information, visit our website and grab your copy of Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel’s Guide to Finding Your Best Life.  

There’s a lot of talk about what kindness really looks like these days. Don’t get me wrong, I am someone who is deeply passionate about kindness. True kindness. One of my most important goals as a parent is to raise kind and compassionate kids because it matters. Kindness can also be fleeting. When we take it for granted, the kindness that we think we are spreading around is just very surface-level or even in some cases, harmful. What does real, true, deep kindness really look like? My guest today is on a mission to call all of us to action to exhibit deep kindness. Houston Kraft is a speaker, author, and kindness advocate who has spoken at over 600 schools or events internationally. In 2016, he co-founded Character Strong, curriculum and trainings that help teach social and emotional skills. To date, they’ve worked with over 2500 schools globally, serving over 2 million students. In 2019, his face was actually featured of Lays BBQ chip bags as someone who helps spread smiles. This year, his first book, Deep Kindess was released. Deep Kindness is a call to action beckoning us to a deeper understanding of kindness. It calls readers to move past that surface-level “confetti” kindness marked by cutsie phrases and empty gestures. Instead, Kraft reveals that deep kindness is an ever-growing skillset, rooted in empathy, perspective, courage, and forgiveness. Featuring a 30-act starter plan, journal prompts, and practical exercises, Deep Kindness dives into the types of kindness the world needs most today, taking an honest look at the gap between our belief in kindness and our ability to practice it well. Houston’s hero is his mom, and his best life lesson is to “hug like you mean it” (adjusted safely for Covid-19 of course)! I had the best conversation with Houston. He is really funny and has incredible insights about what kindness looks like today. 6:02 - The Houston 101 Houston is blessed with having parents who have always supported any idea he’s wanted to pursue. He was really passionate about soccer growing up but broke his ankle his freshman year of high school. In lieu of playing soccer, he was invited to participate in his high school’s production of the musical “Once Upon A Mattress.” While honored, Houston has to inform his theatre teacher that he couldn’t sing! They found place for Houston in the musical as the character of a mute king. He fell in love with the story-telling and collaborative process of theatre. Houston continued with theatre all the way through college and took a year off to determine whether he wanted to pursue acting or some form of leadership. He got connected with a speaker who spoke about leadership, compassion, and kindness in schools. He realized it was what he wanted to do too and started speaking at events after college. He absolutely loved being on stage and sharing stories. So much of his own personal story was shaped by stories shared with him in high school around leadership, paradigm shifts, and what it meant to show up for the world in meaningful ways. Houston spoke for 7 years at 600 schools or organizations all over the country. In 2016, he met with a hero of his named John Narlen. Houston wanted to see what John thought about replicating their speaking services for administrators and educational systems to teach empathy, compassion, and social and emotional skills that indicate success and fulfilment in life. The program now works with over 2500 schools and reaches about 25 million kids! Houston also just published his first book that came on in September of 2020 called Deep Kindness. It includes all Houston has learned about kindness and compassion over the past decade. 11:11 – Impacting the Next Generation with Deep Kindness Houston founded Character Strong and works to equip kids with the skills to think of others before themselves, and it’s an important skill to start teaching early to instill people with lifelong empathy and compassion that inspires others around them as well. Houston has found that kids are really impacted by what they think their leaders and culture think about them. We are too focused on achievement over kindness and happiness, and our kids are aware of it. We are missing the mark. What we measure matters. What we ask young people to show us proof of matters. We are not allocating enough time toward selflessness and compassion. Anxiety and narcissism have increased, and the biggest barriers to empathy are fear, anxiety, and narcissism.  Dr. Ross Green tells us that kids do well when they can. Kids want to please the adults in the world around them. The only reason they wouldn’t is lagging skills and unsolved problems. We need to recognize that they need tools to handle the issues in front of them. There may also be things in their life out of their control that they don’t know how to deal with that cause big feelings to be taken out in other areas of their life. It’s been a tough year, and the pandemic and the political season have made it even tougher for adults to be kind to one another. How are we to expect our children to be kind when we’re not doing it? There’s a double standard. Character Strong recognizes that being in the business of school culture change means first and foremost being in the business of adult behavior change. 29:03 – What Gets In the Way Recognizing the obstacles to creating a kinder world helps us narrow the gap between our intentions and reality. Deep Kindness challenges readers to address questions like this. It’s not light and fluffy and takes a little diving to find what we need to move the cultural needle forward. The three categories that can get in our way are incompetence, insecurity, and inconvenience. If we don’t know how to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes, we will treat them as a label instead of a person. With insecurity, most of the things we do in life says “I love you” or “please love me.” Those fears can drive disconnection. It’s important to practice kindness. It’s not something that is as easy or simple as we sometimes paint it to be as a society. We are also often too busy to devote our time to that practice. What we give our time to is what we value. We can’t control society or the people around us, but we can choose our reactions and how we interact with the world, and that can be a powerful modeling for others. Deep empathetic kindness requires listening, sacrificing, and discipline. Conditional kindness is just being nice when it’s convenient for us. We must allocate consistent practice of kindness. If we don’t have that discipline day in and day out, we are doing kindness, not being kind. We have to be careful of doing more harm than good, which is what can easily happen if we are doing kindness to feel good instead of truly serving others with an awareness of what they need as opposed to what we want to give to them. 46:14 – Character Strong Character Strong has Pre-K through twelfth grade curriculum for schools and works with individual schools as well as school districts. Teachers, administrators, parents, and community members can reach out to see how Character Strong can work with them! If you’d like to take a deeper dive into kindness, be sure to also check out Deep Kindness for conversations about kindness, a journal with 30 days of practical actions, and all the places where you can purchase the book! 48:15 – Getting to Know Our Guest Find out what song Houston has to sing along with when it comes on, what he most looks forward to when he gets home from traveling, what he would eat for dinner if he had to eat the same thing every night for the rest of his life, his favorite movie to watch growing up, who has influenced him most other than his parents. Listen for Houston’s answer to what it means to him to run a business with purpose! You won’t want to miss that one. Memorable Quotes 18:55 – “We look at the world and sometimes we get frustrated with younger generations wondering why they are not more kind. We have to self-reflect to ask what culture we have created that they feel like these are the metrics of success that they have to live into. What we say is important and what we make to be important are two different things.” 22:45 – “When it comes to school culture change, we are first and foremost in the business of adult behavior change.” 24:20 – “Kids do well when they can.” – Dr. Ross Green, Child Psychologist 25:52 – “I think about the filters with which I can experience the world…if I can provide a couple of layers between me and that person, if I can offer that small veil of what that person is missing or the unsolved problem in their life, it gives me that moment of distance to treat them with compassion.” 33:31 – “I think one of the most damaging narratives to kindness is that it’s free…being kind requires a profound amount of empathy, discomfort, and forgiveness, even if it’s inconvenient to me…the biggest preventer of compassion is just that we are busy all the time.” 41:47 - “Without listening, we lose the empathy side of kindness.” ABOUT HOUSTON KRAFT: Houston is a speaker, author, and kindness advocate who has spoken at over 600 schools or events internationally. In 2016, he co-founded CharacterStrong - curriculum and trainings that help teach social and emotional skills. To date, they have worked with over 2500 schools globally serving over 2 million students. In 2019, his face was featured on Lays BBQ chip bags as someone who helps "spread smiles.” In 2020, his first book, Deep Kindness (Simon & Schuster, Tiller Press) was released. His mom is his hero and her best life lesson is to “hug like you mean it.” Thank you to our partners of the show: Ammas Umma  Did you know I have an ethical brand directory? That's what Chelsea used to start finding products for her boutique almost four years ago! Now, Amma's Umma carries over 50 intentionally sourced brands and is the perfect one stop shop for all your gift giving needs. As a thank you to the Still Being Molly community, she is offering 20% off with code SHOPWITHMOLLY. Head to shopwithmolly.com for all the details. GOEX At GOEX, we believe in the power of purchase. We use a simple t-shirt to connect our customers with their apparel makers. GOEX customers sustain fair wage jobs that liberate workers from poverty and empower them in their families and communities. We are proud to be a verified member of the Fair Trade Federation. Shop sustainable, eco-friendly t-shirts and sweatshirts with purpose today at goexapparel.com. Simple Switch I want to introduce you all to a company I believe in that helps you more conveniently purchase with purpose, SimpleSwitch.org Simple Switch is an online marketplace for ethical and impactful shopping. They let you shop online for more than 3,000 products ranging from everyday essentials like toilet paper and hand sanitizer, to special gifts like journals or jewelry. Every product has a positive environmental or social impact, like planting trees or fighting human trafficking. Simple Switch is offering a discount exclusively for our listeners. Check out the marketplace on simpleswitch.org and get 20% off your first order with code PURCHASEWITHPURPOSE at checkout! The Lemonade Boutique  This episode is sponsored by The Lemonade Boutique, a women’s clothing with a cause store. Featuring ethically made and fair trade items from over 10 countries, every item is made by women facing extreme challenges such as trafficking, poverty, and more. Your purchase empowers women to take life's lemons and make lemonade.  Shop at THELemonadeBoutique.com. Listeners of the Business with Purpose Podcast can save 15% by using code PURPOSE15 at checkout.

Houston talks to Avianna about deep kindness, how to practice it daily and his work supplying kindness trainings/curriculums to 2,500 schools nationwide, serving over one million students. He shares the three biggest barriers to kindness and how to approach them. Avianna asks Houston about his first experiences of true kindness, memorable stories from his new book and what he hopes to cultivate in future generations. They discuss kindness in leadership, simple practices to unlock more kindness and how some popularized messages of kindness can be counterproductive. They finish off their conversation relating over their common love of unrestrained dancing and silent discos. Guest Links: https://www.houstonkraft.com/ https://www.instagram.com/houstonkraft/ https://twitter.com/houstonkraft https://www.facebook.com/houstonkraft https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtP8-UfKtfnxuOnc_0MeHuQ?view_as=subscriber  

Houston is a professional speaker, author, curriculum designer, and kindness advocate who has spoken at over 600 schools, events, conferences, and companies around the world and is passionate about helping people create lives filled with compassion and love. In 2016, he co-founded CharacterStrong to help infuse character, empathy, and connection into education I had a GREAT and TIMELY conversation with Houston about how kindness can grow your leadership, benefit your business, and just make the world a better place. We also talked about some practical ways to become more kind that are straight outta his new book, Deep Kindness As always, if you enjoy the show, make sure to leave a review and share it with a friend! https://www.houstonkraft.com/ @houstonkraft