Kindness Moves incmedia.org

How Much Do Words Matter?



[show open]



Lois Paula: Whether you're hoping to heal the world or heal yourself, this podcast is here for you to highlight how kindness moves.



Nan: Yes, how kindness moves you to take action, you yourself, or just makes you feel something so good it's contagious. You might have been touched by a simple act of kindness, you might want tips on how you can act now in your community, or you just love the feeling of doing good.



Lois Paula: Welcome to Kindness Moves, the podcast brought to you by INC Media. We're your hosts, LP and Nan.



Nan : Right. Well LP, I'm really excited because we have another special episode today and the topic for today is we're talking about words. You know from childhood, many of us are taught to speak politely. You know, for example, we say, we're taught to say “Thank you” say “Please” or you know, ask someone “How are you.?” In general, we're taught to use kind words and avoid the bad ones, right? But it's something that becomes kind of second nature. So when we look back at our childhood and, and we think about the words that were spoken to us; maybe the words that we read or even heard, how, how much of an impact did that really make?



Lois Paula: Right. It's major. Words have an impact. Whether it's something that we say, whether it's something that we write, wherever we publish it, wherever we put it out–words have an impact. And you mentioned the words we read and I think we don't realize, a lot of us, that that's another avenue for us to receive words right?  Some of us are visual and so that reinforces what we're ah listening to right? We see it so that it reinforces what we're hearing, so to say, we read it. But you know when we think about it, ah, even from our earliest days of childhood until now–the words that were spoken to us, the words that we have read or the words that we ourselves have said, they all have shaped who we are and our experiences. They've all impacted one another.



Nan : Right. I totally agree and, you know, that entire spectrum of words, you know, good and bad and everything in between has had such an impact you know? And, and that's why I can't wait to jump in today's conversation. You know, not only do we have an interesting topic as I mentioned earlier, we also have some great guests joining us today. Ah, so first we meet an author who has published a children's book entitled Mr. Awesome Great Day and she currently has another one in the works. So please welcome Rachelle De Dios.



Rachelle: Hi 



Nan: Hi Rachelle.



Lois Paula: You like going by Rach right? 



Rachelle: Yeah, most of my friends call me that and you guys are my friends and everyone listening so.



Lois Paula: Hi Rach. Thanks so much for joining us today. And I think you are our first guest on Kindness Moves who has actually had a book published. Congratulations to you, that's extremely amazing. You know it's such a great accomplishment just in itself. Um, and I'd love, we'd love to know–how did this all start? So can you tell us a little bit just about your journey from um, you know, childhood up until now, you're a published author. How did this all start?



Rachelle: Awesome. Ah, thank you so much for having me and thank you for the kind words. Um, yeah to be honest with you guys I never thought I would create a book, write a book. That was never in the cards for me. But I think the whole, you know, story that I created, and I made, I didn't realize how much it meant to me and when I started to see my story kind of unfold in my life with, you know, some things that I felt about growing up and how I really wanted attributes to be known more than our titles or attribut...

Learning Kindness From Parent-Child Bonding







[show open]







Lois Paula: Whether you're hoping to heal the world or heal yourself, this podcast is here for you to highlight how kindness moves.







Nan: Yes, how kindness moves you to take action, you yourself, or just makes you feel something so good it's contagious. You might have been touched by a simple act of kindness. You might want tips on how you can act now in your community or you just love the feeling of doing good. Hi everyone!







Lois Paula: Welcome to Kindness Moves, a new podcast brought to you by the INC Giving Project. We're your hosts LP and Nan. Now in a previous episode we discussed how to teach kindness to kids.







Lois Paula: And in that discussion we met Teresa and learned about her daughter Katelyn and the importance of, you know, fostering a child's urge to share kind acts. Now in today's episode we continue the discussion of sharing acts of kindness with your child but we dive a little bit deeper and shift the perspective now to a father–a father of three who actively encourages his children to join outreach efforts that help their community. Now, as a mother, that's something I inspired to do because it's, it's really these kinds of activities that promote, you know, parent-child bonding and teach kindness at the same time.







Nan: Yeah, you know, I'm really, really glad that we're continuing this discussion LP because it's such an important topic right? I mean parent child bonding and being able to do these acts of kindness together. But I'm even more excited because we get to hear from a father. You know sometimes the perception is that it's generally the mother that children learn kindness from, which I totally understand. You know, I learned a lot from my mom about kindness and being caring and she really influenced me greatly. But I would also like to highlight all the dads out there that make it a point to teach kindness, you know.







Lois Paula: Yes.







Nan: My dad definitely took the time to teach me those lessons so I just wanted to highlight all the dads out there and also tell my dad thank you. So thanks dad!







Lois Paula: Yes, yes, that's right. Now speaking of dads, shout out to all of the fathers, to all of the husbands out there. Just want to say thanks to my husband as well. You know, you're right. We really do try our best to take every opportunity to be, you know, the best parents. But there are a ton of dads out there, you know, who are doing the same thing–trying to set a great example. And it just so happens that we are meeting one today. Yes! So he joins us all the way from New Jersey, let's welcome Ted Pascual. Hi Ted.







Nan: Hi Ted.







Ted Pascual: Hello Nan, hello LP. Thank you for having me here today.







Nan: We’re so so excited to have you. 







Lois Paula: Yeah.







Nan: You know we're really happy that you could join us today all the way from New Jersey and I mentioned earlier that I was really excited to have you on the podcast. 







Nan: As a father, you've encouraged volunteering and acts of kindness, which I'd like to highlight even more because we have all the awesome moms, but I also want to show all the awesome dads. And before we jump into your fatherhood though, I would like to start from the beginning–if you could tell us a little bit about your childhood. Who or what were your biggest influences when it c...

How An Unexpected Friendship Changed My Life







Lois Paula Riturban: Whether you're hoping to heal the world or heal yourself, this podcast is here for you to highlight how kindness moves.







Nan Zapanta: Moves you to take action, yourself, or just makes you feel something so good, it's contagious. You might have been touched by a simple act of kindness. You might want tips on how you can act now in your own community or you just love the feeling of doing good.







Lois Paula Riturban: Welcome to Kindness Moves, a podcast brought to you by the INC Giving project. We're your hosts LP, and Nan. Now we've discussed together and with our guests the importance of kindness, its benefits, how we can share it with others, but today, we'll turn the tables actually and talk about receiving kindness. Now what happens when we are the recipient? What can taking a chance on kindness do for us?







Nan Zapanta: Yeah you know, that's a great question LP. You know, sometimes, especially these days, when someone's kind towards another person, there's a little bit of skepticism right? From those at uh receive, are on the receiving end of kindness. Some might even ask, you know, “What's the catch? Like, what, what are you doing? Why are you being so nice to me?” So that kind of skepticism can lead to someone maybe passing up on a helpful or even positive experience and maybe a life changing one too. So, on one hand, I don't blame them. We live in unusual times. So that degree of skepticism is understandable. But on the other hand, you might be passing up on a great opportunity if you ignore that act of kindness, right?







Lois Paula Riturban: Right. And I guess it depends on what the act of kindness is, you know the context of it all. But yes, you never know what an act of kindness can really lead to. So today, we'll hear from a woman who actually took that chance on kindness during a ride home from work. So let's welcome everyone to the show Teresa Rios from California. Hello.







Nan Zapanta: Hi, Teresa.







Teresa Rios: Hey.







Nan Zapanta: There you are.







Lois Paula Riturban: Thanks for joining us today. Hi. 







Teresa Rios: Hi. How are you doing?







Nan Zapanta: Doing well, doing well. We're super happy to have you here. We've heard your story on “Stories Of Faith” and we've heard so much about you. So you know, as, as you know, today, we're talking about taking a chance on kindness. So let's just go ahead and jump right in and let's start from the beginning. Can you tell us a little bit about your background, like your childhood or maybe what your biggest influences were when it came to your outlook on kindness? 







Teresa Rios: Where do I start? 







Lois Paula Riturban: That’s a lot. That's a loaded question. 







Nan Zapanta: I know it's a lot, right?







Teresa Rios: My childhood, my parents, they split up when I was seven. So mostly it was my mother that raised me and–inspiration for kindness, I mostly got from the strength my mother had in raising a child on her own. I felt like it really taught me a lot on how life really does give you obstacles to face and it just depends on how you choose to face it.







Nan Zapanta:  Right, right. I mean, all of us, right, we face different challenges, but I think at a young age, you know those challenges kind of shape exactly who we are and just how we, we see things so yeah, it's definitely something significant,

Cancer Survivor Shows How Kindness Heals

Cathleya Fajardo- Deguzman: It's always better to look forward to better things than to dwell on what you can't control. Right? You just have to keep trying to get to the next level and push through it, pray about it. What we're going through right now, it's not easy. Before the pandemic, whatever we were going through, it's not easy. It's not easy. One rule of thumb that one of my nurses told me is you can stay in bed one day, if you don't feel like getting out of bed one day, but that's it. After that, you have to keep getting out of bed.

LP Riturban: Whether you're hoping to heal the world or heal yourself, this podcast is here for you to highlight how kindness moves.

Nan Zapanta: Moves you to take action yourself or just makes you feel something so good, it's contagious. You might have been touched by a simple act of kindness, you might want tips on how you connect now in your community or you just love the feeling of doing good.

LP Riturban: Welcome back everyone to Kindness Moves, a new podcast brought to you by the INC Giving Project. We're your hosts LP and Nan.

Nan Zapanta: So today we want to bring into our conversation how to keep positive and in turn exude positivity in our daily life. You know, when circumstances around you are maybe really tough and it's pushing you in that other direction to be negative or, or just not see things in a positive light, how we can really turn towards positivity.

LP Riturban:  So yes Nan, what we're going to do to start off our conversation actually today is just ask our listeners, wherever you are to pause, ok. And think about the last time you were faced with a tough situation. It could be, you know, with your family, individually, maybe even in a really dire situation where you could barely see what tomorrow looked like. Now imagine that moment, the way you felt. Now replay your reaction to the things around you, the things people said, the things that happened the next day or that week, you know, did you still act with love? Do you still show compassion to those around you? Or did your reactions dictate otherwise? Did your reactions to what was happening still shine a light of positivity? That's what we're going to discuss today.

Nan Zapanta: Right, and those are really great points to reflect on right? The moments of adversity, and that's what we’ll reflect on today. How we can really keep a perspective of positivity no matter what life throws at us.

LP Riturban: Yes, and to talk with us about it today, we introduce our guest from New Jersey. She is a professional in the legal services industry. She's also a host and correspondent and a producer of INC Radio programming. Most of all, she's also had her own share of life-changing experiences that she's turned into motivation to do good every chance she gets and you know, just be that light. So let's welcome Cathleya Fajardo- Deguzman also known as Cat. Hello. 

Nan Zapanta: Hi Cat.

Cathleya Fajardo- Deguzman: Hi, everyone. Hi, Nan and LP. So excited to be here with you guys. 

Nan Zapanta: So are we. 

Cathleya Fajardo- Deguzman: What an introduction like, is that, is that my entire resume?

Nan Zapanta: What is that my LinkedIn? Is that my LinkedIn?

Cathleya Fajardo- Deguzman: Right? Wait, I really need to add some stuff. 

LP Riturban: It’s like our drum roll. So here we have today.

Nan Zapanta:  Well, we're so excited to have you here with us. It's been a conversation that we've been looking forward to, especially with that introduction, right? And we've, we'd really love to give our listeners a chance to hear you and give you a chance to introduce yourself.

Cathleya Fajardo- Deguzman: Hi. As LP said, I am Cathleya Fajardo- Deguzman.

Growing Up and Living with Compassion







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Natalie Fitzpatrick: I think kindness is probably the one thing that kept me grounded. You can be that beacon for yourself, if you just remind yourself that, you know, you have these values to return to at the end of the day so even if things get messy, like things go wrong in your life, knowing that you did something good for someone else, knowing that you did something good in general, even for yourself– putting good out there is not going to bring bad back to you. Like there's no harm in radiating that light.







LP Riturban: Whether you're hoping to heal the world or heal yourself, this podcast is here for you to highlight how kindness moves.







Nan Zapanta: Moves you to take action, yourself, or just makes you feel something so good it's contagious, you know, you might have been touched by a simple act of kindness, you might want tips on how you can act now in your community, or you just love the feeling of doing good.







LP: Welcome to Kindness Moves, a new podcast brought to you by the INC Giving Project. We are your hosts, LP and Nan. Now Nan, in a previous conversation we discussed the importance of teaching kindness to kids. So, well what about after the kid phase. What about the tweens and the teens, the young adulthood and beyond?







Nan: Yeah you know that that previous conversation that we had with Teresa, it was a great one. You know I learned a lot in our talk with Teresa and I really really enjoyed that conversation. But yeah you're right LP, you know, what about the “kid phase”? What about beyond that kid phase? Where do we go from there?







LP : When I look back at my teenage years, I remember so many of my peers, you know, finding it challenging to decipher what's important, what's cool, you know, not just now, but what's valuable even in the future? Gosh, when we were teens, we couldn't even think about the future; all our minds were, were focused on is, “what is today?”,  “what's happening today?”. So, is that even a possibility for us to think about how what we do today affects tomorrow in five, ten years from now, you know? So today we will hear from a young professional who actually has been with the INC Giving Project, as an INC Giving Volunteer, when the project first started back in 2011. She was only 15 back then. But even now, she continues to actively volunteer and share acts of kindness. So let's welcome Natalie Fitzpatrick from Vancouver, British Columbia. Hello, Natalie.







Nan: Hi Natalie.







Natalie: Hi. 







LP: Good to have you here.







Natalie: Good to hear from you guys again. 







LP: Yay.







Nan: Yeah, totally. We've been excited to, to have this conversation with you. You know LP and I have been looking forward to it. So thank you so much for joining us.







Natalie: Thank you for having me.







Nan: We've spoken in the past and it's clear that you, you are a very kind person. So, as you know, today we're talking about how it's cool to be kind, no matter what age. Kindness, it really is timeless, so maybe we can start from the beginning: how can you recall from your childhood, what is it that instilled in your childhood such a strong passion to help others and to be kind?







Natalie: Thinking back,

Build Good Habits For a Growth Mindset







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Frendhel: Having self discipline allows you to grow as a person and, not only that, it changes your perspective, it changes your attitude for the better. And what I’ve learned is that because of this, everything around me has changed for the better. If you drive on discipline, you know it has to be done, because it's good for you, and you think about why you're doing it – you're gonna get up and do it. No excuses.







[show intro]







Lois Paula: Whether you're hoping to heal the world or heal yourself, this podcast is here for you, to highlight how kindness moves.







Nan: Moves you to take action, yourself, or just makes you feel something so good, it's contagious. You might have been touched by a simple act of kindness, you might want tips on how you can act now in your community or you just love the feeling of doing good.







Lois Paula: Welcome to Kindness Moves, a new podcast brought to you by the INC Giving Project. We’re your hosts LP and Nan. Now studies show that in order for a habit to form it takes repetition and a constant conscious effort. Right?







Nan: Yeah and so in today's discussion we’ll focus not just on any habits but creating good habits for a growth mindset – how an attitude of gratitude, most especially, can impact our daily mindset and help us focus on the good, so we can do good for ourselves and those around us.







Lois Paula: Right. And so for today’s discussion, we will get tips from someone who consistently uses her online presence or digital footprint ,so to say, to spread positivity. So let's welcome, from Washington State — she is a dental professional by day, and by night she’s not just a mom of two or a fitness enthusiast, a coach; she is also a producer, a correspondent, a content creator with Eagle Broadcasting Corporation and its many motivational segments, let’s welcome Frendhel Fejeran, otherwise known as Den Den. 







Nan: Hi Frendhel.







Lois Paula: Hey Frendhel.







Frendhel: Hey what's good  LP and Nan? How are you guys?







Lois Paula: It’s good to have you.







Nan: Great, doing great, doing great. You know, LP I think in your intro you said, “by day and by night”, but I think by super early morning she's like the workout queen right?, I think that's what, what she is.







Lois Paula: You’re awake at dark o'clock. 







Frendhel: Dark o’clock, that is correct. That is correct. And I'm just really excited to be here on this podcast with you guys. And I don't think, I mean I love fitness – I wouldn't quite say that I'm the fitness queen. Although I love fitness and I can be a queen, so I guess you're right. 







Nan: Perfect. Perfect. That’s perfect. We're so excited to have you here with us, this past year has changed a lot of our perspectives and it's really given us an opportunity to reflect, to reevaluate our goals right? And of course we all know we’re, we're to varying degrees of isolation so we've really been put in positions to self motivate. So, if you can, Frendhel, help us understand firstly, what is a growth mindset?







Frendhel: So a growth mindset – what I've learned how to define it for myself, is being aware that everything that you encounter in life and everything that you experienc...