Chicken Soup for the Soul with Amy Newmark

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with your Chicken Soup for the Soul, and today I’m sharing two stories from our new bestseller, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Laughter Is the Best Medicine—two hilarious stories about parenthood and embarrassing kids. This is our first collection of stories devoted to humor, and I couldn’t stop laughing as I edited the manuscript, even when I was reading the stories for the third time. We had no idea the coronavirus was coming when we put this collection together, and I hope it’s viewed in the spirit with which it was conceived, as a way to brighten your days. We certainly don’t take the “laughter is the best medicine” phrase as a serious one, and we don’t want to make light of what’s happening out there. In that vein, as I record this episode on March 3rd, we offer today’s stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with some instant inspiration for you from Chicken Soup for the Soul. Today I want to talk about one of my favorite topics, and that is how much we learn from our mothers. Often they help us understand how to count our blessings, which sets us up for much better lives because you really do need to know how to use the power of gratitude if you want to be happy. I’m sharing two stories with you today in which girls learned a lot about gratitude from their moms, including at that the time of year when that is sometimes most relevant, Christmastime. Both these stories are from our new book Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Moms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with today’s Chicken Soup for the Soul inspiration from our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Forgiveness Fix. We made this book because I’ve read tens of thousands of personal, revealing stories from our writers during the twelve years I’ve been doing this job, and I’ve come to understand that forgiveness is an essential key to happiness. Why is forgiveness so important? It’s because of the emotional weight we carry when we don’t forgive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with today’s Chicken Soup for the Soul for you, and today I’m sharing two stories about how volunteering can change everything for you. The biggest beneficiary of volunteer work is usually the person doing the work, not the one receiving the help. And I know that I’ve read in the past that doing volunteer work is often suggested by mental health professionals for their patients who are depressed or grieving or going through some other kind of difficulty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with today’s Chicken Soup for the Soul inspiration from a book that’s perfect for the new year: Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Forgiveness Fix. We made this new book because I’ve read tens of thousands of personal, revealing stories from our writers during the twelve years I’ve been doing this job, and I’ve come to understand that forgiveness is an essential key to happiness. Why is forgiveness so important? It’s because of the emotional weight we carry when we don’t forgive. This may be the New Year’s resolution that you’re looking for; it works instantly and it’s easy. You just have to decide to put the past in the past, where it belongs, and move forward without that anger and resentment that you’ve been taking everywhere with you. You also may want to use the new year as an impetus to apologize; if you’ve been thinking about it, maybe this is the time to just do it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with some instant inspiration for you from Chicken Soup for the Soul. Today I want to talk about moms, and how we just can’t stop ourselves from being moms, even for strangers, as we go about our daily lives. I’m going to share two heartwarming stories from our latest book for mothers and grandmothers, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Moms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with your Chicken Soup for the Soul, and today I’m sharing two stories from a really fun new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Laughter Is the Best Medicine. This is our first humor collection, and even when I was reading a story for the third time during our editing process I was laughing out loud. Today I’m sharing two stories about classic embarrassing moments, ones that are sure to brighten your day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with your Chicken Soup for the Soul. We’re talking about moms a lot as we head into Mother’s Day and today we’re focusing on moms who do volunteer work or give back in some way, and the impact that has on their kids. These are moms who quietly do their good deeds, sometimes with their children not even knowing about them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with some instant inspiration for you from Chicken Soup for the Soul. Today we’re talking about the magic of moms—how they give such great advice and always know what to do, even if we don’t necessarily admit that until we’re well past college age. We included a lot of stories about great advice from moms in our latest book and I want to share two of them with you today because they contain such wise words that we can all benefit from. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with your Chicken Soup for the Soul, and today I’m sharing two stories from our latest and greatest, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Laughter Is the Best Medicine. We put this book together long before the coronavirus outbreak, and I’m recording this episode of the podcast in early March, so I have no idea what will be happening by the time you listen to this, starting in mid-April. All I can say is that this is our first humor collection, and I laughed out loud over and over again as I was editing this manuscript. So I hope today’s stories about a couple of funny incidents that happened at home will brighten your day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with some instant inspiration for you from Chicken Soup for the Soul. Today I’m talking about miraculous moms, because we all know that moms are miracle workers, right? They sometimes astound their husbands and children with what they can accomplish. They are our role models and our cheerleaders, and they are constantly making the impossible happen for us. That doesn’t stop when they die. I remember how I got my hair cut the day before my mother’s funeral because I heard her voice in my head saying, “Amy, don’t you think your hair’s gotten a little long?” Well, that guidance continues, but often in way more important ways, like in today’s stories about moms who actually saved their daughter’s lives… from the grave. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with today’s Chicken Soup for the Soul inspiration from our bestselling book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive, Live Happy. Today I want to talk about how stepping outside your comfort zone and trying something new, or something you’re sure you won’t like, or something you’re afraid of can transform your life. You’ll feel proud and excited when you do those new things, and your life will expand and seem to hold much greater potential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with your latest Chicken Soup for the Soul, and today I’m sharing two cases of what we like to call Divine Coincidence, two miracles that will give you goose bumps from our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels All Around. In this book, we have stories from people going through their ordinary, everyday lives, who suddenly find the find themselves in extraordinary, unexplainable situations. From miraculous connections and answered prayers, to divine intervention and inexplicable healing, to angels and messages from heaven, these stories prove that miracles can happen, every day, to people from all walks of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with a little Chicken Soup for the Soul inspiration for you from our latest book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive, Live Happy. Today I want to talk about one of the two key traits you need in order to be happy, and that is gratitude. What I love about gratitude is that you don’t have to be a naturally grateful person—this is a character trait that you can actually add on and it only takes a little practice to make it part of your life. There aren’t many character traits like that—that you can just add on or get better at, but this is one. And it’s so important, because if you’re not actively noticing all the good in your life, how can you be happy? And how much better would your life be if you were counting your blessings? You’d see the world as a rosier place, and your interactions with other people would be better too, because everyone responds better to a happy, upbeat person than an unhappy grump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark and it’s Friend Friday on the Chicken Soup for the Soul podcast. Today I’m talking to Janet Rich, known as JR, who has an inspiring story in our new book about angels and miracles and an amazing coincidence. Her story is about a time when she was at a very low point in her life as a young adult and how she was led to a moment of synchronicity which put her on a life changing path to a fabulous career in the music industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices