Send us Fan MailA car overheats on a scorching Sunday in 1969. No phones, no call boxes, no easy way out. What happens next is the kind of true story that quietly rewires your brain: a young cowboy pulls over, tows a stranded father and son into town, recruits a mechanic after church, and turns a miserable breakdown into one of the best days of their lives. That’s the heart of my conversation with Neal Foard, one of the most trusted modern voices in heartfelt storytelling. We get into why this message hits so hard right now, when social media and the news can make it feel like everyone is angry and nothing is safe. Neil shares practical ways to curate your algorithm, avoid rage bait, and treat your information diet like your food diet. We also talk about the strange backlash hopeful stories can trigger and why some people use them to argue for nostalgia instead of empathy. Then we zoom out into the craft and power of storytelling itself: how stories teach us what a good life looks like, how tiny gestures like a simple compliment can have an outsized impact, and why sincerity cuts through the noise. Neal also explains Story Fire, his approach to using storytelling and clear communication as a real career skill, from running tighter meetings to earning trust in high-stakes rooms. Make sure to follow Neal on his social media platforms Instagram, Tik Tok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.If you finish this conversation feeling more hopeful, help us spread that ripple: subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a quick review or comment so more people can find Kindness Matters.You can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world.“Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRXqkYVarGA  | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com”Support the show