Tales for Life

No one cares about your goals or cares like you do. With the help of a fable from Aesop, this episode shows that not only will others not do your work for you, people are watching what you do and taking note. Will you let things go undone, or will you prove that you really want something done? Get inspired with this short tale! Episode music made by Particle Dogs at https://particledogs.bandcamp.c...

Life is filled with ups and downs, challenges and opportunities. While we can't control much of what happens to us, we don't need to. The best asset we have, and it's one we have complete control over, is our attitude. This brief tale from India reminds us all of that simple truth. Episode music made by Particle Dogs at https://particledogs.bandcamp.com/

Do you ever feel like what you're learning today is worthless? Guess what? It's not! In fact, anything worth learning is worth learning well, because you never know where it will take you. Come along on the enjoyable adventure of a 19th century Italian folktale that reflects on the value of learning! Episode music made by Particle Dogs at https://particledogs.bandcamp.com/

The beginning of the new year is a great time to set goals, but setting goals doesn't always equate to reaching them. Is there something stopping you from going after and reaching your goals? This fun story from Norway illustrates how even small steps, combined with perseverance, can propel us toward success! Episode music made by Particle Dogs at https://particledogs.bandcamp.com/

This last episode of 2024 features a great Slavic tale from the 19th century with a timeless reminder for us. Choosing a goal is good, no matter how large or small. And it's a good goal when others are willing to go with you, The size of the goal is irrelevant when it's the right goal, because those going with you will help you succeed.

Just as gratitude can bring things to us, being UNgrateful can move things away from us. Is your lack of gratitude putting a goat's head on you? This nice little tale from Italy is a great reminder to all of us that not being grateful can make the best of circumstances go sour for us.

We all love money and nice things. But riches don't equal wealth. The wealth of purpose, diligence, investing in others, and a life well lived cannot be measured by dollars and cents. This episode, featuring a German fairy tale of an orphan, is a wonderful way to remember that seeking wealth first can get us to riches later.

A hard-working man who isn't what he seems to be; a mysterious doctor; an incurable ailment; and dancing under the light of the full moon. It's not a thrilling movie but an ancient Chinese tale with a message that never grows old. Come along for a story that helps us remember that positive change can happen...with sincere effort.

We all have at least one gift (character trait, skill, talent), but do we make proper use of it? In this French fairy tale that dates back hundreds of years, we learn two valuable lessons: a great gift overused or flaunted is a terrible gift, but a good gift well used is valuable to the one who has it and those they are around.

Advice, good or bad, is just words. What sets good advice apart from every other type of advice is when it's something valuable that we can put into action -- sometimes right away. This episode, featuring a short, fun tale from Poland, cautions us to heed good advice when we get it, along with heeding the good advice within the story itself!

Life is not lived in a vacuum and what we do -- or don't do -- affects us and those around us. Every day we have the opportunity to make and leave a positive lasting result. But the biggest impact will be on our own selves. The reward we get from our efforts is forever part of our history and something no one can ever take away. This ancient tale from Japan reminds us of just this fact in a beauti...

When it comes to accomplishing our goals, putting the plan in place is only effective if you then act on it. This Russian children's tale warns us, in no uncertain terms, how dangerous it can be for us to have a plan and then go around talking about it to others. Dangerous, because spending our time talking, rather than doing, often causes our plans to fail.

We often associate status or titles with wisdom and intelligence, but doing so can cause us to overlook the wisdom and cleverness that is all around us...and within us. This wonderful Armenian tale is a great reminder to all of us that there is as much wisdom in common sense, horse sense, and folk sense, as there is in a textbook.

Another tale from Iceland sets the stage for reinforcing the idea that setting goals is important, but sticking to those goals is even more important. The more audacious the goal, the more determined you need to be. And the reward, your "Habogi moment," will be worth it!

A spiteful fairy, a runaway kitten, and a mean giant combine in this wonderful tale from Iceland to remind us that we can only be at our best when we find a way to help others.

Every day isn't sunshine and rainbows, but neither is it dark clouds and thunderstorms. With the help of an old Russian tale, this episode is all about how feeling sorry for yourself will take even the best of us down the wrong road, while showing inner courage and strength will get you out of the worst circumstances.

We know we're not perfect, but sometimes we act like it. This Korean folktale uses the wisdom of a thief to remind us all that we really are as bad...and good as everyone else.

What do a single mother, a helpless young man, and a frog have to do with all of us? A lot, actually. In this week's episode, a wonderful tale from Italy shows us that when you are comfortable in your own skin and do what you can do the best you can do it, you can achieve miracles in your life.

We all want to get -- money, job, relationship, etc. -- but we sometimes forget that we have to give something first. This Spanish folktale reminds us that ambition and desire without kindness and civility will never get us to where we want to be.

Dreaming, visualizing, and setting goals are necessary for achieving success. The danger comes when our dreams turn into daydreams and lose ourselves in inaction because we're too busy living our lives in our heads. This tale from the Middle East is a powerful reminder to us to make sure we dream...and do.

Not only did our forefathers leave wisdom in the tales from long ago, they also left us laughter. This episode features a collection of short, funny tales from Europe and Asia filled with folk funnies!

Whatever our "Emerald City" or goal is, there's a yellow brick road to walk in order to get there. Getting down that road can sometimes be a long, lonely journey, but it's always worth it. A fun story from Mary Mapes Dodge illustrates this perfectly, and shows us that the end of the journey is so satisfying.

When life hands you milk, make cream. Attaining an ambitious goal or overcoming adversity is when those who shine will shine brightest. A fun tale from Germany involving rabbits, a magic flute, and a poor kitchen guy remind us of this bit of wisdom in a most amusing way.

Regardless of how we look or how we dress, what's on the inside shines through brighter than anything on the outside. Character counts. This short tale from the Brothers Grimm reminds us that, sooner or later, what's on the inside will show itself on the outside.

We live in a world where we want everything to be quick. If it’s not now or immediately after, it takes too long. Except that’s not how life works. Life is a process, and any shortcuts taken in that process will break it. You can’t do something by not doing it. This tale from Norway, more than 150 years old, is a great reminder that accomplishments take time, effort, and dedication. In the end, it...