The Northern Lights

On July 4th, 2025, lightning ignited the Dragon Bravo Fire — a massive wildfire that consumed over 145,000 acres of the Kaibab Plateau and destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim. But in the aftermath of destruction comes an unexpected lesson—from the thick bark of a tree, to the quiet resilience of those who choose to rebuild. This episode of FORWARD explores the power of stand...

Welcome to a brand new season of FORWARD! If you're worried about the future, this episode is a compelling reminder to hold onto faith and move forward with courage. With mental health issues on the rise and a prevailing sense of hopelessness, author Seth Adam Smith shares the timeless, inspirational wisdom of C.S. Lewis. Through an impactful reading of Lewis's essay "On Living In A...

My name is Seth Adam Smith and this is FORWARD. If you’re feeling stuck in life then this podcast is for you. I’ve spent the past two decades gathering inspirational content—interviews, quotes, books, and stories—things that inspire people to move forward. So, if you’re feeling exhausted with life—or even struggling to find a reason to live—I invite you to subscribe to this podcast and then do wha...

An interview Nate-Mitchell, one of the co-directors of Anasazi Foundation. In this episode of FORWARD, Nate and I talk about the "gift of choice" and our inherent ability to find light and move forward. "One of the things that I really find fascinating is that FINDING light is not the necessary piece. The act of LOOKING for light—THAT'S when the change has already happened. Jus...

In this episode of FORWARD, I share a portion of my interview with Sean Astin, a philanthropist and actor most famous for his roles in The Lord of the Rings, The Goonies, Rudy, and many other movies! During our interview, Sean shared some pretty profound thoughts about what makes a good story. He then shared the story behind that inspirational speech from The Two Towers. SPEECH BY SAMWISE GAMGEE I...

"You have to have faith in yourself—in what you're trying to do. You just have to keep the fire burning." -Jonathan Stroud In this episode of FORWARD, I share a portion of my interview with Jonathan Stroud, author of the bestselling Bartimaeus Sequence and (my personal favorite) the Lockwood & Co. series. ABOUT JONATHAN STROUD: Lockwood & Co. The Bartimaeus Sequence Visit Jo...

The Magic Yarn Project and how one *seemingly* small act of service can change the world... A couple of years ago, I cried after watching a State Farm commercial. There. I admitted it. The commercial, if you must know, was not your typical buy-our-insurance-because-something-bad-might-happen-to-you-and-you-can-trust-us-because-we-are-friendlier-than-our-competition type of commercial. No. THIS com...

Some people think that it's the end of the world. If so, I'm pretty optimistic... “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” -Marcus Aurelius "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." -Joseph Campbell "For each of us comes a time when we must be more than what we are." -Lloyd Alexander RECOMMENDED BOOKS The Obst...

In this podcast, Seth Adam Smith shares stories, thoughts, and interviews meant to inspire people to move forward. Because—in a very literal way—taking just a few steps forward can change your life—and quite possibly change the world. FORWARD is written, produced, and narrated by Seth Adam Smith. Seth's Books: https://amzn.to/3Kiueet Seth's Website: https://www. SethAdamSmith.com © 2020-...