Morning Cuppa Joy

Our Freedom to Choose

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568948/fan_mail/new] Even when life upends everything we’ve planned and hoped for, one freedom still remains—the freedom to choose our response. This week’s Cuppa Joy explores the layered concept of choice—not simple choices like chocolate or vanilla, but the deeper choices we face when life upends our plans and leaves us confronting circumstances we never would have chosen for ourselves. Inspired by the life and work of Holocaust survivor and psychologist Dr. Edith Eva Eger, along with the writings of Viktor Frankl, this episode reminds us of our power to choose our response even in life’s hardest moments. This episode is dedicated to Edith Eva Eger, whose wisdom continues to inspire courage, healing, and hope. If something in today’s Cuppa stirred a thought or a memory, sparked a question, or simply made you want to reach out, I’d love to hear from you. Write to me at robyn@delongteam.com

The Heart of Teaching

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568948/fan_mail/new] What if one of the greatest gifts a teacher gives isn’t knowledge, but words that shape a child’s heart for a lifetime? This week, I’ve been thinking about teachers—not just what they teach, but what they leave behind. A kind word. A moment of understanding. The courage to stand up for someone else. The reminder that our words matter. In this episode, I share the stories of three remarkable teachers whose lessons reached far beyond the classroom, and reflect on how words can wound, heal, and echo through a lifetime. It’s a reminder that some of the most important lessons children learn are not found in textbooks, but in how we treat one another—and ourselves. If something in today’s Cuppa stirred a thought or a memory, sparked a question, or simply made you want to reach out, I’d love to hear from you. Write to me at robyn@delongteam.com

Not Just Wine Improves with Age

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568948/fan_mail/new] There’s a subtle message most of us have absorbed about aging—that after a certain point (no one can say exactly when) it’s all a downhill slide. But what if that’s not the whole story? Maybe it’s not just wine that gets better with age. In this episode, I explore a new concept called “joyspan,” the depth and duration of joy we experience across our lives, and what it might look like to focus not just on how long we live, but how joyfully we live. I also share a small moment from my week—one that brought my mother to mind and reminded me of how much I appreciated learning from her even when she didn’t know she was teaching me. If something in today’s Cuppa stirred a thought or a memory, sparked a question, or simply made you want to reach out, I’d love to hear from you. Write to me at robyn@delongteam.com

Beyond Museums

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568948/fan_mail/new] We often think of art as something we visit—paintings on walls, music in concert halls. But what if art is something we live… something that helps us heal? In this episode, I explore the healing power of art—far beyond museums and galleries. From programs in prisons to journaling in classrooms, creativity helps people express emotion, discover meaning, and reconnect with themselves. Our narrow definitions of art—and the ways we measure intelligence—can lead many creative people to overlook their own gifts.  If something in today’s Cuppa stirred a thought or a memory, sparked a question, or simply made you want to reach out, I’d love to hear from you. Write to me at robyn@delongteam.com

Noticing the Beauty

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568948/fan_mail/new] I first visited Alaska just days after the sudden loss of my son, Michael. In the midst of grief, I experienced a moment that has stayed with me ever since—a reminder to pay attention to the beauty all around us, even when life feels overwhelming. In this episode, I reflect on that moment, on the changes happening across our planet, and on the people who are choosing to care—from one man planting a forest in India to efforts to restore ancient trees in the heart of Detroit. It’s an invitation to notice what is right in front of us, to shift from despair to hope. If something in today’s Cuppa stirred a thought or a memory, sparked a question, or simply made you want to reach out, I’d love to hear from you. Write to me at robyn@delongteam.com