Tales for Life episodes are released weekly on Mondays.
Click on an episode below to listen!
Season 1, Episode 39 – If You’re Going in the Right Direction, Others Will Go With You
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.
Season 1, Episode 38 – Gratitude and Good Fortune Go Hand in Hand
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.
Season 1, Episode 37 – True Wealth Comes From What You Do, Not Who You Are
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.
Season 1, Episode 36 – Positive Change Takes Sincere Effort
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.
Season 1, Episode 35 – The Best Gift is One You Use Well
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.
Season 1, Episode 34 – Good Advice is Only Good If You Take It
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!
Season 1, Episode 33 – Your Efforts Are Your Reward – And Only Yours
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 beautiful way.
Season 1, Episode 32 – Don’t Talk About What You’re Going to Do; Do It
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.
Season 1, Episode 31 – All of Us Are Wise and Clever
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.
Season 1, Episode 30 – Set Your Goals…And Stick to Them
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!
Season 1, Episode 29 – To Be Your Best Self, Lend a Hand
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.
Season 1, Episode 28 – Don’t Let “Woe Is Me” Be You
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.
Season 1, Episode 27 – None of Us Are Perfect
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.
Season 1, Episode 26 – You Are Enough
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.
Season 1, Episode 25 – You Gotta Give to Get
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.
Season 1, Episode 24 – Air Castles
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.
Season 1, Episode 23 – Let’s Laugh Again
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!
Season 1, Episode 22 – The Yellow Brick Road is Long, Full of Work, And Worth It
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.
Season 1, Episode 21 – The Cream Rises to the Top
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.
Season 1, Episode 20 – Your Character Always Shines Through
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.
Season 1, Episode 19 – There Are No Shortcuts
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’s more than worth it.
Season 1, Episode 18 – Don’t Ruin Your Future by Pining for Your Past
Progress in life is a continuous journey — a path that unfolds from our present moment. This episode features a timeless, cautionary tale from Japan that underscores this truth with unwavering clarity.
Season 1, Episode 17 – The Grass Is Not Always Greener
Spilled beer, pigs climbing trees, and the question of what to name children who aren’t yet born all combine in this episode in a funny French tale with a dose of wisdom for today and generations to come. The green grass is probably right under your own feet.
Season 1, Episode 16 – Want to Be Loved? Love Yourself
A soldier out of work, a deal with the devil, and a promise made by a man down on his luck combine to teach a valuable lesson that has stood for over three centuries. Even before words like “self-esteem” and “self-respect” were common terms, the “folk” were telling tales about it.
Season 1, Episode 15 – Invest in People Too
An old man and woman, a pet sparrow, a horrible deed, and a just reward. This traditional tale from Japan shows us that the best investment to make is one in people, because that’s the only way you can buy happiness.
Season 1, Episode 14 – It’s Your Choices, Not Your Circumstances
A chambermaid, a princess-turned-goose girl, a king, and a tale more than 200 years old combine to remind us that it’s the choices we make that create our circumstances.
Season 1, Episode 13 – Fortune Favors the Diligent
The “Theory of Luck” tells us that luck does indeed exist. But how do we get lucky? With a little help from the Brothers Grimm, we see that luck will find us…if we just keep going.
Season 1, Episode 12 – Know Your Why
Setting a goal is great, but it’s the why behind the goal that is really important. In this version of “Jack and the Beanstalk,” based closely on the original, we see how important it is to keep our why in mind as we strive for whatever goal we seek. And when we do, nothing can stop us.
Season 1, Episode 11 – Life’s Not Fair – Adapt to It
Jam, giants, a unicorn, and a tailor with loads of self-belief show us that the greatest ability we have is adaptability. With proper application, we can adapt and get to places we never thought possible!
Season 1, Episode 10 – Hold Tight to Your Principles
What do a king (Russian czar), shepherd, and the refusal to say “To your good health” have to do with you? Maybe a lot more than you know! Tune in and find out how principles can take you everywhere!
Season 1, Episode 9 – All the Fun of Fame
Fame, infamy, fun. In this episode, with a little help from a tale from The Thousand and One Nights, we take a funny look at one of the pitfalls of notoriety.
Season 1, Episode 8 – Look Like What You Want or You’ll Be Stuck with What You Have
We may say that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but we do anyway. Appearances matter. A fun tale from Spain, and a funny tale from Turkey, help illustrate the point that you’re only going to get to the ball if you dress for it.
Season 1, Episode 7 – A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way
A poor old man and woman, a bird trapped by a snare, and a classic and unforgettable tale combine to remind us that it doesn’t take much to be kind and to make the world a better place by doing so.
Season 1, Episode 6 – It’s the Little Things
The best things in life might not be free, but they’re far from the most expensive. Many have a value far exceeding their price tag. This tale from France, first published over 130 years ago, helps to remind us of just that.
Season 1, Episode 5 – Don’t Forget to Laugh
Laughter has been called the best medicine. Even if you don’t need a doctor, a little humor can still be a great perk-me-up. Enjoy this episode of four stories bound to bring at least a smile — and probably more — to your face.
Season 1, Episode 4 – Achieving Success Takes a Team
No matter how you define success — in life, finances, business, or wherever — you can’t get there alone. This happy East Slavic tale from over a century ago gives the same advice you’ll find in many success books today…but in a much more enjoyable format.
Season 1, Episode 3 – Trust Your Own Eyes, Not the Eyes of Others
Reputations, opinions, and real life don’t always match, but even when they do, it might only be part of the story. Over 300 years ago, a French author illustrated this point for us in a clever tale that’s always worth keeping in mind.
Season 1, Episode 2 – Don’t Judge Your Future by Your Present
The trials and tribulations of today don’t predict where you’ll be in the future. Listen to our Episode 2 and become aware of just how much you have in common with an animal born in a barnyard!
Season 1, Episode 1 – Feed Your Soul
Have you ever considered the connection between you and a Japanese folktale about a boy who failed to become a priest? No? Listen to our first episode and discover why the things that call to you shouldn’t be ignored!
