In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah De Jonge, founder of 1000 Hearts — a kindness project that began in Hobart and has grown into a global community of makers and givers. Sarah shares how a tiny, handmade felt heart can carry comfort, courage, and connection from one person to another — and why kindness isn’t just a nice idea, but something that can genuinely soften our health, our homes, our relationships, and our inner world.

We talk about the deeply personal season that sparked the first hearts, the powerful stories that came back from recipients, and what Sarah has learned about tenderness, self-kindness, and living in alignment with your values.

What We Cover

• Why “every moment of life asks for kindness” — and what Sarah learned supporting people through grief, fear, and diagnosis in hospital settings
• The origin of 1000 Hearts: a handmade gesture created for a memorial service, and how it turned into a global ripple effect
• The intention behind the first hearts — comfort, compassion, and something tangible to hold onto
• The moment Sarah realised she was on a path to something “magical” (and the stories that confirmed it)
• Two unforgettable impact stories: a six-year-old boy finding courage at bedtime, and hearts reaching those affected after the Manchester concert attack
• The “heart fell from the sky” moment — and why Sarah trusts these hearts land where they’re meant to
• What makes a pocket-sized heart so powerful: hand-made intention, hope in humanity, and kindness as something contagious
• The science Sarah loves: why kindness feels good in the body (and why it’s good for us)
• How 1000 Hearts spread organically — without pushing, chasing, or forcing a “big movement”
• Recognition, sustainability, and staying aligned with mission (and avoiding “mission creep”)
• Where Sarah hopes to take 1000 Hearts next: accessibility, sponsoring schools/charities, and strengthening the foundations
• Who gets involved: schools, hospitals, community groups, aged care, and individuals around the world
• The family behind the scenes: Sarah’s daughter wrapping thousands of community hearts
• What Sarah stitches into each heart — love, hope, courage — and her honest “light and dark” balance
• Making your own hearts: where to start, free templates, and why it can become wonderfully addictive
• The moment Sarah almost gave it away — and what anchored her back (including the leap to go full-time in January 2024)
• What the hearts have taught Sarah about tenderness, self-kindness, and living from the inside out
• Sarah’s season of life: transition, menopause, empty nest, and choosing rest and presence over constant busyness
• Sarah’s message to women: learn what self-kindness really is — beyond “treats” — and practice unconditional compassion

Where to Find Sarah

• Website: 1000hearts.com.au
• Follow and connect via the 1000 Hearts social channels (linked on the website)

If this episode moved you, share it with someone who could use a little softness today.