#moregoodtoday

Last Friday night my amazing Italian hosts (#143!) invited some people from their life over for dinner. Every single one of them was wonderful but these three tugged at my heart, big time. So much so that I drove to go see them again the following night. Lyla, Jade, and Eva lost their mom this past January to a drug overdose. Their grandmother (who is made of half gold, half steel) had adopted them a few years prior since their life with their parents was not a safe environment and they had already been exposed to a lot of things children should not see. One thing that helped the girls was a program at their school called “Kacie’s Cause." The program is centered around drug awareness and provides many things - one of which is licensed therapists who come into some of the schools and talk to the children who sign up for this service. "But a lot of kids don’t understand what it is,” Lyla, the oldest sister, told me. "It’s just a paper that goes around and they don’t really get what it is so they don't know to sign up if they need it. “So we asked the school if we could share our story in hopes it could help the other kids to know this might help them too." The girls then up in front of their school and shared their own personal struggles living with a drug addict. “We got five more kids to join Kacie’s Cause because we shared our story, which is five people that were hurting alone before they knew to join.” And then Jade, dressed in a teal shirt that said ‘We can make a difference.’ added, “We just don’t want anyone to feel alone.” “Yea,” Lyla agreed, “we all need someone to lean on.” And then Jade giggled and started singing, “We all neeeeeed someone to lean on,” and the other two sisters joined in and all I could do was just look on with absolute admiration of their strength. -- #moregood #kidsareawesome #inspiration #moregoodtoday 🚙♥️ (at Atglen, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Z1qKBnnbY/?igshid=gfpp6bdsp42s

I pulled into my 139th home this past week and pretty much fell out of the car. Due to another bout of negligence in my self-care routine on the road, I’ve landed myself some pretty bad migraines. Along with a stiff neck amongst other health issues that arise when you decide to, ya know, live in and out of a car and stranger’s homes for three years managing a massive project on your own. I made an appointment at the first chiropractor I could find open and luckily they had a spot for me. While I was in my appointment I overheard a man walk in and ask, “Well, is she in here? I see her car outside.” Then there was some noise and when it stopped, I no longer heard him. Once my appointment was over I walked outside and the woman working there said, “A man just walked inside and said he read about you in the paper, he is a fellow New Yorker and he left you this…” With that she handed me a $100 bill. A moment later the chiropractor called me back in to discuss what he had done and show me some stretches to try. He had gone way above and beyond a regular adjustment and the bill was pretty steep. But he looked at me and smiled and said, "I love what you’re doing. This is on me. Just pay it forward.” We chatted for a while after sharing stories and he mentioned to me something he said he tried to always live by: “People are always focusing on if the glass is half full or half empty. But we forget to just be grateful we even have a glass.” This trip has been so many different moments of seeing my glass and what it contains, but despite all of the heartbreaking, challenging, half-empty moments I have battled...I realized in that moment standing in a chiropractic office in Morgantown, West Virginia, I’m pretty damn lucky to have the glass I have. And even luckier to have moments like this one in a random city where strangers come together and make my glass feel very, very full. ✨ #moregoodtoday #westvirginia #thankyou #bodyworkzwellness ♥️ #spreadthelove (at Body Workz Wellness) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0wuqBxn7h-/?igshid=y3t13wll2rj7

ME AND MA MADE THE POST! 🚙 #moregoodtoday #goodnews ✌🏻thank ya for a whole lot of cool connections today @washingtonpost https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2019/06/24/this-woman-has-been-three-year-road-trip-documenting-acts-kindness/

“I can’t really stick to a routine because I don’t know what each day brings. I never know what the day will look like, and depending on how I sleep...which is not great, I see how I feel...and if I’m able to get to the barn, which I try to do as often as I can, I do, because it always calms me down.” As Channing told me this I heard myself thinking. “YES, YES I understand some of those feelings too on this journey of mine! Except the difference between my journey and Channing’s is that hers includes epilepsy. She was diagnosed at age 10 after her second seizure that year. Upon diagnosis, her doctor told her she should probably quit riding and consider collecting stamps. To which Channing replied, “Yea, that’s not gonna work.” This bad ass epilepsy warrior wears a Hit Air Pack for each ride. If she does seize and disconnect from her saddle during her ride it will inflate before she hits the ground to protect her. It has happened ten times now. She continues to get back on the horse. “There are a few people I know that also have epilepsy who can’t leave their homes because of their seizures. I’m riding for those who can’t and I’m trying to give a voice to them by raising more awareness. “You know,” her mom said to me as we sat in Batavia, Ohio, at Majestic Farm this past Saturday, “We are kinda pissed about the hand we have been dealt here, but we try to...” and then Channing interrupted...”We just always make the most of the good days.” I don’t know what each day holds. I am tired. I am stressed. I am trying to fit a million little things into each day. And I am only one person trying to manage it all. But I can tell you one thing, days like these...gosh these are good days. These days are huge reminders of why I keep going and telling these stories. Channing, you’re not only a warrior who will raise awareness for epilepsy. You’re a warrior that reminds us maybe our hand isn’t always going to be the best deal...but if you can keep getting on that horse we sure as hell can too. And if nothing else, we can at least always remember to make the most of the good days. #TeamChanning💜 #CUREepilepsy 🚙 #moregoodtoday (at Majestic Farm) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz9ZkV0H3mt/?igshid=7sjqmowdga5k

"It just seemed like we were always getting a story from someone we knew, or family, and I wanted to do something that made a positive difference. Because you feel so helpless. You think, what can I do?" She is not only a gift to every single women who has been fortunate enough to cross paths with her while battling cancer, she was a gift to me. I connected to this amazing human through a connection of a connection of a connection. It's how the #moregood mission works. I immediately gravitated towards Margaret. Because Margaret works with people who are battling breast cancer. And that is what Mom had. 😇 She gives these women courage, and she gave it to me too. If you have a moment this evening, I urge you to watch the video I will link in my bio. But first, grab three things. A box of tissues. A pen and paper. And whatever that thing is you've thought about before, whether it's creating a way to give back or simply performing an act of kindness for someone... Write it down. And tomorrow, do it. Because if this short video teaches you anything, it is the importance of giving back and the impact you will leave on someone who needs it way more than you might even realize. Ask yourself, what can I do? Monday is a great day to start to make a difference and we need you. #moregoodtoday ✨ #cowgirls vs #cancer #montana #findthegood #bethegood (at Bozeman, Montana) https://www.instagram.com/p/BmZiUr-HAVa/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=776keu9tv5s5

Stylin’ on the left in the royal blue tee, this guy recently discovered Billy Joel and cannot get enough. He also tells his mom pretty often that he will always protect her. Rockin’ the pink tee, this girl has been listening to Nirvana on repeat lately. She is very independent but always down for a snuggle with mom. And looking dashing in the light blue tee, this guy is very witty, watches Bob Ross on the regular, and loves dancing to Latin hits with his mom in the kitchen. —- Something they all have in common? They all know it’s cool to #bekind. Introducing the More Good-er summer shirt! Head over to the link in bio to get one for the kiddos in your life ASAP to show your love for the More Good mission and get them stylin’ for summer. #8days until we fly back to 🚙 #moregood #moregoodtoday #lovesyou 💕 #highfashion 👌🏻

Day 551. “You must do something to make the world more beautiful,” Alice’s grandfather told her. First she traveled the world, and then, when she came back to live by the sea in Maine (personal dream these days), she finally figured out what she could do. She bought the best lupine seeds she could find and spread them everywhere she went. And the next spring lupines were everywhere you looked. 🌸 💫 Miss Rumphius was another children’s book my mom read to me over a hundred times. It was one of my absolute favorites. And the other day, as I was hiking around West Linn, Oregon...I found this field thanks to my host. And just like “The Little House” we stayed at in San Francisco with host #85 a few posts back, I felt like I had stepped right into one of my favorite stories again and mom was narrating. Some days are hard on this journey. Really hard. But some days... some days are really, really beautiful, guys. This was one of them. [#missrumphius #moregoodtoday in #oregon @moregood.today 🚙 21,419 miles.] Side note: uploading this from a Starbucks I just found on the way to collect a story tonight. Going from house 93 to house 94 of the trip. Just did a full outfit change in the bathroom. Chugging a double espresso and two waters for the leg at the same time. AH, #LIFEONTHEROAD! ✌🏻 (at West Linn, Oregon)

I’ll take an alpaca over an Advil any day. #goodbyekiss 👌🏻 . . . Guys! Great news! Your positive vibes are working! I finally went to the doctor and it’s just a cyst behind my knee! I mean, it’s not ideal, but it’s sure better than what I thought it was going to be...I am 100% convinced alpaca therapy kisses to the forehead have aided in my leg starting to finally heal. That and some castor oil, turmeric, elevating, and icing. 🙌🏻 See you soon, Portland! 🚙 #moregoodtoday #roadtrip #therapyanimals 💕 (at Creswell, Oregon)