They’re not cheap. They’re beautiful. They come in packs of 50.
And they fit in the palm of your hand, engraved with a single word: HOPE.
Kim Lengling didn’t set out to be an author, podcaster, or kindness ambassador. She set out to survive. A veteran living with PTSD from sexual assault, she spent years hiding the pain—until life broke her open.
The turning point came on her living room floor, after losing her grandmother, a close friend to suicide, and her marriage, all within three months. In the middle of her grief, she heard a whisper: “But those who hope in the Lord…” That verse, Isaiah 40:31, became her lifeline.
From Breaking to Giving
At first, Kim had nothing to give. Then she started noticing the word hope everywhere. It wouldn’t leave her alone. She began slipping little affirmation cards into grocery store shelves—cookies, jeans, random spots. Then came the polished stones, engraved with HOPE.
The first one went to an elderly woman standing motionless in a grocery aisle, lost in thought. Kim walked up, placed it in her hand, and said, “I wish you a blessed day.” The woman whispered, “You have no idea…”
Kim did know. She’d been there.
Why It Matters
Kim calls them Nuggets of Hope, but the real gift isn’t the stone—it’s the moment of being seen. “Being kind doesn’t cost a dime,” she says, “and you may never know the life you save just by being gentle in a hard world.”
Her latest book, Nuggets of Hope: Cultivate Kindness, is more than stories—it’s an invitation to be the light in someone else’s darkness.
Lessons From the Work
After years of sharing veteran stories and hosting her podcast Let Fear Bounce, Kim’s learned:
- Small acts matter – A smile, a note, or a stone in the palm can shift a day—or a life.
- Kindness is radical now – People are shocked by it, which means we need more.
- You’re already a nugget of hope – Most people don’t realize the impact they’ve made on others.
Kim’s Advice for Hard Days
“If all you do today is take a shower, that’s a win. Look in the mirror and remind yourself: you have a 100% success rate of making it through the day so far.”
When the world feels heavy, Kim heads outside. Nature resets her—sunrise, deer in the mist, the rhythm of seasons. That’s where she breathes, prays, and finds her footing.
How to Start Your Ripple
You don’t need a polished stone.
You don’t need a platform.
- Smile at a stranger.
- Hold the door.
- Slip a note in someone’s bag that says, You matter.
Kindness is contagious—especially when you’re not feeling great yourself. “When you brighten someone else’s day,” Kim says, “you end up brightening your own.”
Your turn:
What’s one small thing you can do today to be someone’s nugget of hope?
Kim Lengling’s journey from pain to purpose will leave you inspired to see kindness in a whole new way. In this moving conversation, she shares how one simple word—HOPE—became her lifeline and how it can spark healing in your own life.
💡 If you’ve ever felt invisible, worn down, or unsure where to start making a difference, this episode is your reminder that small acts can have massive ripples.