Hi, this is Monique Rhodes. Welcome to the In Your Right Mind Podcast, where we're learning how to be happier by working with our minds.
If you'd like to know more about what I teach, come to iintendtobehappy.com and let’s get you started on a path to being happier—because happiness is the super-skill.
The Quiet Moments That Shape Us
Someone wrote to me with a beautiful question:
“I’ve been feeling kind of disconnected from people lately. Like I’m going through the motions. I want more meaning in my day-to-day life—but I don’t know where to start.”
It’s a powerful question.
And it starts with looking at the moments that shaped you—not the big milestones, but the quiet ones.
- The person who showed up when you needed them.
- The one who stayed.
- The one who saw you.
They probably weren’t the smartest or most successful person. But they were kind. They were present. That’s the kind of warmth that changes us.
The Power of Warmth
There’s a kind of warmth that softens something tight inside us.
The kind that silently says:
You’re not alone.
In a world moving so fast, that kind of warmth might be the most underrated force we have.
I had a friend cancel a dinner recently just to sit with me during a tough time. That moment meant the world to me.
Two Forms of Life-Giving Warmth
There are really two kinds of warmth that change us:
1. Kindness
- Not the performative kind.
- Not “be nice so people like you” kind.
- But the deep, steady kind.
- The kind that listens without fixing.
- That asks, How are you, really?—and waits for the answer.
2. Devotion
- It’s love mixed with gratitude.
- For the ones who helped us grow.
- A parent. A friend. A mentor.
- Even a stranger whose words reached us at the right time.
This kind of love keeps us grounded. It reminds us: we didn’t get here alone.
Warmth Melts the Armor
Right now, so many people are walking around armored up.
- Against judgment.
- Against rejection.
- Against failure.
We hold tight to our identities—I’m like this, you’re like that. But all that tension is exhausting.
Warmth is what melts it.
Warmth says:
You don’t have to be perfect to be loved.
You can be soft and still be strong.
What Actually Makes Life Meaningful
Here’s the beautiful thing:
When you offer warmth to others, you feel it yourself.
Kindness and devotion don’t just help others. They make you come alive.
It’s easy to get lost in our tasks, our goals, our opinions.
But when everything else is stripped away, what remains?
- The hand that didn’t rush you.
- The person who believed in you.
- The love you gave—and the love you received.
That’s what stays with you.
Not the metrics.
Not the milestones.
But the warmth. The connection. The open heart.
Be the Warmth
So be kind. Be devoted. Be warm.
Not just because the world needs it—it does.
But because you need it too.
As always, be kind, take care, and go gently in the world.
