This episode continues my 10-part series What My Mama Taught Me, reflecting on the wisdom, values, and way of being my mother embodied. Telling her stories and sharing her kindness and unique perspective help me honor her memory as I continue to grieve. It also encourages us to lean into loving, kind values during these troubling times.

In Lesson #2 — Recognize the Good in Others, I discuss how quickly we categorize people based on outward appearance, and how much we miss when we do. Through poetry, personal storytelling, and memories of my mother’s open-hearted approach to life, this episode invites us to move beyond labels and into real human connection.

As a biracial woman, I reflect on the experience of being misread and classified, and why first impressions rarely tell us anything meaningful about who someone truly is. My mother met people with curiosity, kindness, and respect, recognizing the good in others without assumptions.

Let's explore how compassion, nonjudgment, identity, and acceptance can deepen relationships with others and ourselves.

Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.

If you like the podcast, visit my website: lettheverseflow.com for more inspirational insights and resources, and sign up for Flow & Voice, a free monthly note with short, practical reflections on creativity and personal growth, plus occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses into my audio storytelling journey.

Music: All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.

Songs in this episode: Cream Soda by BRASKO; Some Kind of Wonderful by Nu Alkemi$t; Con Sazón by In This World

Poem: We Made It Out

Related Episodes:

Let People Know You Love Them — Lessons My Mama Taught Me (Part 1) - Episode 64

Journal Prompts:

1. How are you recognizing the good in others? What does that look like for you?

2. Do you judge other people as an extension of self-judgment? Explore that dichotomy.

3. Write about a friendship of acceptance. Who do you accept unconditionally, and how does that enrich your life?

Please subscribe & leave a review if today’s episode helped you recognize the good in others. 💜💛

Follow Jill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillhodgevo/

Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com

Let the Verse Flow is part of Jill Hodge’s voice actor and audiobook narration work. Learn more at jillhodgevo.com.

If you’ve been using these episodes as a space to reflect or journal, I recently narrated a short audiobook that supports that same kind of practice — something you can listen to in a single sitting or revisit for just a few minutes a day.

It’s a devotional book called Prayers for When Anxiety Won’t Let Go, and it’s designed for moments of overthinking or overwhelm. You can find it on Audible: https://tinyurl.com/yx4p6nwt