Episode 14

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Published on:

6th May 2026

Sarah de Jong: From a Childhood Without Mum to a Global Kindness Movement

Episode Summary

Sarah de Jong grew up in rural Tasmania with a mother who left for Greece when Sarah was almost four — not out of abandonment, but out of her own battle with anorexia and mental illness. From that early experience of love stretched across distance and grief, Sarah built something quietly extraordinary: A Thousand Hearts, a global kindness movement now in its tenth year, delivering handmade pocket hearts to hospitals, palliative care settings, schools, and communities across the world. In this episode of Grit Diaries, Sarah unpacks what kindness actually means — the science behind it, the difference between being kind and being nice, and why inhabiting kindness as a daily practice might be the most powerful thing any of us can do.

Episode Pillars

  • Humble Beginnings, Global Reach: How a handful of handmade pocket hearts given away for free in 2015 grew into a global kindness movement across the US, UK, Japan, Greece, Mexico, and beyond.
  • The Science of Kindness: Why kindness works on the brain like a natural antidepressant — boosting serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins — and why even witnessing kindness has the same effect.
  • Kind vs Nice — A Crucial Distinction: Niceness is transactional and external. Kindness comes from your core values and sometimes means saying what needs to be said. Sarah unpacks why we confuse the two and what we lose when we do.
  • Stop Pushing the River: The wisdom Sarah's dad gave her during a difficult marriage — and how it became a guiding philosophy for learning to let go, say no, and stop mistaking busyness for purpose.
  • Self-Kindness as a Practice: Why self-compassion goes far beyond bubble baths and treats — and how learning to look after yourself is one of the kindest things you can do for the people who love you.

The Kintsugi Connection

To see the visual story of Sarah's journey and explore more episodes of resilience, visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes/videos

If Sarah's story moved you, explore these related Hero conversations:

Exploring purpose and community?

Listen to Ian Westmoreland's story of building Kintsugi Heroes from a place of personal adversity.

Turning pain into purpose?

Discover how Daniel Lloyd's journey of resilience inspires millions to find meaning after hardship.

About Kintsugi Heroes: An Australian not-for-profit (DGR endorsed) dedicated to strengthening mental wellbeing through the power of storytelling. Partner with Us: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/partners/ Donate (tax-deductible): https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/donate/#donate Website: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kintsugi-heroes/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kintsugi.heroes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Kintsugi-Heroes-100084850387170/

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About the Podcast

Grit Diaries: From Grit to Grace with Mon and Mazz
Join your hosts Mon and Mazz as they uncover inspiring stories of local heroes – often unsung, but always extraordinary.
Welcome to The Grit Diaries: From Grit to Grace, a podcast where resilience meets real life. Hosted by dynamic duo Mon and Mazz, we shine a light on the powerful, untold stories of people who have overcome adversity, hardship, and life's toughest challenges - with grit, heart, and grace.

Each episode, we sit down with unsung heroes from all walks of life to explore their journeys through struggle, survival, and transformation. These are raw, honest conversations that go beyond the headlines - stories that inspire, challenge, and remind us of the strength within us all.

Whether it's bouncing back from rock bottom, navigating personal loss, or turning pain into purpose, The Grit Diaries is a tribute to the human spirit - and a space where vulnerability meets victory.

Real stories. Real people. Real resilience.

Subscribe, listen, and join us on the journey from Grit to Grace.

The Grit Diaries is a flagship series within the Kintsugi Heroes network — built on the belief that the most powerful stories aren't the polished ones, they're the honest ones. Through Mon and Mazz's warm, no-filter conversations, our guests share the moments most people don't talk about: the rock-bottom days, the quiet rebuilds, the family they leaned on, the help they finally asked for, and the small wins that turned into whole new lives.

This isn't a series about perfect comebacks or neat endings. It's about real people doing the hard, messy, beautiful work of becoming themselves again — and the grace that's found on the other side of grit. Whether you're walking through something heavy right now, supporting someone who is, or simply need a reminder that you're not alone, The Grit Diaries is for you.

Kintsugi Heroes is an Australian not-for-profit (DGR endorsed) dedicated to strengthening mental wellbeing through the power of storytelling. We believe lived experience is a gift to be shared, not a scar to be hidden.

To find out more about Kintsugi Heroes and our other podcast series, head to KintsugiHeroes.com.au.

Connect With Us:
🌐 Website: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kintsugi.heroes/
👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Kintsugi-Heroes-100084850387170/
❤️ Donate (tax-deductible): https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/donate/#donate

About your host

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Ian Westmoreland