Keeping a Soft Heart After Hard Things with Connor Smith

More from Human School

1. 

   E35 · 2 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 15 min

   How to Talk to Anyone with Bobby Bones

   What's the real difference between showing up for someone and rescuing them? Can a single pair of socks undo years of not letting yourself feel anything? Bobby Bones went from a campus radio station in Arkansas to the National Radio Hall of Fame, two #1 New York Times bestsellers, and a syndicated morning show heard by millions, turning his own story into a reason other people feel less alone in theirs. He sits down with Miles Adcox eight weeks into fatherhood, in a season that's forced him to slow down after two decades of never having to. Bobby opens up about being raised by a 16-year-old…

2. 

   E34 · 25 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 30 min

   When One Dream Ends with Reece Weaver

   Have you ever lived a dream so fully that you felt the quiettug to walk away? Not because it failed you, but because something new was calling. What does it look like to anchor your identity in somethingthat can never be taken from you, even when everything you've built your life around closes a chapter? Reece Weaver spent her entire third season as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader (DCC) carrying a decision nobody outside her closest circle knew about yet. The preacher's granddaughter from Jacksonville, Florida who started dancing at three, earned a scholarship to the University of Alabama…

3. 

   E33 · 18 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 11 min

   Refusing to Waste Pain with Clea Shearer (The Home Edit)

   Have you ever fought the hardest battle of your life and then not known what to do once it was over? What if the story you thought defined you was actually the prologue to something even bigger? Clea Shearer is co-founder of The Home Edit — the brand, the Netflix show, the New York Times bestselling books. But the Clea in this conversation has spent four years navigating a cancer journey her own doctors call a medical anomaly. From her diagnosis to a double mastectomy, followed by many emergency surgeries, she has faced complications most people never encounter. And she's done it all…

4. 

   E31 · 4 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

   Learning You Don't Have to Earn Love with Alana Springsteen

   What if the songs you've been writing were actually thetherapy you desperately needed? What if the version of you that felt like the black sheep your whole life was the one who would help the rest of us feel less alone? Alana Springsteen has been performing since before she knewwhat performing cost her. She signed her first publishing deal at 14, earned a gold record before she turned 25, CMT's Next Women of Country, and has shared stages with Keith Urban and Tyler Hubbard — all while quietly carrying a version of herself she hadn't yet figured out how to put down. Her sophomorealbum, I Hope…

5. 

   E30 · 28 May 2026 · 1 hr 50 min

   The Courage to Be Yourself with Skylar Gray

   Have you ever felt like becoming quieter was the only way to survive being too much? What if the chaos you chased and the life you almost missed were both pointing you home? Skylar Grey is a five-time Grammy-nominated artist, SpotifyBillions Club member, and one of the most distinctive voices of the last two decades. Known for her work with Eminem and Dr. Dre, she sits down with Miles Adcox to talk about the parts of her story the highlight reel never shows: a 1,500-person Wisconsin town, being told she was too much, a friendship breakup she never forgot, and a teacher who said music wasn't…

6. 

   E29 · 21 May 2026 · 1 hr 33 min

   Hugging the World Back Together with Tim Harris

   What if the most powerful thing you could offer the world wasn't your résumé or achievements, but simply your presence and a hug? Tim Harris is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, Special Olympics athlete, author of T he Book of Hugs , host of the Big Heart Talks with Tim podcast, and founder of Tim's Big Heart Foundation . Raised in Albuquerque, Tim built a life around one belief: love, kindness, and connection can change everything. He ran Tim's Place: Breakfast, Lunch & Hugs , greeting every guest at the front door — all while living with Down syndrome, not in spite of who he is, but because…

7. 

   E48 · 6 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 40 min

   Ashley McBryde on Sobriety, Generational Trauma, and Unlearning Survival

   "They said, 'We need you to stop.' And I said, 'I need me to stop, too.'" Grammy-winning country artist Ashley McBryde joins Miles for a deeply moving, unfiltered conversation as she reflects on her roots in the Ozarks, the complexities of generational trauma, and what it truly means to be seen. Ashley opens up about her long relationship with alcohol, the terrifying night that led her to treatment, and how getting sober allowed her to finally hear her own voice and recognize the person in the mirror. This is a powerful discussion on unlearning old programming, re-parenting your younger…

8. 

   E47 · 30 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 6 min

   How to Find Peace When a Relationship Can't Be Fixed with Matthias Barker (Live from the Transform Trauma Conference)

   What happens when the mental health expert becomes the one navigating a family crisis? In this deep and deeply personal conversation, therapist and author Matthias Barker sits down with Miles at the Transform Trauma Conference –– Europe’s largest mental health and wellness conference in Oxford, England –– to open up about his own journey through family estrangement, grief, and reconciliation. Together, they break down the real-world stuff we all deal with: why healing must come before forgiveness, the difference between setting a healthy boundary and running away, the traps of modern pop…

9. 

   E46 · 22 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 49 min

   The Selfish Reason to Be Generous with Philanthropy Expert Rondal Richardson

   What if the secret to improving your own life, health, and happiness had nothing to do with self-care and everything to do with giving back? In this episode of Human School , host Miles sits down with long-time music industry veteran and philanthropist Rondal Richardson to flip the script on how we think about generosity. Because you don't need millions of dollars or a massive platform to make a real impact. Today, Rondal shares remarkable behind-the-scenes stories from his 40-year journey in the music business—working alongside legends like The Judds, Garth Brooks, and Naomi Judd—and how an…

10. 

    E45 · 16 Sep 2026 · 13 min

    What My Daughter Knows About Stress That I Forgot

    We spend an enormous amount of energy trying to learn how to be healthier, less stressed adults – but what if the answer isn't learning something new, but remembering what we knew before we got so complicated? In this special solo episode of The Human School Podcast, host Miles Adcox hands the microphone to his seven-year-old daughter, Birdie Rose. With zero media training and absolute honesty, Birdie shares her thoughts on art, missing teeth, strawberries and ketchup, and what makes her feel closest to the people she loves. In this conversation and reflection, Miles unpacks four unexpected…

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