About this episode
Some conversations leave you with a new tool you can use the same day. This one does. In episode 12 of the YES! Women's Network Podcast, Michele Morley talks with Kirby Heyborne, the Emmy and Grammy nominated actor, musician, and audiobook narrator who hosts the Emmy nominated series Making Good and co-founded the Help Them See Foundation. With more than 2,000 audiobooks to his name, he could have spent the whole conversation on career. Instead, he spent most of it on gratitude, marriage, and the kind of daily choices that hold a family together.
If you are a woman carrying rejection, exhaustion, or the quiet pressure of being everyone's steady place, there is something practical here. Kirby's central discovery is simple: gratitude can do the emotional work you have been trying to do through pain.
How Kirby Heyborne learned that gratitude works better than sadness
The story comes from filming Faith of Angels, a true story about a young man lost in an abandoned mine for five days. Kirby plays the father, which meant crying through much of the film. He wanted the tears to be real, so he put himself in the worst place he could imagine. His wife is dead. His kids are gone. His son is abandoned. The tears came, and they were convincing.
When he told his wife about that first day, she asked a question that changed his approach. Why did you do that? She pointed out that he cries just watching a dad play catch with his son. So the next day he came to set grateful instead: grateful for his friend and director Garrett Batty, grateful for twenty years of building careers together, grateful for his faith and family.
"I got the same exact tears. The same salt water came from my eyes. One was the worst day. The other was a thrilling day, a happy, grateful day."
Same result. Completely different cost. That is the piece worth carrying into ordinary life. Many of us access our deepest feeling through what hurts, because pain is loud and familiar. Kirby's experience suggests you can reach the same depth through what you are thankful for, and walk away lighter instead of drained.
What 29 years of marriage taught him about choosing each other
Kirby and his wife met in seventh grade and are coming up on 29 years of marriage. He describes her as a rock, and he is specific about why that mattered in his career. Acting in Los Angeles meant rejection roughly 99 percent of the time. He notes that is not a cliche but literal. You hear yes once in about a hundred auditions, and even then you can book a job and be replaced a week later.
"Being able to come home and just know that she loved me for who I am, for who I was, who I could be, made it so that it was a little more digestible."
That grounding eventually changed his work. Once he knew he would rather be home with his wife and kids than book any particular part, he auditioned less desperately. Security at home made him freer everywhere else.
The daily practice
Kirby starts almost every morning the same way. The first words out of his mouth are that he is thankful for his wife and excited to spend another day with her. When he is traveling, he calls as she is waking up. His kids tell him he was always so happy in the morning, and that they hated it as children. He traces the happiness back to the practice itself. He looks over, sees the greatest gift in his life, says so out loud, and the mood follows.
He also names the ordinary supports: changing diapers in the night, putting the phone away, letting her know she matters more than the text. He is honest that he falls short every day. The point is not perfection. The point is returning to the choice.
Why the Help Them See Foundation is funding uplifting films
Kirby co-founded the Help Them See Foundation with Garrett Batty to fund films that entertain and elevate. He is clear that the goal is not squeaky clean stories where everyone is happy, because that makes a boring movie. Characters will still struggle. What he wants is people of faith portrayed genuinely rather than as the butt of a joke. The first film, going into production soon, is a comedy about a man so good and so faithful that the East German government assumed he must be a spy, misreading his kindness and service as cover.
His conviction is that audiences are hungry for this. He points to the success of The Chosen as evidence that people want good entertainment that reflects their values.
Kindness, service, and the connection that comes shoulder to shoulder
Asked how to make kindness a daily attribute, Kirby ties it back to gratitude. You cannot control whether someone cuts in front of you. You can control whether you are grateful. A grateful heart, he says, is a kind heart.
Service is the other half. Through eight years and six seasons of Making Good, highlighting nonprofits around the world, he has watched what happens when you work beside someone. As a kid you serve because your parents make you. In high school you serve so the cute girl notices. As an adult, standing shoulder to shoulder, your hearts connect.
At home, that shows up as openness. His kids know they can bring anything to him and his wife, that they listen first, that heavy moments get room for tears before anyone reaches for the joy. Now two of his three children are married, the youngest is leaving home, and they have a sibling group chat he is not part of. He calls that a win.
Action Steps
- Try gratitude as your emotional entry point this week. Before a hard conversation or a heavy task, name three specific things you are thankful for instead of bracing with worry.
- Speak appreciation out loud first thing in the morning to one person you love, in person or by phone. Say what you are thankful for and why today matters.
- Put the device down when someone in your home starts talking. Let your attention say what your words might not.
- Serve alongside someone rather than for someone. Choose one project where you will be shoulder to shoulder with another person.
- Make room for tears before you reach for laughter. Let the people you love feel the hard thing fully, then help them find the joy.
Pick one of these and start tomorrow morning. Gratitude spoken out loud costs nothing, takes ten seconds, and, as Kirby learned on a film set, can get you to the same depth of feeling without the damage.
About the guest
Kirby Heyborne
Kirby Heyborne is an Emmy- and Grammy-nominated actor, musician, and narrator known for his heartfelt storytelling, humor, and inspiring performances. He hosts the Emmy-nominated TV series Making Good and the global RootsTech conference, where his interviews with stars like Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Astin have reached millions. With over 2,000 audiobooks to his name, including Charlotte’s Web with Meryl Streep, Kirby is one of the most beloved voices in the industry. He combines music, message, and meaning to uplift audiences of all ages. Kirby is the co-founder of the Help Them See Foundation, a 501c3 that funds productions that entertain and illuminate light. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Kirby is deeply committed to his faith and family, cherishing his role as a husband and father. His greatest fulfillment comes from spending time with his wife and three children, and his life is rooted in service, connection, and uplifting others.
Read the full transcript
This automated transcript has been lightly formatted for readability and may contain errors.
Yes - Kirby Heyborn [00:00:00] Michele Morley: [00:00:05] [00:00:10] [00:00:15] [00:00:20] [00:00:25] Thank you for being with us on Yes Women’s Network podcast. Today I have with [00:00:30] me Kirby Heyborne, and he is an Emmy and Grammy-nominated [00:00:35] actor, musician, and narrator known for his heartfelt storytelling, [00:00:40] humor, and inspiring performances. He hosts the Emmy-nominated [00:00:45] series Making Good and the Global Roots Tech Conference, interviewing [00:00:50] stars like Kristin- Kirby Heyborne: Chenoweth Michele Morley: There we go. And Sean Astin. [00:00:55] With more than 2,000 audiobooks to his name, Kirby is one of the industry’s [00:01:00] most recognized voices.
He is also co-founder of the Help Them See [00:01:05] Foundation, which supports production that entertains and inspires. [00:01:10] Above all, Kirby is a devot- is devoted to his faith and family, [00:01:15] finding his greatest fulfillment in his role as a husband, father, and servant to [00:01:20] others. That’s … I love the ending of that one too. Kirby Heyborne: That’s the most important thing.
Michele Morley: [00:01:25] Yeah. Kirby Heyborne: I love being a husband. Uh, my wife is the most amazing [00:01:30] human being in the world. Yeah. And my kids are perfect because of her, despite [00:01:35] me.
Michele Morley: I believe you. Kirby Heyborne: Yeah. Michele Morley: Yeah. That’s so great. Oh, I love that.
[00:01:40] So how about you tell us how you got into performing arts? Kirby Heyborne: [00:01:45] Um, I’m a middle kid, so I didn’t get any attention as a kid. [00:01:50] It’s always, how can I, I make Mom and Dad love me and notice me? I, I was into [00:01:55] music for a long time. In high school I had a band, and I did plays in [00:02:00] middle school and high school, and I just always loved doing it.
I loved pretending [00:02:05] and mostly making people laugh. That’s been something that just [00:02:10] gives me so much energy and so much joy, being able to help [00:02:15] people Feel good about themselves, make them laugh, [00:02:20] and hopefully bring them closer to God by doing that. Michele Morley: I love that. [00:02:25] How do you feel that you’ve been able to reach people that way, though? [00:02:30] What makes you, what gave you the confidence to go forward to do that?
Kirby Heyborne: Um, honestly, [00:02:35] it’s just being dumb enough to go and try. I- it’s, I- it’s the [00:02:40] first time you get up on stage or, uh, when w- we moved when I was [00:02:45] 12 from Wyoming to Utah. Michele Morley: Okay. Kirby Heyborne: And the [00:02:50] way that, and it was be- the beginning of the school year, so the school year had already started, [00:02:55] and the way that I could connect with people or get them to wanna hang out with me [00:03:00] in sixth grade was to make them laugh. And so I would do [00:03:05] impersonations, and the teachers would laugh, and then kids kinda [00:03:10] noticed me.
So I think it’s- It Michele Morley: came naturally to you then. Kirby Heyborne: I- I’m a class clown, [00:03:15] yeah. Yeah. Michele Morley: That’s so great. That’s a gift.
That’s truly a gift. So [00:03:20] in your productions, in your movies, which one has had the most impact on you? [00:03:25] Kirby Heyborne: Oh, they’re all impactful. You learn something from every [00:03:30] experience. Michele Morley: Sure.
Kirby Heyborne: Good or bad or even neutral, [00:03:35] you, you learn stuff. You learn stuff about yourself. The first movie I did was called [00:03:40] Singles Ward, and I just- That sounds lovely … Learned how to do the [00:03:45] dance with the camera, ‘cause I’d done plays and musicals in high school, and that was my experience and- [00:03:50] Mm-hmm did some community plays a- during college. But, [00:03:55] uh, it was learning that there’s, there’s light that exists that is [00:04:00] set up to show your performance.
There’s, um, [00:04:05] the, the, like I said, the dance with the camera. You need to be aware of where the camera is, and [00:04:10] am I blocking you? Can the camera see you, and can the light hit you? [00:04:15] So that… I learned that on that one, so extremely valuable.
And then [00:04:20] I learned how to be myself but also be a different character, uh, in the [00:04:25] subsequent movies. You always bring a piece of yourself, and I think that’s how it is in life. Mm-hmm. Whether [00:04:30] you are, uh, right now in the role of a mom or you’re the [00:04:35] role of a business owner, it’s, um, you [00:04:40] always need to bring yourself into it, bring your strengths into it, and make it your [00:04:45] own. So that’s what I learned in subsequent ones.
How can I really bring [00:04:50] the gifts that I’ve been given to light? And I think that works in [00:04:55] life, too. Michele Morley: Sure. Sure. So how…
You are married- Yes … And you have [00:05:00] a family of three. I have three Kirby Heyborne: kids. Michele Morley: Okay. Kirby Heyborne: Yes.
Michele Morley: So how long have you [00:05:05] been married to your sweetheart? Kirby Heyborne: We are coming up on 29 years. Michele Morley: Wonderful. Kirby Heyborne: We met [00:05:10] in seventh grade. Michele Morley: Oh, you did?
Kirby Heyborne: So I honed my class clown [00:05:15] skills in se- in sixth grade, so by the time she came along, I was just too much. [00:05:20] Michele Morley: You- Kirby Heyborne: I was too much for her to resist. Michele Morley: Yes. Kirby Heyborne: And she was in plays and [00:05:25] things- Michele Morley: Okay. Oh, Kirby Heyborne: fun …
Too, so Michele Morley: we- So she’s in… Is she an actress then? Kirby Heyborne: [00:05:30] Um, she acts like, uh, I’m tolerable, so [00:05:35] in that, in that sense, she’s an actor. Michele Morley: Okay. Kirby Heyborne: No, just it’s fun.
She’s got a [00:05:40] beautiful voice. Michele Morley: Oh, Kirby Heyborne: wonderful. And just this amazing, spunky spirit [00:05:45] that, um, the roles that she would play in high school were just those bubbly, [00:05:50] fun roles and… But she hasn’t, she hasn’t [00:05:55] pursued acting the way- Okay … That I have.
Michele Morley: Okay. So obviously [00:06:00] she’s been very supportive of- Yeah your roles, and, um, [00:06:05] how has she done that for you? Kirby Heyborne: She is A [00:06:10] rock. She grounds me. Living in Los Angeles [00:06:15] and being in this career, it’s rejection- Michele Morley: Sure …
Kirby Heyborne: 99% of the time, and that’s not a [00:06:20] cliche, it’s literal. Sure. You, you hear yes once out of every 100 [00:06:25] times that you audition and work for a part, and even then, from [00:06:30] those, you can still get replaced. You can still book the job [00:06:35] and then a week later find out, oh, they decided to go a different direction. So it’s a lot [00:06:40] of rejection.
Michele Morley: Wow. Yeah. Kirby Heyborne: Um, and being able to come [00:06:45] home and just know that she loved me for who I am, for who I [00:06:50] was, who I could be, made it so that it was a [00:06:55] little more digestible. You could swallow it, just knowing that I could come home [00:07:00] and she was all that mattered. Mm-hmm.
And our relationship [00:07:05] was all that mattered, and how can we f- uh, make that stronger? [00:07:10] And so it got to the point before we moved away [00:07:15] from Los Angeles a few years ago, I got to the point in my career where I could do what I do [00:07:20] anywhere, which is such a blessing. And when we— Right before we [00:07:25] decided to move, I was at a point in auditioning that I [00:07:30] would much rather be home with my wife and my kids. Michele Morley: [00:07:35] Okay. Kirby Heyborne: And so I was able to just be more relaxed on the auditions.
I was [00:07:40] less desperate- Less, okay … Because I had that strength that I knew at home, no matter what I did [00:07:45] on camera, no matter how good or bad I performed, there’s a group [00:07:50] of people at home that we’re tight-knit, we love to be together. [00:07:55] And then when I crossed that threshold, I was dad, I was husband, [00:08:00] and, and that is just, that’s empowering in, in any aspect [00:08:05] of your career. Es- I think especially as an actor, you can tell [00:08:10] actors, we’re very desperate. I think all of us are middle kids.
Michele Morley: Sure. [00:08:15] Yeah. Kirby Heyborne: Looking for attention and- Michele Morley: Yeah … Kirby Heyborne: uh, “Daddy, will you play catch with me?” Type [00:08:20] of stuff.
But, um, having that strength and that mountain, that rock [00:08:25] Just, just kept me, keeps me grounded Michele Morley: That gotta be very reassuring- Right, yes to be [00:08:30] able to come home to that. So she had every confidence in [00:08:35] your ability though too, right? Kirby Heyborne: Yes. Michele Morley: To do the work that you were setting out to do, [00:08:40] even though you were facing the rejection. Kirby Heyborne: Yes.
She saw how good and funny I was in seventh [00:08:45] grade. She thought- Tap into that Kirby, tap into that- [00:08:50] Right … Really funny guy, yeah. Michele Morley: Oh, yeah. Yeah, she thought you weren’t even raw [00:08:55] at that point, right?
Right. You were fully… I love it. Okay, [00:09:00] so how have you been able to support your wife in her role as a, as a wife and [00:09:05] mother? Kirby Heyborne: Being there.
You learn early on, [00:09:10] but you have to choose every single day, choose each other, but then also choose [00:09:15] to lift each other. And I change diapers. I [00:09:20] couldn’t do the feedings, but I could change diapers, and so if it was a cry in the middle of the night [00:09:25] to, for a diaper change, I would do that. I [00:09:30] try to support her in stopping and being present, and [00:09:35] especially with the advent of phones and, and technology. Sure.
It’s so [00:09:40] hard to not be present. And so, um, we make sure that we, we [00:09:45] put devices away, and when she’s talking, she knows she’s [00:09:50] the most important thing, no, no matter what the text is or thing that I need to be doing, [00:09:55] I do my best. I still fall short all the time, every day. We all Michele Morley: do. Sure.
Kirby Heyborne: Yeah. [00:10:00] But I remind myself every single day [00:10:05] that she’s the most important thing in my life. And would [00:10:10] I… In hindsight, I have to think, “That was such a stupid thing to say or do [00:10:15] to the most important thing in your life. Why did you do that?”
I try to start every single [00:10:20] day, and I think I’ve done it fairly well, unless I’m out of town or even then [00:10:25] I’ll phone call when I know she’s waking up But [00:10:30] first words out of my mouth every day are, “I’m thankful for you today, and I’m excited that I get to [00:10:35] spend another day with you.” And that’s the best way to wake up happy. [00:10:40] My kids say, “You’re always so happy in the morning, and we hated it when we were [00:10:45] kids.” Yes. Um, and I think it was because I would turn over and see the [00:10:50] greatest gift in my life- Michele Morley: Oh …
Kirby Heyborne: was right there. I love that. And I could say, “I’m so thankful [00:10:55] for you,” and then you’re happy. Michele Morley: Oh. Kirby Heyborne: Yeah.
Michele Morley: That is, [00:11:00] that’s so sweet, honestly. But there’s— That comes from [00:11:05] an attitude, an attitude of gratitude that you- Oh, for sure … Certainly are expressing, not [00:11:10] only towards your wife and your children, but that must be your perspective in life as well, [00:11:15] right? Kirby Heyborne: Yes. You have to be grateful.
My goodness, Michele, we could talk for [00:11:20] 10 hours on how important gratitude is and how that changes your perspective on [00:11:25] everything. Um, can I share a little bit about that? Michele Morley: Please Kirby Heyborne: do. We’re going that way- Let’s go … So I’ll [00:11:30] go with it.
I got to be in a movie called, um, “Faith of Angels,” which is a true story [00:11:35] about a young man who gets lost i- in an abandoned mine, uh, [00:11:40] for over the course of five days without food and water, and I don’t wanna ruin the ending, [00:11:45] but he gets out. Um, or otherwise it would be a very sad movie. And [00:11:50] I play his dad. And in the movie, obviously, a man who loses his son [00:11:55] in a mine is gonna be emotional, so a lot of the movie I’m crying [00:12:00] Um, I wanted to be very method in this because I was working with one of my dear friends, Garrett [00:12:05] Batty, um, and I, I, I wanted to elevate this true [00:12:10] story, so I wanted to just be so into crying that I was thinking of sad [00:12:15] things.
My wife is dead. My kids are not around anymore. My son is [00:12:20] abandoned. So I would— On the days that I needed to cry, I just put myself in a very sad, [00:12:25] horrible place. I got the tears, and they were great.
When I brought this up with my wife after [00:12:30] the first day, she said, “That’s a— I’m sure that was a really hard day for you. Why did [00:12:35] you do that?” And I said, “Well, because I wanted to be in. I wanted to have those real tears-” Be in character. [00:12:40] real characters, real character.”
And she said, um, “Well, you cry just when you [00:12:45] see a dad playing catch with his son. Like, why did you have to put yourself through all that sadness?” Well, I get, I get… [00:12:50] Yeah. And I go, “Actually, you’re right.”
And then I started to think that I feel [00:12:55] joyf- I, I shed joyful tears when I’m grateful. So I— the [00:13:00] next day I came to set grateful that I’m working with Garrett [00:13:05] and that we’ve spent 20 years together getting our careers to this [00:13:10] point where we’re telling this beautiful story together. The cinematographer was a dear friend, [00:13:15] and just the gratitude of my faith, of my family, all of [00:13:20] that i- is coming to the forefront, and I’m starting to get emotional. And so I [00:13:25] enjoyed the day being so grateful so that when Garrett called action, I could then… The [00:13:30] tears were right there because I was so thankful, so grateful.
And then, uh, he would [00:13:35] call action, and I could tap into, okay, I need to tell my wife that this, my son is gone. [00:13:40] So then the tears were real. I got the same exact tears. Michele Morley: Interesting. Kirby Heyborne: The [00:13:45] same salt water came from my eyes.
One was the worst day. And [00:13:50] it was real. Yeah. And I was— The other was a thrilling day, a happy, grateful day. But it’s all in perspective.
[00:13:55] You can get the same results, but they’re so much more joyful- Sure … So much more meaningful [00:14:00] when there’s gratitude attached to it. Michele Morley: That’s so— I, I would’ve never thought that [00:14:05] that could’ve been achieved in that. Right. But that was actually very [00:14:10] insightful of your wife to come up with that.
Oh, I know. I know. Right? Kirby Heyborne: Kirbie, you cry so easily. Why [00:14:15] are you doing this the hard way?
Michele Morley: Yeah. Yeah. Okay. [00:14:20] So you are working on… I just noticed also that on your social [00:14:25] media you are, you’re working on a couple projects too.
Yes. Which one would you like to [00:14:30] elaborate on? Kirby Heyborne: Right now I’m working with Garrett on- Okay the Help Them See [00:14:35] Foundation. Michele Morley: Okay. Kirby Heyborne: This is a nonprofit that we started to fund [00:14:40] Films that entertain and elevate.
We feel like there’s a market for it, but [00:14:45] also there’s a need for people to see good people, [00:14:50] um, portrayed correctly. And so our first film that we’re gonna start production on [00:14:55] next month is about this man who, um, was [00:15:00] so good and so faithful that the German Democratic Republic, the government thought [00:15:05] that he was a spy. And it’s a comedy in how he’s so good [00:15:10] and they misinterpret all of his kindness, all of, all of his acts of service [00:15:15] as there’s no way someone could be so good and so faithful. [00:15:20] Um, and so this movie follows that. So that’s the type of movies that we’re [00:15:25] working on, and we’ve been really successful finding people who are mission aligned with [00:15:30] us, who want to see that light when they go to the theater.
Um, so [00:15:35] that’s the thing that I’m most passionate right now about. Michele Morley: That’s fantastic. Kirby Heyborne: You know- [00:15:40] It’s called Help Them See. Helpthemsseefoundation. Org.
You can go see what we’re doing. There you Michele Morley: go. Good. So, [00:15:45] and I mean, there’s so much… It’s interesting because people talk about [00:15:50] darkness and- Yeah …
We see it every day or whatever. But honestly, [00:15:55] and I feel this is from you as well, when you look around, there [00:16:00] is so much good. Kirby Heyborne: There is so much good. Michele Morley: Yes. And so w- to see [00:16:05] you trying to elevate that on a daily basis, it’s so [00:16:10] needed.
And so how do you feel as far as your audience? [00:16:15] How do you feel that that’s going to be, um, accepted and [00:16:20] embraced? What’s your hope with that? Kirby Heyborne: Michele, I know the [00:16:25] audiences are hungry for it This isn’t to say we’re gonna be making films that are [00:16:30] all squeaky clean, that everybody’s happy. That’s a boring movie.
There are struggles, there are [00:16:35] hard things that they’ll go through. But to see themselves portrayed on [00:16:40] screen correctly, I think is important. There are so many people of faith [00:16:45] in the world that faith sometimes is the butt of a joke. Mm. [00:16:50] It’s not portrayed correctly and genuinely.
So [00:16:55] I think the audience is hungry for it. You see, The Chosen has had so much [00:17:00] success because people wanna see good entertainment that [00:17:05] reflects their values. Mm. So I think they’re hungry for it. I think they’re going to, [00:17:10] to love it and enjoy it, and feel the joy that we have in [00:17:15] making movies that matter.
I found light in my [00:17:20] relationship with God. Mm-hmm. That’s how I find joy. That’s how [00:17:25] I tap into kindness. I know that God knows who I am, [00:17:30] and I know that He loves me, and I know that He wants me to share that with the [00:17:35] world.
I feel like the success that I’ve had in my career as an [00:17:40] actor has come because I’ve taken on that, that [00:17:45] responsibility, that when I meet someone, whether I’m explicit and say, “God loves [00:17:50] you,” or just let a light shine through being kind, [00:17:55] that, um, God continues to bless me because I try to make [00:18:00] every interaction something where people can feel lifted. And whether they [00:18:05] acknowledge that’s God’s love or just, “Oh, Kirby’s a nice guy,” I hope they see that [00:18:10] it’s God’s love. Um, either way, people hopefully after an [00:18:15] interaction walk away lifted and happy. So for me, it all [00:18:20] comes from God.
Michele Morley: That reminds me of the scripture in Matthew, [00:18:25] “Let your light so shine before men that they may see [00:18:30] your good works and glorify,” you know, “our Father in heaven.” Kirby Heyborne: That’s our family [00:18:35] scripture. We have that framed. I, Michele Morley: that is one of my favorites. Kirby Heyborne: It’s so beautiful.
Yeah. And it’s so important [00:18:40] that you do that so that you can glorify your Father, which is in heaven. Michele Morley: Yeah. [00:18:45] Kirby Heyborne: My family, we’re a bunch of comedians. We’re all, we always laughing.
Michele Morley: I would love [00:18:50] to sit around your- We’ve taken, yeah around your kitchen table. Kirby Heyborne: W- ev- when my kids have served missions for our [00:18:55] church, they, um, when they FaceTime back home on their [00:19:00] P-Days, their preparation days, um, the, the rest of the family’s putting [00:19:05] filters on their faces and, like, you can’t have a serious conversation. It’s just so fun. But- Michele Morley: Yeah … Kirby Heyborne: yeah, [00:19:10] we just have so much fun with- I love that with that.
And finding joy and [00:19:15] laughter, even in worshiping God. We love to do that. We [00:19:20] find in a laugh, there’s the Spirit of God. [00:19:25] And so that joy just, that’s another way for, I feel like for God to say, [00:19:30] “Kirby, I, I love you. That joy you feel, that laugh, is me winking [00:19:35] at you saying I love you.”
Michele Morley: That’s beautiful. [00:19:40] So in your day-to-day life and your example to your children, [00:19:45] what do you think you have… And now listening to you, I’m like, maybe it’s the [00:19:50] laughter. Yeah. But what do you feel like you’ve impacted your children the most in?
Kirby Heyborne: They [00:19:55] know that they can come and talk to me and my wife about anything. That we’re [00:20:00] open, that we listen first. And even the heavy times, [00:20:05] there are times that it’s inappropriate to be funny, but- Yeah … We let them cry, [00:20:10] we let them feel, and then we pull them out and we try to find the [00:20:15] joy. And you see that in their relationships with each other.
Siblings, I just read a thing that [00:20:20] siblings are the longest relationship you’ll have on this [00:20:25] earth. Michele Morley: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Kirby Heyborne: Because your parents pass, um, [00:20:30] before you, you know, 20 years, you’ll be 20 years without your parents if- [00:20:35] Sure … You live for a long time.
But your siblings, you’re two years apart or even five [00:20:40] years apart, you’re together your entire life. Yeah. So we’ve [00:20:45] tried to help them lift each other, and I think that’s a gift. And you see [00:20:50] it now. They’re, two of them are married and in their 20s, and our youngest is [00:20:55] 18, leaving the house, um, on Thursday, [00:21:00] just in two days, which is sad- Oh, really?
And big and beautiful. But they [00:21:05] all have each other. They, which, uh, maybe you have this too, and it’s, I [00:21:10] feel like I’m a fun guy. I’m a fun dad. But I, when I first found out that my adult [00:21:15] children had a group chat without me- Oh, shoot …
It was, “What are you doing? I want to know what [00:21:20] funny things you’re doing.” But I love that too. Yeah. That they have a relationship with each other.
[00:21:25] Yeah. They have a siblings group chat- Yeah … That I’m not a part of. Michele Morley: Yeah. Kirby Heyborne: But that [00:21:30] is, I think, a win, that they love each other enough to want to be [00:21:35] together- Mm …
Play pickleball and text updates and lift each other. [00:21:40] It’s, it’s a beautiful thing. So I think that’s it, the joy and the, the [00:21:45] love of each other, of siblings. Michele Morley: I love that. Kirby Heyborne: Yeah.
Michele Morley: Yeah. I, I had had an [00:21:50] experience with my husband and our children, and all the kids and the grandkids were gathered around [00:21:55] the table. And, and I just remember looking around at everyone, and [00:22:00] everyone was engaged and laughing. It’s, it’s- That’s the biggest- … Pure joy.
Yes. It’s magic. Kirby Heyborne: [00:22:05] That’s special. So I Michele Morley: know you- Kirby Heyborne: And you’ve been there, so you, you’ve have had a taste of it. And [00:22:10] now with grandkids coming in, how beautiful is that?
Michele Morley: So you don’t have any yet, [00:22:15] right? Kirby Heyborne: We are fresh grandparents. Fresh. Three weeks. Michele Morley: Oh.
Kirby Heyborne: Yeah. Michele Morley: [00:22:20] Congratulations. Kirby Heyborne: And we’ve got it down so easy. Michele Morley: It’s [00:22:25] magic. I love that.
I’m, congratulations. Oh, thank you. Yeah. Thank you. That’s so great.
[00:22:30] So how does, how has kindness impacted your life, and what would you- What would [00:22:35] you share with others on how to have that attribute daily? [00:22:40] Kirby Heyborne: I think you kind of uncovered it today, that gratitude [00:22:45] makes you a kinder person. If you’re grateful, that’s what you can control. You [00:22:50] can’t control if someone’s gonna cut in front of you in line or [00:22:55] in, with their car, um, but you can control if you’re grateful. And a [00:23:00] grateful heart, I think, is a kind heart.
So that’s something you can [00:23:05] control. You’re given an option to react A or B, and when you [00:23:10] choose the grateful way, uh, you’re gonna be a kinder person. Michele Morley: Mm-hmm. Kirby Heyborne: [00:23:15] Yeah. Michele Morley: So you’re very s- service-oriented- Yeah …
Aren’t you? Kirby Heyborne: Yes, Michele Morley: I love- So [00:23:20] what, that you’ve done humanitarian projects- Yes … And so forth. So sh- [00:23:25] tell a little bit about that. Kirby Heyborne: There’s so much joy that comes from serving.
When you’re shoulder to [00:23:30] shoulder with someone, th- the person that you’re serving absolutely receives [00:23:35] this benefit, and you feel that connection to them. But there’s something amazing when you’re shoulder to shoulder. Your, your [00:23:40] hearts are connected when you’re serving someone else. So, uh, I’ve been [00:23:45] fortunate with my show, Making Good. Uh, it highlights [00:23:50] nonprofits ar- around the world, and I join up with them, see what they’re about.
It’s funny in the [00:23:55] beginning, and then you’re crying by the end. And it’s been a beautiful [00:24:00] experience over the past eight years and six seasons and multiple specials, [00:24:05] seeing the best of humanity. Wow. So I grew up, you serve [00:24:10] because your parents make you go do a service project, and so you don’t wanna get in trouble. [00:24:15] Then in high school, you serve because you want that cute girl to notice that, “Hey, I’m a good [00:24:20] guy.
I’m serving,” you know? Look good at you. Yeah. Um, but then it’s as an adult that when you’re [00:24:25] shoulder to shoulder with someone, then you feel that connection that is beautiful. So [00:24:30] I think the, my show, Making Good, has helped really hone that.
You serve [00:24:35] because you wanna be God’s hands, and you wanna have that connection with the person next to you. [00:24:40] Michele Morley: It takes you out of yourself- Kirby Heyborne: Yes … Michele Morley: too, and I love that aspect [00:24:45] of serving. Yeah. I do.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Kirby Heyborne: Michele, thank you. Michele Morley: [00:24:50] Yeah, it’s been fantastic. It really has. I love your…
I mean, you [00:24:55] have obviously a light about you. Your humor is, it’s just [00:25:00] contagious. It makes everyone feel good. Thank you. So thank you for sharing that with me and with us, [00:25:05] with our audience.
Thank you for being- Thank you for Kirby Heyborne: doing what you’re doing. Yeah. What was Michele Morley: that all? Kirby Heyborne: Thank you. Thank you for doing what [00:25:10] you’re doing.
This is amazing. Michele Morley: I appreciate that. Yeah. So thank you for being with us on Yes [00:25:15] Women’s podcast, and we’ll see you next time. Kirby Heyborne: Mm-hmm.
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