Sunday Held: Stories Behind the Stories is a weekly podcast from Nicole Lang.
Each Wednesday, Nicole revisits a Sunday Held essay, sharing the story behind what inspired it, what was happening in her life at the time, and how its meaning has continued to unfold.
Through reflections on love, grief, healing, friendship, travel, second chances, and the moments that quietly shape us, Sunday Held offers a gentle pause in a noisy world.
Whether you're walking the dog, commuting to work, or sitting with a cup of tea, these conversations are an invitation to slow down, reflect, and stay open to whatever may be unfolding in your own life.
New reflections are published every Sunday, with new podcast episodes every Wednesday.
Pour a cup of tea and stay awhile.
sundayheld.substack.com (https://sundayheld.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)
🎙️ Episode 22: He Never Saw Me Watching
Sometimes the people who leave the greatest impression on us have no idea we were even paying attention.
In this episode of Sunday Held: Stories Behind the Stories, I take you back to a hotel lobby in Tokyo, where an unexpected encounter with a gentleman simply doing his job left me with a memory I have carried for years.
What began as a reflection on pride in one’s work became something more personal: a conversation about finding joy in what we do, learning to care deeply without carrying everything, and discovering that our worth is not measured by the recognition we receive.
Because sometimes the most meaningful lessons come from people who never knew they were teaching us anything.
🍵 Pour a cup of tea, press play, and stay awhile.
🎧 Listen now on:
* Apple Podcasts
* Spotify
* Substack
Sunday Held: Stories Behind the StoriesNew episodes every Wednesday.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sundayheld.substack.com (https://sundayheld.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
4 Nov 2026
The Stranger Who Stopped
🎙️ Episode 21: The Stranger Who Stopped
What if the world is kinder than we have come to believe?
During a family trip to Peru, an unexpected act of kindness from a complete stranger left me momentarily speechless and thinking about how readily we question the intentions of people we do not know.
In Episode 21 of Sunday Held: Stories Behind the Stories, I revisit my essay The Stranger Who Stopped and reflect on how the stories we hear about the world shape the assumptions we make about others. What might change if everyday acts of goodness received as much attention as the conflict and tragedy that dominate our headlines?
I also explore the balance between giving someone the benefit of the doubt and trusting our instincts when something feels wrong. Because being openhearted does not mean abandoning our judgment, and extending grace does not require us to surrender our boundaries.
Sometimes the smallest gestures leave the most lasting impressions.
🍵 Pour yourself a cup of tea, press play, and stay awhile.
🎧 Listen to Sunday Held: Stories Behind the Stories on:
* Apple Podcasts
* Spotify
* Substack
📖 Read the original essay, The Stranger Who Stopped, at Sunday Held (https://sundayheld.substack.com/p/the-stranger-who-stopped).
New essays every Sunday. New podcast episodes every Wednesday.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sundayheld.substack.com (https://sundayheld.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
28 Oct 2026
The Wrong Question
The Wrong Question
Episode 20
🎙️ Episode 20: The Wrong Question
What if the thing standing between us and the life we hope for isn’t a lack of courage, but something we haven’t yet learned to believe about ourselves?
In this episode of Sunday Held: Stories Behind the Stories, I return to The Wrong Question, a reflection inspired by an unexpected encounter during a trip to Costa Rica to celebrate my mother’s 85th birthday.
I share how a conversation with a remarkable woman, surrounded by the beauty of a place that always grounds me, led to a realization about luck, fear, and the complicated relationship we sometimes have with our own success.
We spend so much of our lives wondering whether we are ready for what comes next. But what happens when we begin questioning the question itself?
🎙️ Press play, settle in with a cup of tea, and join me for a conversation about trusting ourselves, embracing possibility, and finding the courage to become who we’ve always been.
Sunday Held: Stories Behind the Stories is available on Substack, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sundayheld.substack.com (https://sundayheld.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Contact Sunday Held: Stories Behind the Stories
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Sunday Held: Stories Behind the Stories?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
