Hope Comes to Visit
Hope Comes to Visit is a soulful podcast that holds space for real stories, honest conversations, and the kind of moments that remind us we’re never alone.
Hosted by author, speaker, and former TV journalist-turned-storyteller Danielle Elliott Smith, the show explores the full spectrum of the human experience — from the tender to the triumphant. Through powerful interviews and reflective storytelling, each episode offers light, connection, and presence for anyone navigating the in-between.
Whether you’re grieving, growing, beginning again, or simply craving something real, Hope Comes to Visit will meet you right where you are — with warmth, grace, and the quiet belief that even in the dark, transformation can take root.
New episodes drop every Monday and Friday, so you can begin and end your week with a little light, reflection, and hope.
Hope Comes to Visit
Hope in Action: A Story of Light and Consistency with Carla Birnberg - Episode 7
Hope in Action: A Story of Light and Consistency
with the radiant @CarlaBirnberg
There are people who show up with such unwavering integrity that you feel braver just being near them. That’s how I feel about Carla Birnberg.
In this episode of Hope Comes to Visit, we explore what it means to lead a mission-driven life — one grounded in heart work, radical consistency, and a commitment to showing up even when no one’s watching.
Together, we dive into what it means to live a life rooted in mission — from the soul work she’s doing in Kenya through @NextStepFDN to the powerful practice of showing up consistently for yourself and your community.
We talk about:
Why consistency might be the most underrated superpower
Letting go of external expectations and stepping fully into your truth
What happens when we stop performing and start becoming
And how the Swahili name, Upili, serendipitously ties to my own word of the year: Light
Carla is wise, hilarious, deeply thoughtful, and real. You’ll love her.
This episode? It’s what hope looks like in motion.
Connect with Carla here:
Instagram -@CarlaBirnberg
https://carlabirnberg.substack.com/
The foundation -@NextStep_FDN
https://nextstepfdn.org/
Her project at NSF:
https://nextstepfdn.org/upili/
The WHY (animated, short & created in Kenya by an old Team member)
https://youtu.be/e0nHKIS0eAE?si=BtB55agBX7s2os2y
The book that started it all (the one Venus Williams blurbed)
https://a.co/d/9G97H9G
Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and share the show — it helps others find their way to these conversations.
New episodes drop every Monday and Friday, so you can begin and end your week with a little light and a lot of hope.
For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv and @HopeComestoVisit