NASA's Artemis II launched four astronauts to the moon for the first time in 53 years. That same night, a war was killing schoolchildren. This Easter Sunday edition of Reading Between the Lines connects the moon launch, the Iran war, the Epstein files, and AI — through the lens of hubris, empathy, and the choice in front of all of us. Who do we want to be?

The pandemic didn't end cleanly, and our healing won't either. Some of us lost people. Others lost a version of themselves, or the quiet confidence that next month would resemble this month. You can't grieve what you can't name. This issue tries to name it.

International Women's Day, a war, news addiction, and a question about micromanagers that has been living rent free in Rob's head for two months. A big issue for a heavy week.

When the cookie tastes like iodized salt and all eyes are on you for a reaction, that is exactly when empathy gets tested. A chapter from the book that will make you rethink every potluck you have ever attended.

Four years of the book, a gold medal lesson in finding your joy, a memoir about inherited mental illness, an incredible fudgy brownie and the Peloton moment that nearly sent Rob flying. A lighter edition with a lot to chew on.

Your brain cannot tell the difference between witnessing suffering and experiencing it. That is why the news is costing you so much. Here is how to stay informed without burning out your empathy.

When the news is this heavy, pretending it stops at the office door is not leadership. Here is how to show up for your team when the world feels like too much.

Empathy is a superpower. But when it only flows toward people just like you, it stops connecting and starts dividing. Rob Volpe breaks down toxic empathy on Good Things Utah.

Who made the empathy naughty list in 2025? Who made the nice one? Rob Volpe breaks it all down in his first-ever year-end review, and yes, he appears on both.

It looked perfect, smelled perfect, and tasted unmistakably of iodized salt. What happened next turned out to be a lesson in empathy that had nothing to do with baking.

Holiday conversations can shift in an instant. One unexpected comment and suddenly the whole table goes quiet — you can even hear people chewing. In this edition of Reading Between the Lines, I share how a simple Curious Breath, a few empathy moves, and the Holiday Lifeology card game can bring connection back to the table and help you navigate those tricky moments with grace.
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Fear isn't just a feeling anymore. It's a product. And someone is always profiting from keeping you afraid of your neighbor. Here's how empathy breaks the cycle.

A ten-minute cab ride, a photography exhibit, and a friendship quiz walk into a newsletter. The through line? Empathy starts with paying attention to what's already right in front of you.

Two studies. Three years apart. The same signal: Americans are as worried about the walls between us as the hit to our wallets. The bridge isn't gone but it needs tending.

White paper based on Rob Volpe's presentation at the SHRM of Tulare/Kings County Annual Conference, September 25, 2025 exploring how to unlock the superpower that improves workplace culture. Hint: It’s all about connecting with empathy.

When empathy is tested by friendship, by politics, by people we disagree with, how do we choose to respond? Three unexpected stories reveal why disconnection is the easy choice, and empathy is the stronger one. Read the post, watch the video and find out!

We all think we are being supportive and good friends, but what type of friend are we when it comes to using empathy? How do we show up for our different friendships? And what do we want for ourselves. Read the post, watch the video and find out!

“Why” seems harmless—but it’s often the word that puts people (and our own inner critic) on the defensive. This edition explores how dropping “why” from your conversations and self-talk can open the door to more honest dialogue, empathy, and connection.

Is empathy really toxic? Rob Volpe breaks down the hype—and shows how empathy, when used with intention, is still our most powerful tool.

What do Joe Rogan, surfing and redemption have in common? They were themes of two memoirs I recently completed. Both gave me new insight into the development of empathy and my own boundaries to have empathy with others.