We caught up with the brilliant and insightful John Halcyon Styn a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

John Halcyon , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?

At the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown, I realized I had an “essential skill.” As people were cooped up in their homes, they would be seeking ways to connect through their computers. I was, arguably, the world expert at finding connection through webcams. I had been practicing “digital group hugs” weekly for 20 years as part of my Hug Nation broadcasts.

I decided to start hosting Gratitude Circles in Zoom. Twice a day, every day. (They are still going. We just celebrated our 5 year anniversary.)

These virtual gatherings became a sanctuary for individuals worldwide to share moments of gratitude and foster a sense of community.​

Among our regular participants was Anna from Kyiv, Ukraine. When the conflict in Ukraine escalated, Anna faced the harrowing decision to flee her home with her children and their dog, seeking safety across the border in Poland.​

Upon learning of Anna’s situation, members of our Gratitude Circle community sprang into action. Mady and Richard from Paris coordinated a plan: Richard drove over 10 hours to Germany to pick up Alex, another community member, and together they journeyed to the Polish border. There, they met Anna and her family, providing them with transportation and shelter. The family eventually found a new place to live, supported every step of the way by individuals who had once been mere faces on a screen but had become a lifeline in crisis.​
This experience underscored the profound impact of virtual connections.

What began as a online experiment transformed into tangible acts of kindness and heroism, transcending borders and circumstances. It was a testament to the power of community and the unexpected ways we can touch each other’s lives.​

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a digital storyteller, gratitude enthusiast, and lifelong experimenter in radical vulnerability. I’ve spent my career weaving together technology, integrity, and heart-centered connection.
I started making waves in the early days of the internet—first with a personal website called cockybastard.com (back when putting your life online was still considered wildly taboo), and later with projects like “Fears. Regrets. Desires.” on NBC.com and the Webby-award-winning hugnation.com. What’s tied all my work together is a deep desire to remind people they’re not alone and that their weirdness is a gift.
I’ve dabbled in everything from Men’s work to reality TV to public speaking to community building. My work doesn’t fit in a box—unless the box is covered in glitter, tears, and inappropriate jokes.
I help people tap into their emotional authenticity. Whether I’m leading men’s groups, hosting Gratitude Circles, organizing outreach for the local houseless community, or guiding people through a vulnerable conversation, my goal is always the same: to inspire connection by being radically myself.
What sets me apart? I don’t pretend to have it all figured out. I lead with my wounds. I believe in building community through authenticity, not perfection. I’m not afraid to cry on camera, say “I don’t know,” or hug a stranger in a tutu.
What I’m most proud of? That I’ve been able to make a life out of sharing love. That the things I’ve created—like 1st Saturdays, Gratitude Circles, Pink Heart, and Hug Nation—have made people feel seen and held. And that even after decades of doing this, I’m still evolving, still creating, and still believing in the transformative power of vulnerability.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

For years, Hug Nation was my pulpit—weekly livestreams where I shared stories, tears, and reminders that we are love, we are enough, and we are not alone. It won a Webby, had a loyal following, and genuinely felt like ministry. But as social media shifted and attention scattered, I could feel the digital winds changing. I wasn’t reaching people the same way.
I paused. Listened. I realized that while the formats were changing, the need for connection wasn’t. So I pivoted from performance to participation—from broadcasting love to co-creating it.
That’s when I started my daily Hug Nation “Love Morning” broadcasts and Gratitude Circles. Not just monologues—but rooms full of humans showing up with open hearts. Some days we have two people. Some days we have fifty. But the intimacy, the realness—that’s where the magic returned.

I used to think that I needed to be a teacher and speak to people that were my students. Now I try to create spaces where people feel like they belong…and trust that we will help one another grow.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

There is a story my grandpa told me that dramatically changed my life.
I actually re-told the 90 second story in a 2015 documentary film called “Human” by Yann Arthus-Bertrand.
The clip of my grandpa’s story went viral and was viewed over 45 million times.
I was transformed by the philosophy of the clip *and* the way a tiny nugget of truth can have massive impact in the world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWKNwzGL8C0

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lifestudent.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/halcyonpink/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnstyn
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/hugnation