Every child deserves to hear the words “You matter” and believe them. I learned that truth the hard way.
When I was five years old, I suffered a traumatic brain injury that left me feeling invisible. I wore an eye patch and struggled with a severe speech impediment. Weekly, I walked away from my classmates across a wide field to meet with a speech therapist. She didn’t just teach me how to form words. She made me feel seen. She reminded me that my voice mattered.
That feeling—the moment someone believes in you—becomes the scaffolding for everything else. But too many children today never get that scaffolding.
Five Words That Wouldn’t Let Me Go
Fast forward, there are moments in life when you hear something so clear, it feels less like an idea and more like a calling. For me, that calling came a few years ago. Five words—beaten, broken, bored, lonely, helpless—kept echoing in my mind. At first, I didn’t fully understand what they meant. Over time, I realized they weren’t just words; they were symptoms of something much deeper: a growing crisis of mattering.
And I knew I had to do something about it.
Where Mattering Begins
The first place we learn what it feels like to matter isn’t on social media. It isn’t in the workplace. It’s in our homes, schools, faith communities, and playfields.
It happens in the small moments: a parent looking up from their phone to really listen, a teacher who sees a spark in a quiet student, a friend who says, “You belong here.”
But when those early moments of mattering break down, the ripple effects last a lifetime.
A Growing Crisis of Mattering We Can’t Ignore
Forty percent of high school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. That’s not just a number. That’s millions of kids who feel like they don’t matter.
During the pandemic, many children lost caregivers, experienced isolation, or faced emotional abuse at home. Add to that the pressures of social media, violence, political polarization, and climate anxiety, and it’s no wonder psychologists are calling this a mental health crisis.
We cannot solve this with another app, or by lecturing kids to “be more resilient.” We must start earlier, before hopelessness hardens into identity.
Planting Seeds Early: Why I Wrote You Matter, Luma
Like many kids, I grew up searching for where I fit, carrying quiet doubts well into adulthood. Through hosting over 600 conversations with psychologists, neuroscientists, and behavioral experts on the Passion Struck podcast, I’ve seen how early experiences of belonging—or the lack of them—shape lives in profound ways.
One truth became crystal clear: the seeds of mattering are planted early.
You Matter, Luma is my way of reaching children ages 4–8, before the data curves spike. It’s a heartfelt storybook wrapped in science: infused with behavioral science, mindfulness practices, positive psychology, and character strengths. It’s designed to help families and communities nurture belonging in everyday moments.
This is more than a story. It’s a tool for parents, educators, and faith leaders to spark conversations about belonging, kindness, courage, and self-worth during a child’s most formative years.
Enter the Matteringverse
You Matter, Luma is the first step in something much bigger: the Matteringverse —an ecosystem of stories, characters, experiences, and resources designed to help both kids and adults rediscover what it means to matter.
Through a ten-book series, character-based quizzes, live experiences, digital challenges, and classroom tools, the Matteringverse will help families build a shared language of belonging
This isn’t just about inspiring kids. It’s about giving adults the tools to model what it means to live like they matter—so their children grow up believing it too.
Join the Ripple
The crisis of mattering is real. But so is the opportunity. If we begin early and build together, we can change the trajectory of a generation.
Pre-order your copy of You Matter, Luma, and help us spark a ripple effect of belonging that lasts a lifetime.