1 - The Night AI Made Me Cry
I didn't expect AI to make me cry. Not from frustration — from something it said that was so unexpectedly right that it stopped me cold. That moment is where this show begins, and it's exactly the kind of thing we're going to explore together: the small, practical, and sometimes surprisingly personal ways that AI can show up in ordinary life.
From Search Engine to Something More
Like a lot of people, I started using AI for the obvious stuff — comparing cars, researching products, getting quick answers. It worked great. I thought I understood exactly what it was. Then I started having real conversations with it, and my opinion shifted completely.
The Blizzard, the Bills, and Why I Can't Stop Holding Everything Together
I had a rough upbringing. I was doing adult tasks — paying bills, doing taxes — from the time I was 10 years old. When I was 11, my father, who was drunk, handed me the wheel of a van in a blizzard and told me to drive us home. I did. And somewhere in all of that, I learned that if I didn't hold everything together, it would fall apart. I've been doing that ever since.
The Moment ChatGPT Said the Thing I Needed to Hear
While working through a series of reflective questions inspired by author Dan Pink, I ended up in a deep conversation with ChatGPT about my childhood. What it said next — connecting my inability to rest with a Psalm I had literally just recorded a podcast about — completely caught me off guard. I'm not much of a crier. But I was that night. And they were joyful, relieved tears.
Not a Religious Show — But That's Where It Surprised Me First
This is not a faith podcast. I have two other shows for that. But I'm not going to pretend this moment didn't happen just because it involved a Bible verse. The point isn't the topic — it's that AI went somewhere I didn't expect. It has done the same thing talking about my retirement savings, a glucose problem I was managing, and whether I should get a cat or a dog.
The Answer You Needed, Not Just the One You Asked For
When I asked ChatGPT how it knew to say what it did, it told me something I haven't stopped thinking about: the goal isn't to answer the question you asked — it's to answer the question you needed to hear, even if you didn't ask it. That's what it means to actually answer a question well. It's also a pretty good description of the best humans in our lives.
What This Show Is
Small Steps with AI is for people who aren't technical, may not even love the idea of AI, but are curious what it could actually do for their real life. We'll talk about practical decisions, hard conversations, daily habits, and the moments where this technology goes deeper than you expected — one small step at a time.
Have a question you've always wondered if AI could help with? Drop it in the comments or email me at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com. Find all my shows at jillfromthenorthwoods.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjTaZvvOtxU
Jill’s Links
http://jillfromthenorthwoods.com
https://www.youtube.com/@startwithsmallsteps
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Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com
By choosing to watch this video or listen to this podcast, you acknowledge that you are doing so of your own free will. The content shared here reflects personal experiences and opinions and is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a licensed healthcare provider, psychiatrist, or counselor. Any advice or suggestions offered should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. You are solely responsible for any decisions or actions you take based on this content.
