The Tonic Minute, With Daryn Kagan

Here's what I know from working a bunch of years in TV news: It's important to be informed. News is important. I also came to see that's it's important to be inspired, as well.

That's why, when I left CNN after 12 years, it was a chance to ask myself, "If I could do anything I wanted, what would it be?" The answer: tell my favorite kind of stories. The ones that show the world what's possible! The ones that my heart go, "zing!" I launched DarynKagan.com in November 2006, creating the web's one-stop destination for inspiring news.

Look, you can't work in news for a long time and not realize that bad things happen in the world. Of course, they do. I just came to see that even in the darkest, most challenging situations, there will always be people who rise above. I call them "inside out" stories. Folks take a circumstance that happens to them without their choosing and turn them "inside out," transforming their lives and the world around them.

The CNN gig? You might remember me from that. I was your late morning, breaking news anchor for a long time. And in between that daily front seat to the world's top events, I covered the beginning of the Iraq war from Kuwait, traveled to Africa with Bono, and did Oscar's Red Carpet more times than I can count.

A great gig! And you know what? I haven't missed it a single second since I stepped out on my own and started covering inspiring news at DarynKagan.com. Just because there is so much good to talk about, I've also written my first book, What's Possible: 50 True Stories of People Who Dared To Dream They Could Make A Difference. And I've produced and hosted a couple of PBS documentaries Breaking The Curse and Solartown USA.

I'm thrilled to now be working with the Tonic folks. I'll be here bringing you a round-up of the positively good things happening in the world (see our first segment, below). I hope you drop by on a regular basis and come visit me over at DarynKagan.com where every story show's the world "What's Possible!"

One more thing: I'd love to have you follow me on Twitter!