LIVE LAUGH LOVE

Brett’s episode centers on the idea that life is less about what happens to you and more about how you respond to it, emphasizing that attitude is your greatest advantage. He shares a real-life moment where simply noticing someone’s pain and being present made a difference, reinforcing the importance of compassion and encouragement in everyday life. Drawing from leadership principles and Ed Foreman’s teachings, he highlights that values like integrity, respect, and responsibility must be lived out daily—not just talked about. The core message is to laugh often, love deeply, and take ownership of your life, using gratitude and positive self-talk to shape your mindset. Ultimately, Brett encourages listeners to live intentionally, bring positive energy into every situation, and remember that your choices—not your circumstances—determine the quality of your life.

Lisa Jimenez | I’ts Not the Fear That’s Holding You Back, It’s Your Beliefs

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quote-of-the-day-show-daily-motivational-talks/id1163094296?i=1000753012318

Terri Savelle Foy | 10 Quickest Ways to Be Free From Stress

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/terri-savelle-foy-podcast-audio/id274538089?i=1000754023405

Joel Osteen | Build Yourself Up

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joel-osteen-podcast/id137254859?i=1000751956284 

Daily Healthy Lifestyle:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1coeDFfQP3wt1DX-nRvIi4Q0W9IJSB8Mr/view?usp=drivesdk

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome to A Conversation of Hope with Brett. This podcast is all about you. The mission? To remind you that you are a masterpiece. To inspire you to dream again. To equip you with simple, actionable strategies for success. Strategies you can start using today to begin your journey toward the incredible life you deserve. He wants to remind you of the champion you were born to be. No matter your past or current struggles, Brett firmly believes that your best days are still ahead. He's grateful you're here and promises to give us all each week to help you create the life you were meant to live. So buckle up. Let's get started.

SPEAKER_01 0:52

Welcome, welcome, welcome to a conversation of hope. So glad you tuned in this week. I have a great episode I think you'll enjoy lined out for you. Right from the start, I want to remind you, you are enough. You have what it takes. You are, in fact, a champion whose absolute best days are straight ahead. This week, y'all, I was reminded to always be in tune with how people are doing around me. One of the people that I work with looked down and I was wondering, I asked if she was doing okay. Just didn't look good. She burst out into tears. She told me today was the six-year anniversary of her friend Kaylee taking her own life. She had a necklace on that had a picture of her friend. I was quickly reminded how life can hit hard at different times for all the people that are around us. And we just need to be there for each other. A listening ear, a kind word, and just taking time can make all the difference in the world to the people in our lives. Wow. So things are going on around us. Let's always be that light to all the people around us, y'all. All right, I came across something good from Lee Cockrel. I wanted to share with you. So Lee Cockrel is a retired Disney exec. He was in charge of all the different Disney Worlds, Disneylands, all across the world. So Paris one, Florida, California, all of them. And um he just I listened to him for leadership tips and stuff. He always has really good stuff. Um helps me apply to myself as a leader. And remember, if you're not leading a ton of people right now, the hardest person you'll ever lead in your life is yourself. And that includes me. So I figured this could apply to everyone. Um so I want to share it with you real quick, and then we'll get right into the heart of this week's episode, which I think you're gonna love. All right, here we go. This game from Lee Cockrell, like I said, emailed it to me. Um it just says, values are your foundation. Your values, y'all. Huge. What we do at Disney World, he says, does not happen by accident. You cannot accidentally make millions and millions of people from all over the world happy and inspired and leave them with a huge desire to come back and see you as soon as they can. There are many ingredients to making this happen, but it begins with having stated values that define what our leadership team believes. The values are not just a list on the wall, they are practice from the top of the organization to the front line. Do you have values in your organization or in your life? I know we all do. Are all team members aware of them? Have you created a healthy, trustworthy environment where these values can be practiced safely? Here is the list of values we used at Disney World. Values, honesty, we deal with each other sincerely and straightforwardly. Integrity, we act in a manner consistent with our words and our beliefs. Respect we treat each other with care and consideration. Courage we pursue our beliefs with strength and perseverance. Openness. We share information freely. Diversity. We respect, appreciate, and value everyone. Balance. We strive for stability and vitality in our lives. These values are the ones people all over the world would hope to live and work under. I was proud these are the values at Disney, and I tried to practice them out every day. Values are either a list or they're a reality. I love that part. Values are either a list or a reality. You are the one who can ensure they are a reality in your organization. As you make decisions and deal with team members, you need to hold these values close to your heart, cherish them and practice them. An organization without these kind of values is not where you want to be. It is hard to be a leader. It is hard to behave all day long every day. It's hard to be honest, especially when you need to communicate something the other person may not want to hear. It is hard to have total integrity and walk the talk day in and day out. It is sometimes hard to show respect for others when they are getting on your nerves or do something you don't understand. It's hard to have the courage to speak up and do the right thing when you're afraid it might affect your career. It is hard to be open, let people know your frailties, and share information. It is hard to always respect, appreciate, and value everyone. It is hard to find a balance between your business and personal life. Yes, it's hard, but it gets a lot easier when the leaders practice it themselves. If each leader starting at the top does these things, they will trickle down. Before long, they will be done throughout the organization. Work on these things, think about these things. Values are the foundation upon which everything else is built. Without strong, consistent values practiced by your entire team, you can never build a house of trust. If you leave out a value or don't practice it, the house gets weaker. When you leave out one value, it's not long before you are willing to give up another one. And before long, you have a wreck of a house that nobody wants to live in. Hard? Yes. Impossible, no. You can do it. All right, y'all. Lee Cockrell, L-E-E, C O C K E R E L L. Um, if you go to his website, he has something that I subscribe to. It's 20 bucks a month. They're cheap. It's called the Main Street Leader. It is really, really good, y'all. Just nuggets of wisdom if you want to move up in the company you're at or the business you have. Um, I'm telling you, it's priceless. If you just want to get more better leadership skills, it's great. I get nothing out of it. I just want you to know about it because it's a resource helping out my life. All right, y'all. Now let's talk about what we got going on this week. I think you're really going to enjoy the recap of Ed Foreman's program, Laughing, Loving, and Living. One of the programs talks about how to create a great day every day. It reminded me that life is like a menu as you get to choose how your day is going to be with your habits and your attitude. For years, I used to walk around in the morning. I'd get up in the morning, put on the headphones, and I'd usually walk for about an hour just to start my day. While I was walking, I would listen to this program, this part of the program, every single morning because it was so good and it just kept me on point. All right, let's dig into it. Ed Foreman's message in laughing, loving, and living your best life is a classic high-energy practical personal development rooted in attitude, faith, responsibility, and humor. His philosophy centers on the core belief. You don't control what happens to you, but you absolutely control how you respond to it. All right, so let's go into the recap, y'all. The power of attitude, your ultimate advantage. Ooh, attitude, your ultimate advantage, everyone. I agree. Foreman teaches that attitude is more important than circumstances, talent, background, or even education. Key points. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react. A positive attitude is a decision, not a personality trait. Your response to adversity determines your trajectory. Emotional control is strength. He emphasizes that winners are not people without problems. They are people who refuse to let problems define them. All right. So here's some practical applications. Choose your mood before the day chooses it for you. Speak positively even when you don't feel like it. Act confident until you become confident. Laughing is the power that gives you that humor and joy. Foreman believes laughter is not just entertainment, it's medicine and perspective. Why laughter matters? Reduce it reduces stress and mental fatigue, breaks tension in relationships, restores emotional balance, and keeps your ego in check. He teaches that people who can laugh at themselves are emotionally strong. Humor shrinks problems down to size. If you can laugh at it, you can live with it. Too many people take life seriously, but not themselves lightly. Joy is a strength, it's not a weakness. Loving relationships relationships are everything. Horman stresses that success without love is hollow. Achievement without meaningful relationships is empty. He talks about investing in people more than possessions. Encourage more than you criticize. Listen more than you speak. Appreciate before it's too late. He emphasizes marriage requires daily intentional kindness. Parenting requires presence, not just provision. And friendship requires maintenance. Love is shown through patience, words of affirmation, forgiveness, and service. Living personal responsibility. A cornerstone of Foreman's philosophy is radical responsibility. He teaches us all. Stop blaming, stop complaining, stop making excuses, just start adjusting. He believes most people stay stuck because they blame their past, they blame the economy, they blame their upbringing, and they blame other people. His message is clear. If it's gonna be, it's up to me. Living your best life requires ownership, self-talk and mental conditioning. Foreman emphasizes the importance of what you say to yourself. Negative self-talk creates low confidence, fear of failure, and inaction. Positive self-talk builds courage, resilience, confidence, and momentum. He encourages daily affirmations and intentional thinking. Your mind is programmable, and you are the programmer. Ooh, that's powerful. Your input will determine your output. Gratitude has a discipline. Gratitude is not an emotion, it is a practice. Foreman teaches complain less, count your blessings daily. Focus on what you have, not what you lack. Gratitude shifts your perspective from scarcity to abundance. It fuels contentment, joy, optimism, and energy, resilience and adversity. Foreman does not deny that life is hard. Instead, he insists that hardship builds strength. Foreman talks about his philosophy, and that is pain is temporary. Growth comes through struggle. Adversity reveals character. He encourages asking what can I learn from this? How can I grow through this? Who can I help because of this? Victims ask, why me? Victors ask, what now? The importance of energy. Energy is contagious. Foreman teaches smile intentionally, speak with enthusiasm, walk with purpose, bring life into rooms. People are drawn to positive energy and they're repelled by negativity. He encourages becoming the most encouraging person in the room. You always want to be that. Be the most encouraging person in the room. Be the most optimistic person in your circle. The person who lifts others up. That's what you want to be. That's what I want to be. I'm with you on this. Alright, faith and optimism. Though practical, Foreman's philosophy carries a strong undertone of faith and belief in something greater. Core spiritual undertones include trust beyond circumstances, belief in purpose, hope during uncertainty. Optimism is not denial. It is confidence in eventual victory. Foreman challenges people not to drift through life. He wants us to live intentionally, set goals, grow daily, improve relationships, develop character, make your life count. That's the biggest one of all, y'all. For me too. Make our lives count. He believes many people settle for average because they never decide to pursue excellence. Living your best life requires decision, discipline, and daily effort. Emotional control and maturity. Foreman emphasizes emotional discipline. Mature people respond instead of react. They think before speaking, refuse to escalate conflict. Control anger. He encourages asking. Is this worth my peace? Will this matter five years from now? The law of encouragement. Wow, we love this one. Encouragement is powerful currency. Foreman teaches compliment freely, thank people often, notice effort, build others up. Encouraged people perform better. Encouraged families thrive. Encouragement employs excellence. Success defined differently. Foreman redefines success. He calls it having strong relationships, being a positive influence, having inner peace. I think we all know that is priceless. Having integrity, having joy, not just money, status, or possessions. Core message laughing, loving, and living your best life now is about choosing your attitude daily, laughing often, loving deeply, taking responsibility, staying grateful, growing through adversity, bringing positive energy everywhere you go. I love that. I try to work on that every day. And it is a decision, y'all. Sometimes we just don't feel like it, but you got to remember BTE, BTE, BTE, bring that energy. It's a blueprint for emotional strength, relationship depth, and personal fulfillment. All right, y'all. Key takeaways. Your response determines your results. Encourage more than you criticize. Laughed often, it lightens life. It's gonna be, if it's gonna be, it's up to me. Gratitude turns what you have into enough. I always love that one. That statement just changed my life. I heard a pastor say it a little bit ago. Gratitude turns what you have into enough. So right now, you have everything you need. All right, laughing, loving, living your best life. It's the truth. Life is not about what happens to you. It's about how you respond to what happens to you. We cannot control the economy, we cannot control traffic, we cannot control what someone says about us. But we can control our attitudes. Attitude's everything. Your attitude will determine your altitude. It will determine whether you grow bitter or better, whether you shrink back or you step up. Every single morning that we wake up, we have a decision. Am I going to let circumstances control me or am I going to control my response? Winners don't have fewer problems. They simply just respond differently. Now let's talk about laughing, everybody. Some people take life so seriously that they forgot how to enjoy it. They carry stress like a badge of honor. They walk around tense, negative, and reactive. The laughter is strength. If you can laugh at it, you can live with it. If you can laugh at yourself, you are emotionally strong. Laughter shrinks problems down to size, it releases pressure, it resets perspective. It reminds you that you're not every that not everything is a crisis. Don't let temporary frustration steal permanent joy. Choose joy. Choose perspective. Choose to lighten up. Let's talk about loving. At the end of our lives, no one will gather around your bed and ask us, how many emails did you answer? They will ask, did you love well? Did you show up? Did you encourage people? Did you make someone feel valued? Success without love is empty. Love your spouse intentionally. Encourage your kids daily. Appreciate your friends openly. Forgive quickly. Encouragement is powerful. A few sincere words can change someone's direction. Be the most encouraging person in the room. Be the person who lifts others. Be the energy people feel better around. And finally live in your best life. Here's the truth. If it's gonna be, it's up to you. We gotta all stop blaming, stop complaining, stop making excuses. Our past is does not define our future. Our circumstances do not limit our potential. Our setbacks do not cancel our destiny. Every challenge asks us one question Will we grow or will we quit? Adversity doesn't destroy character, it reveals it. When difficulty comes up, we don't want to ask ourselves, why me? Ask what now? What can I learn? How can I grow? How can I help because of this? And who can I help? Gratitude is the secret weapon. Instead of focusing on what you lack, focus on what you have. Instead of magnifying problems, count our blessings. Gratitude turns what you have into enough. We talked about that, I'm telling you, powerful. You could change your whole situation in your life right now, which is that one sentence, because it's all in your mind. Gratitude turns what you have into enough. And here's what happens when you combine all three. When you laugh, you relieve stress. When you love, you build a legacy. And when you take responsibility, you unlock growth. That's how you live your best life. Not someday, not when everything's perfect, not when the circumstances change, but now. So let's all decide today that we will choose our attitude, we will bring positive energy, we will laugh more, we will love deeper, we will take ownership, we will grow through adversity, and we will live intentionally because the quality of our life is not determined by our conditions, it is determined by our decision. Laugh often, love deeply, and live fully. And your best life won't be something you hope for, it'll be something that you create. Yay, everybody. Good stuff. I love rehearing that again and again and again and again and again. Because life can sometimes beat you down a bit, but if you keep putting the right input in, that's why I would literally listen to his program, How to Have a Great Day Every Day. It was about 45 minutes or so. I would literally listen to it every single day when I walked in the morning. Very good stuff. All right, amazing wisdom that when we apply it, it will definitely impact our life in a great way. As we all know, I want the best for you, and you deserve a great life. So let's go out there and get it. Alright, buckle up. It's time to enter the laugh zone. All right, this first joke comes from my wife, who's also the executive producer, the greatest executive producer in the history of podcasting. She is amazing. She said, Hey, use this one on your podcast. So I said, All right, let's do it. Smart man. She says that we do it. Let's go. Did you know in Hawaii it's illegal to laugh too hard out in public? You have to keep it a low ha. It's story time. Got two great stories lined out for you. I think you're going to enjoy both of them. Here we go. Straight up first one. Good Samaritan sprang into action to save baby that fell into Lake Michigan. From Chicago comes the story of a pair of heroes rescuing an infant that had been blown into Lake Michigan. Thirty year old Leo was on the phone with his aunt at Belmont Harbor when he felt the wind pick up fiercely, followed by a blood curdling scream from a woman close by. Leo knew exactly what had happened. The wind caught the bassinet of a stroller, and as the nursery rhyme goes, down went baby cradle and all right into the lake. I just realized the lady wasn't able to help because she was too panicked, which is understandable. So I'm like, I guess I'm going in, and I jumped. That's what Leo said. I had no idea what the plan was. Reaching the stroller, Leo couldn't get the baby out and had to lift the top out of the water to stop it from sinking. Enter Luis, an American Airlines pilot, who was the second on scene. Paired with Leo, impulsive heroism with a more measured response, realizing Leo was treading water with a 30 pounds of soaking wet stroller. He tossed one arm of his Chicago Cubs jacket into him, which Leo admitted helped a lot. Holding onto the arm of the jacket, he kept Leo afloat until the baby's Danny arrived to help him lift the stroller out of the water. First responders arrived to take baby and the man to the hospital. Yeah, I called work, called my girlfriend, my aunt was on the phone, said Leo. She heard the whole thing. I just threw my phone down and I guess she called my mom. I was just trying to make sure that they all knew I was fine and the baby was good, said Leo. Despite the weather being fair, the water was still very cold, and at the hospital they discovered that Leo was experiencing elevated heart enzymes that concern the doctors enough to recommend an overnight stay. That's the story of a hero. Someone who's gonna act to help somebody else they don't even know, even though they're placing their own life in danger. He's an absolute rock star. As for Leo, he admitted that being called a hero felt weird, labeling himself just as a server and a stand-up comedian at the right place at the right time. Wow, y'all. I know we would do the same thing. Golden rule life's about helping each other out, being there for each other. Some people will watch what happened, some people will wonder what happened, and then other people like us, we just make it happen. Alright, next one up, pretty darn cool. Best friends exchanged the same birthday card back and forth for 81 years straight. On her 95th birthday, Pat received a greeting card that was already 81 years old. It all started in 1944 when the Kentucky resident first received the card for her 14th birthday after her family moved to Indianapolis during World War II. Wow. The new girl didn't have many friends, but one of them, Mary, would prove to be the lifelong kind. I didn't know very many people, so Mary kind of picked me up out of the gutter, and you know, was really nice to me, said Pat. We became really good friends. The memorable birthday card featured a cartoon dog on the front with a red bow and the greeting here's wishing you a birthday that is really colossal. On the inside there's a massive dinosaur skeleton with the message 'cause it'll be a long, long time before you're an old fossil. After enjoying the card, Pat saved it, then she signed it and sent it back to Mary a month later for Mary's birthday that was in May. A tradition was born. The playful gesture sparked a back and forth birthday card custom that lasted eighty-one years in counting. It survived World War II, went on tournament Guinness Book World of Records for the longest greeting card exchange ever after sixty years. It also manufactured a multitude of smiles twice a year for more than three quarters of a century. We never said we're going to do this, at least I don't remember ever saying that, it just happened, said Pat. Every year it would give us some reason to call each other and talk. The decades passed, the card kept making its rounds, and the world kept changing. Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, computers became commonplace, email was invented, and most people quit sending cards altogether. But not the two girls from Indiana. Even as the decades passed and the adult life sent them to separate states, the childhood friends kept the tradition alive. Pat knew it would show up in her mailbox this year as she turned ninety-five, y'all. Wow. And she'll sign it, date it, and send it back to Mary in May, just as she's always done. A tradition of simple joy that brightened her days so many years ago and will continue to mark a pair of birthdays for another blessed year. Yay! That is so awesome, y'all. Oh my goodness. What a tradition! That's kind of cool. Maybe we should start thinking about doing that with one of our friends. Time now for my recap of my top three podcast episodes that I heard this week. Like you, I like to grow, get better. Anything I can do to be a better husband, father, grandfather, and leader, and uh worker, whatever. I just want to be better. And always remember that your input will determine your output, y'all. And you know that. That's why you're listening to the podcast. Number one up, it's not the fear that is holding you back, it's your beliefs, says Lisa James. It's your beliefs about fear and failure that is holding you back, she says. Your beliefs are holding you back from ultimate success. Here's the good news those beliefs were all taught to you, so you can change any of your beliefs. You can transform your beliefs about fear, failure, and success. What limiting beliefs come up for you when she says fear? Unlearn the lies that you've been taught in regards to fear and failure. Be aware of what is getting you stuck. A lot of times, what drives our fears is the unknown. Remember, always remember, fear stands for false evidence appearing real. Fear is dwelling on something that has not even happened yet. 90% of all of our fears never occur. She says, choose faith over fear. You're gonna use the energy either way. Might as well use the energy to focus on the positive things that happen for you and for the ones that you love versus negative things happening. Make the choice to use the energy you have for the day to believe for great things instead of worrying about negative outcomes. Your beliefs shape your future in an epic way. Great things are coming, and know you're truly affected by what you believe will affect your future with great thoughts and victory. Engage your tongue to speak words of life and victory as well as believing for big things. If you're gonna believe anyway, believe and speak big and create that great life that you want for you and your family. Really good one, everyone. Link to full episode is in the show notes, as always. Number two, stressed out. 10 quick ways to be free from stress from Terry Savell. Everything Terry puts out is great. She also puts out amazing women's conferences if you ever need to get away and just get recharged. And it's just T-E-R-R-I, Terry Savell, S-A-V-E-L-L-E. So check her out. If you want to do a getaway, you're a lady that just needs to get recharged and refreshed. Her women's conferences are great. And I think she calls them icing conferences because you get to go to a conference and eat a lot of frosting with cupcakes and cakes and all sorts of fun stuff. All right, y'all. Stress is not a sign, she says, that you are weak. Often it's a sign you are carrying too much mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Peace is your inheritance from God. She says, number one, declutter one small area. The mess causes stress. Clutter is postponed decisions. Every pile is whispering, deal with me. You don't need to organize your whole house. Just start with one drawer or one countertop. Small order brings inner peace. God is not a god of confusion, but a god of peace. Make your bed. Making your bed creates instant order and win and creates a win for you to start your day. It gives you a sense of control. When you end your day coming back to a made bed, your nervous system relaxes. Number three, shrink. Your to-do list. Stress often comes from unrealistic expectations. If your to-do list has 27 items on it, your brain already feels defeated. Pick three of your most important tasks. Everything else is a bonus. Don't expect yourself to do everything. Move your body, she says. Exercise is one of the fastest stress reducers God ever designed for us. Walking, stretching, working out with light weights. You don't need intensity, you just need consistency. Some of Terry's clearest prayers have happened when she was out walking. Your body releases stress hormones when you are moving. Make it a goal to do something for just ten minutes. Ten minutes is better than no minutes, but it all adds up and helps you out. Number five, she says, get outside. Fresh air is therapy. Sunlight boosts your serotonin, which is your peace chemical. Is linked in the show notes as always. Hi y'all. Number three, Joel Osteen, build yourself up. It's good to have others build you up and encourage you, but there will always be times when you need to build yourself up. Don't rely on others to build you up. You can build yourself up. If you totally rely on people to build you up, people can let you down. People have their own issues at different times. If no one is complimenting you, learn to compliment yourself. If no one told you you look good today, look in the mirror and tell yourself, you look good. You are a masterpiece. You are a one of a kind. You are a prized possession. You are a child of the Most High God. Quit putting how you feel about yourself in someone else's hands. The scripture says, build yourself up. When you try to get approval from others, you're at their mercy. We don't want that, y'all. When you learn to build yourself up, what others give or don't give does not affect you. You will already have built yourself up. It's a powerful way to live when no one else is affecting your mood or your self-worth. Think of how free and liberating that be, everybody. It's a powerful way to live when no one else is affecting your mood or your self-worth. And you can do it. Build yourself up before you leave the house for the day. People don't control your value. Don't give them that power. If you try to get your value from other people, you'll live in a roller coaster world. One day people will love you and other days they may not. When you build yourself up, you're not moved by negative chatter. You're not frustrated because others don't approve you. You're already approved yourself, and that's good enough. Learn to celebrate yourself. It's healthy to clap for yourself and celebrate what you have done. You're not bragging on you. You're bragging on the talents and the gifts that God has given you. Link to full episode in the show notes. All right, y'all. Now for the challenge of the week. This week, let's you and I randomly call someone that has made a positive impact in our lives and just sincerely thank them for all that they have done for us. Remind them how valuable that they are in your life. Sometimes we all think someday I'll let so-and-so know how special that they are to me, but you know what? Someday may never happen. So let's make that someday today. Before we go to bed tonight, let's make that call or send a text. We know it will make their day, it'll probably make their week, their month, just to hear those words of gratitude from us. All right, y'all. I want to close out the way that we started. You are loved and appreciated. You have what it takes. You are, in fact, enough. You are a champion whose absolute best days are straight ahead. Thank you for being a part of our great community as we roll to one million, y'all. Have an epic day, a victorious week. And God bless.

SPEAKER_00 36:39

Thank you once again for listening to a conversation of hope with Brett. Brett wants to remind you that you are loved and appreciated. If you found value in this episode and know someone who could use a little hope and encouragement, please like, share, and follow. Be sure to check out the show notes for links to Brett's top three podcasts of the week. Until next time, wishing you and your family an incredible week. And ultimately, a great life. Because you, yes, you deserve it.