A Conversation of Hope With Brett

Up Your Happiness Quickly With This One Thing

• Brett and Shannon

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SPEAKER_00

Welcome to a conversation of hope with Brian. 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. What will be sharing insights on his latest life? Along with colorful stories of time over adversity. He wants to remind you of the champion you want to be. No matter your cast or comment struggle, but finally believes that your best things are still less. So buckle up. Let's get started.

SPEAKER_01

Hey, hey, hey. Welcome, welcome, welcome. So glad you can join me this week on a conversation of hope. Last week's challenge was to do an unexpected act of kindness for the one you love. I hope you're able to do that for the one you love. Share what you did at gpx freedom at gmail.com. We'll share it with our great community as Iron Sharpens iron. All right, buckle up because boy, do I get excited about our topic this week. If you are already doing this one, you're noticeably happier than most people. If not, you can start today and live a happier life by applying what we will discuss this week. Next to love, this is the most powerful emotion, and it's only a choice. This week, we will be talking about gratitude. Living with gratitude. A gratitude mindset will in fact truly change your life. I've experienced both sides of this one. I've lived in the mindset of lack, constantly focusing on what I don't have, and it was an exhausting, unhealthy way to live. But when I started focusing on all the blessings in my life, everything changed. Now, every morning when I wake up, I spend about 15 minutes lying in bed thanking God for everything that I have. I thank God for my health, my wife, my kids, my granddaughter Lathena Rose, my job, my home, the sunshine on my face, and hearing my family and friends enjoying their friendships and relationships, and simply another day to enjoy and make a difference in the world. What a life! Gratitude takes what you have and makes it enough. One of the best practices I've learned is to write down the top ten things you're grateful for and review it when you get up and before you go to bed. When you see life through the lens of gratitude, it transforms everything. They say the happiest people in the world have three things in common God and love, gratitude, and a strong community filled with healthy relationships. You will never fully experience the goodness life has to offer without walking in an attitude of gratitude. True gratitude leads to a fulfilling life when you're not focused on what others have that you don't, but are instead deeply appreciative of what you do have. Here's what I have found in my own life. True gratitude has nothing to do with material things, some of the greatest gifts in life, health, and meaningful relationships with those around you. Okay. Alright, it's time for a joke break. Here we go. What do you call a cold dog? A chili dog. That's right. Just happened. It's true. Alright, let's look at some some of the facts about grateful people. Grateful people tend to experience a range of psychological, physical, and social benefits. Here are some key facts about them. Number one, they're happier and more positive. Grateful individuals are generally more optimistic and experience higher levels of happiness. Gratitude shifts focus from what is lacking to what is present. Mental health studies show gratitude reduces stress, anxiety, and depression by fostering a more positive outlook on life. It also strengthens relationships by making people feel valued and appreciated. Anytime you can make someone feel valued and appreciated, that is a home run with a relationship. Gratitude also gives you better physical health. Grateful people tend to have stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, and even better sleep quality. It also makes you more resilient. People with gratitude are better at coping with adversity and recovering from difficult situations. Grateful people are also more generous and compassionate. Those who practice gratitude are more likely to help others and be empathetic. You also have improved sleep. This is amazing. Look at all the things you get with just being grateful. Keeping a gratitude journal before bed has been shown to improve sleep quality and duration. You're also less materialistic, being grateful. You tend to be less focused on material possessions and more satisfied with what you have. You have more self-control. Gratitude has been linked to better decision making and patience, leading to healthier choices in life. Last but not least, grateful people also boosts your productivity. A grateful mindset increases motivation and efficiency in work and in personal life. Alright, now we're gonna look at a few tips on cultivating gratitude in your daily life. Number one, keep a gratitude journal. Write down three to five things you're grateful for each day. This shifts your focus to positive aspects of life. Number two, say thank you more often. Express gratitude to others, whether verbally, in a note, or through a kind gesture. Take a moment to appreciate the present, whether it's nature, a meal, or a small victory. Number four, reframe challenges. Instead of focusing on hardships, try to see what lessons or opportunities they might bring. Number five, limit complaints. When you catch yourself complaining, counterbalance it by identifying something positive in the situation. And number six, appreciate the little things. Gratitude isn't just for big moments, but cherish simple joys like a smile, fresh air, or a kind word. Write thank you notes. Send a note or a text to someone who has made a difference in your life. Reflect before sleep. Think about one positive thing that happened during the day before you go to bed. And then give back acts of kindness. Randomly bless somebody with an act of kindness, whether it's just a smile or a listening ear. When you're on the lookout to bless someone with an act of kindness, it's a great way to live. Long-term habits that can help you be grateful. Surround yourself with gratitude. Spend time with people who are appreciative and positive. Gratitude is contagious. Your inner circle makes such a difference. Surround yourself with people that are positive, grateful, and thankful. Boy, that's just going to set you up for success. Start your day with gratitude before getting out of bed mentally. List a few things that you're grateful for. And then turn your setbacks into gratitude. Ask yourself, what can I learn from this? Rather than focusing on only what went wrong. All right, y'all. So now we're going to talk about our story of the week. I actually have a couple of them because there's so many good ones out there, but here's one. And it's talking about when cancer stricken farmer can't go outside, neighbors complete his weeks of work in just a few hours. Greg Bishop is never one to ask for favors, but he is always first to offer them, which is why he has become so beloved by the people of Floyd County in Texas. So when the community heard that the farmer would be unable to participate in this year's harvest because of debilitating effects of chemotherapy, friends and neighbors rushed to his aid and harvested his crop for free. His crop, spanning four hundred and fifty acres, was nearly ready to be harvested when the doctor informed him that he must remain indoors due to a weakened immune system. With help from the community, the entirety of his harvest was ready to be ginned within just a few days. Dozens of people came out to lend their support, so many that some needed to be turned away. A local restaurant provided free burgers to all the helpers, even local fuel companies offered to support the event with free fuel and funding, but the farmers decided to pay for the cost anyway. Within five hours, the volunteers had processed 1,200 bales of cotton worth four hundred and twenty thousand dollars. If Bishop had been forced to do it by himself, it would have taken weeks. When asked why they so readily offered their help, the volunteers simply gushed about Bishop's character. He's a very good Christian man, just a good hearted man. He's very humble. He's just the best person, Aaron Hendrix, general manager of the co-op shared. Needless to say, Bishop was emotional over the kindness of the community. He was just overwhelmed by what everyone did. He was in tears. He couldn't thank the people enough for what they had done. The future of Gary Bishop is looking brighter each day as he continues his treatment and plans for a bone marrow treatment in the upcoming months. His neighbors and friends, ever willing to help, have established help for a continuing treatment. All right. The first one was women encircle a crying mom whose toddler was having a meltdown at the airport. Beth Bornstein was at LAX waiting to board her flight to Portland when she saw a mother who was having some problems with her son. A toddler who looked to be 18 or so months old, was having a total meltdown, running between the seats, kicking and screaming, then lying on the ground refusing to board the plane. His young mom, who was clearly pregnant and traveling alone with her son, became completely overwhelmed. She finally sat down on the floor, put her head in her hands, with her kid next to her still having a meltdown, and started to cry. Then six or seven women from around the boarding area convened on the young mother, formed a little circle around her and her toddler, and they all did something to help calm down the lady. That is what we talk about, golden rule. Seeing something going wrong, and all these beautiful women stepped up and said, You know what, we're not gonna let her do that alone. I love it. Delivery man goes above and beyond with a simple box to make boys' dream come true. An empathetic employee was hailed for delivering more than just packages to a Mississippi family. He went out of his way to deliver a box to a six-year-old boy when the youngster was heartbroken to find that his family's new refrigerator was not delivered in a cardboard box that he could use to build a fort. The delivery guy brought over an empty box so the boy could have that. That is really tuning into what's going on around you, especially as a worker. We got one last one for the week. Donations poured in for a sick boy after a dad jokingly responded to an accidental text when a father, Tony Wood, gave a good natured response to a text from a wrong number. Donations poured in for his son's cancer treatment. It all started when a woman named Sid accidentally texted Wood with a picture of herself wearing an evening gown in a department store. Wood, a father of six in Spring Hill, Tennessee, responded by saying, I believe this message was intended for someone else. My wife isn't home, so I couldn't get her opinion. But the kids and I think you look stunning in your dress. You should definitely go with that one. He also sent a photo of his kids giving a reassuring thumbs up. Social media users noticed that there were two people missing from the photo. And that's when they knew what was going on with the situation. Every time we have a chance to help people out, especially people in need, it's just such a great thing. That's what life's all about. This week in the show notes, I included an exclusive song called Gratitude. I think you'll like it. It's absolutely beautiful. All right, y'all. You know it's the time to recap my three favorite podcast episodes of the week. Developing a new mindset with Terry Savell. That was my first one. Really enjoyed it. Always enjoy everything she puts out. If you get a chance, check out. She has numerous books, all sorts of stuff. She is absolutely amazing. It's T-E-R-R-I, not Y, Terry Savell. All right, so why settle for less when God has great plans for you? What you believe about yourself on the inside is what will manifest on the outside. How do you believe about yourself? Well, you got to quit seven things if you're going to have truly a successful life and a positive mindset. All right, what are those seven? Here we go. Quit making excuses, number one. Number two, quit trying to please others. Number three, quit complaining. Number four, quit second guessing yourself. Number five, quit comparing with others. Number six, quit playing it safe. And number seven, quit waiting. The time is now for you to get out there and get your dreams. Great podcast. She goes into a lot more detail with it. It is included in the show notes, quick and easy for you. So you don't have to hunt it down. Number two, Jennifer Cohen. Boldness, confidence, and building the life that you want. This is the first time I'd ever heard of Jennifer Cohen, and I gotta tell you, she's dynamic. I shared her podcast with my daughter right away. My daughter likes that kind of stuff as well. So I thought it'd be a great one for her. Here's some of the things she was talking about. Ask for what you want. Boldness is a skill that you can practice and get better at. If you can't ask for the little things, you'll never ask for the bigger things. Take the courage to do today what you could not do yesterday. Everything you were building is to get better and better. Every time they're all building blocks to continue to grow. Find the people that are good at what you're bad at and work together with them to be better. Then she does a baggage versus luggage concept. Life is about reframing. It's all about how you see things. Luggage is moving forward, like taking a vacation, having great luggage, ready to go. Baggage is what weighs you down with negativity. Reframe what you see for a more forward look on success. Number three. Reframe it by Joel Osteen. You see life through a filter. If you see through a negative filter, your life will always be negative. Your perception becomes your reality. Thank God for what you have now. Focus on the good. You don't have to go to work. You get to go to work. Reframe it. It's all on how you look at it. This day is a gift from God. You only get one day to live it, and you never get to relive it or get it back. So enjoy it and appreciate every day. A lot of people in the hospital, he points out, would love to have just a normal day in your life. Sometimes things might seem mundane, but I promise you, if there's a lot of people out there that would love to have that. Thank God for what you have now so that He can multiply it. When you only focus on burdens, it will steal your joy. All right, y'all. It's time. We're in the final stretch. Time for the weekly challenge. Let's focus on doing something kind for someone who cannot pay you back. A long time ago, I heard about a guy, and what he would do is he put like $5 bills in his glove box. And then whenever he did see homeless people, he was always able to give them something. Because so many times, especially nowadays, none of us carry cash. I took his advice, went to the bank, got $100 worth of $5 bills. And now when I see someone homeless on the side of the road, I'm always willing to give them that money and contribute. The coolest kind of giving you can do is when you help somebody that truly has no way of ever helping you back. And that's when you know it's truly sincere giving. Share what you do this week with our group. I'll start sharing those. Our community is amazing. Our community is built up of amazing winners, and we're all trying to get better together. And when we can hear about that and what each other is doing, that makes it exciting. All right. It's time for our wrap-up. So listen up as I remind you, from my heart to yours, you are amazing. You're a winner. You're a masterpiece. You're an overcomer. You are special and unique. You are one in a million. And you have great things in front of you. Your best days are straight ahead. Never stop believing and dreaming big. Until next week, have a magnificent week. God's best is yet to come.

SPEAKER_00

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 for encouragement, please like, share, and subscribe. Be sure to check out the show notes for links to Brett's top three podcasts in the week. And don't forget, Brett is not finding a free copy of this book. Just send an email to dpdxfreedom at gmail.com to play. If you're patreons at comment and would like another perspective on how to navigate it, feel free to email us at gtxfreedom at gmail.com. We'd love to help. Until next time, wishing you and your family an incredible week and ultimately a great life. Because you guess you deserve it. God bless.