Achieving Your BEST Life

Brett’s podcast episode focused on encouragement, personal growth, and overcoming adversity through faith, mindset, and action. He highlighted inspiring stories from people like Helen Keller, J.K. Rowling, Nelson Mandela, and Chris Gardner to show how setbacks can become the foundation for success. The main feature of the episode was a recap of Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen, emphasizing themes like developing a healthy self-image, speaking positively, letting go of the past, choosing joy, and taking bold action toward your goals. Brett also shared uplifting human-interest stories about firefighters surprising children at a cancer hospital and a Toronto man spreading kindness on public transportation. He wrapped up the episode with podcast recommendations centered on self-discipline, self-love, and self-care, ending with his recurring message that people are enough, capable, and that their best days are still ahead. 

Tony Robbin’s | You Owe It To You in 2026

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motivation-daily-by-motiversity/id1581058922?i=1000766035372

How to Love Yourself Again

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motivational-speech/id1642546815?i=1000588542251

Simone Knego | Why Self Care Is Not Selfish

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-resilient-mind/id1562025210?i=1000762989266

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 towards the incredible life you deserve. He wants to remind you of the champions you were born to be. No matter your past or current struggles, Clint 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. I am so grateful and thankful that you tuned in today. Today we are talking about achieving your best life. I truly believe you, yes, you deserve to live an amazing life. I believe no matter what you may be going through today, that your absolute best days are straight ahead. Before we get into it, I want to remind you that you are enough. You have what it takes. You are loved and appreciated, and once again, your absolute best days are straight ahead. I wanted to take just a few minutes to remind you and I that anything is possible when you have the right mindset and the work ethic to go after your dreams. So I just want to share a few short stories of victory from people throughout time. How about Helen Keller? From darkness and silence to global influence. At 19 months old, Helen Keller lost both sight and hearing. Through determination and guidance of Ann Sullivan, she learned a language, graduated college, and became a world-renowned author and activist. How about JK Rowling? Rejection before revolution. Before creating Harry Potter, JK Rowling was a single mother living on welfare, struggling with depression. Her manuscript was rejected multiple times before becoming one of history's most beloved literary successes. Bethany Hamilton surfing after a shark attack. After losing her arm in a shark attack at thirteen, Bethany Hamilton returned to professional surfing just one month later, y'all, proving courage can overcome devastating setbacks. Nelson Mendela, prison to president. Nelson Mendela spent twenty-seven years, twenty-seven years imprisoned, yet emerged without bitterness and led South Africa toward reconciliation as its president. Thomas Edison failure as a path to success. Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before inventing the practical light bulb. His perseverance transformed the world. Walt Disney fired for lack of imagination. Walt Disney faced bankruptcy and rejection before building one of the world's most iconic entertainment empires. And then Chris Gardner was homeless to millionaire. The story and the movie behind Pursuit of Happiness, Chris Gardner endured homelessness while he was raising his son, eventually becoming a massively successful stockbroker. Alright, here's our powerful lesson with all that, y'all. Every victory story shares one truth. Adversity can become the foundation for greatness. Challenges may shape you, but they don't have to stop you. Many of the world's most inspiring people turned pain into purpose, setbacks into strength, and trials into triumph. Wow. So many great stories of overcoming adversity and achieving their dreams. And I believe you can do the same. So let's look at it. Today, I am so excited to recap one of my favorite books of all time. The book is called Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen. Who doesn't want to live out your best life right now? This book was Joel's first book ever written, and I believe it is one of his best books. He has close to 20 books that he's written that are available, and I believe I've bought probably every one of them. Many of his books I listened to over and over again. All right, y'all. Let's get right into this one. Joe Osteen's best your best life now is built on a powerful, hope-filled message. You were created for more than survival. You were designed to thrive. This book isn't just about wishful thinking, it's about aligning your mindset, faith, and actions so you can step into the abundant life that God has planned for you. So here's some different things. We'll cover seven different topics throughout the book. All right, here we go. Living out your full potential. Joel Osteen's central message is simple yet powerful. God wants you to live an abundant, blessed, and victorious life. Too often people settle for mediocrity because of fear, past mistakes, or limiting beliefs. Joel challenges you to raise your expectations. Your life often moves in the direction of your strongest thoughts. If you constantly think, I'll never get ahead, I'm not good enough. Nothing good ever happens to me. Those thoughts can become self-fulfilling. But when you begin to believe something good is going to happen to me. I am equipped, empowered, and anointed. You've positioned yourself for growth. The first step to your best life is expanding your vision. See yourself succeeding. See yourself healed. See yourself overcoming obstacles. God's dream for your life is bigger than your current circumstances. So developing a healthy self-image. One of Joel's strongest teachings is that you cannot consistently perform in a way that is inconsistent with how you see yourself. If you see yourself as defeated, insecure, or average, you'll live beneath your potential. But when you start seeing yourself as a child of God, valuable, talented, and worthy, you begin making choices that reflect that identity. This isn't arrogance. It's confidence rooted in purpose. You have gifts, talents, and unique abilities placed inside of you for a reason. Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop focusing on what you lack. Instead focus on what God has already given you. When your self-image improves, your decisions improve. You walk taller, you dream bigger, you stop settling. Discovering the power of thoughts and words. Joel emphasizes that your words shape your world. What you are saying about yourself. What is it, everybody? Are we saying I'm always broke? I never catch a break. I'm so unlucky. Or because remember, these negative declarations can reinforce defeat. But you have a choice. You can speak victorious words. Like I am blessed, I am strong, I am healthy, and I am favored. Your words are like seeds. When you speak faith, hope, victory over your future, you will have a better future. These principles, doing this isn't denial, it's choosing faith over fear. Letting go of the past. One of the biggest barriers to living your best life is carrying around guilt, resentment, and disappointment from yesterday. Maybe you've made mistakes. Maybe someone has hurt you. Maybe life hasn't gone according to plan. Joel's message is clear. You cannot move forward if you're always looking backwards. God's mercy is bigger than your mistakes. Your setbacks do not define you. Your past is a chapter, not your whole story. Forgiveness forgiveness, both yourself and others, is essential. When you release bitterness and you make room for peace, that's when you'll find joy. So finding strength through adversity. Difficult seasons are not the end of your story. Osteen teaches that challenges often prepare you for greater purpose. You may be facing setbacks right now, but those obstacles can develop perseverance, wisdom, and strength. Sometimes God uses adversity to refine you, stretch you, and position you for something greater. Instead of asking, why is this happening to me? Ask, what is this teaching me? Every challenge can become preparation for your next level. Choose to be happy. One of the standout principles in your best life now is that happiness is a choice. You don't wait for everything to be perfect before you enjoy your life. You choose joy right now. Too many people postpone happiness. I'll be happy when I get the promotion. I'll be happy when I find the right relationship. But life is happening right now. Enjoy where you are while you pursue where you're going. Gratitude shifts your perspective. When you focus on what's right instead of what's wrong, your spirit becomes lighter. Take action and expect favor. Faith requires action. Dreaming is important. Praying is important, but stepping out is essential. Take the class, start the business, repair the relationship, pursue the goal. God often meets you when you move forward in faith. Expect favor, expect opportunities, and expect breakthroughs. Not every door will open, but the right doors will. So here's our final motivation from your best life now. The ultimate message of your best life now is you do not have to wait for someday to live fully. Your best life can begin right now where you're at. Choose bigger thoughts, speak better words, release the past, embrace joy, take bold action. You are not defined by your setbacks, your fears, or limitations. You are defined by your potential, your purpose, and the promises that are straight ahead. Today can be the day you raise your expectations, believe again, and step into the life that you were created to live. Your best life is not behind you, it's right in front of you. All right, everybody. What a great book. So much wisdom that you and I can apply today. Don't forget to pick up a copy of your best life now. Promise you, promise you, promise you, you will not be disappointed. Great book. All right, y'all. It's time. Buckle up as we are headed straight into the laugh zone. How do you make a waterbed bounce? You add spring water. An abdominal snowman. Okay, everybody. I lined this out with two great stories this week. I think you're going to enjoy both of them. So let's go. Let's get right at it. First one up. Firefighters repel down the windows of Children's Cancer Hospital an unforgettable Christmas surprise. On Friday, a Georgia fire department undertook an unusual Christmas tradition. In place of decking the halls, the men and women of Sandy Springs Fire Department link up with Santa and repel down the walls of children's health care at Atlanta to surprise kids who cannot leave their rooms. The event is now in its third year, and this time they brought along Superman and Spider Man to ensure it was a moment the children would never forget. The department thought about doing something that would inspire the patients since Children's Health Care of Atlanta serves the whole city and is located right by the fire station. Repelling from the rooftop needed a bit of planning, but fortunately, Department Section Chief Kyle Sweeney got in touch with the right people. It finally got off the ground, or rather off the roof. It's a simple interaction, but it's a huge impact, says Sweeney. For many of us, it's one of the most rewarding things that we get to do all year. Firefighters are used to showing up on people's worst days, so having the opportunity to bring joy instead is an incredibly powerful thing. It reminds us why we choose the career we chose in the first place. One of the team, Cody Mentor, took part for the first time this year. His son was diagnosed with cancer and thought his treatment at the hospital Mercyfield didn't last long enough for the family to see the event. They got to see the impact it had on the little patients when they saw Santa or a local sports mascot or a firefighter or a National Guardsman appear outside the window. Hearing all the stories about it and the impact and joy it brought to the children made me want to be a part of this event, said Minter. The amazing team at the children's hospital, we like to call family, inspired me to do more. Their dedication and the love that they show up every day does not go unnoticed. It inspired me to give back in any way that I can. On december nineteenth, the heroes, real and mythical alike, latched the ropes onto the harnesses and descended to the glass windows of the children's rooms, waving, high fiving through the glass. Atlanta was fortunately far enough south so that it was not too windy to impact them as they descended down the walls and the sides of the hospital. Those moments are unforgettable, Sweeney said after the event. You can see the surprise turn into excitement almost instantly. The high fives through the glass windows, the smiles, the laughter make it all worth it. One of the most memorable parts is bringing Santa along with them and walking through the hospital after to deliver gifts. Many of the gifts are donated by Sandy Springs citizens, which makes it even more special. Over the past three years, seeing this event grow with support from organizations like the Georgia State Fire Marshal has made this an incredible event that we love to share every year. Wow, everybody, talk about making a difference. Just think that thought came into someone's head. Why don't we repel on the side and make the kids' days for Christmas? And then they put it into action and it changed a lot of little kids' lives and a lot of families' lives. To bring that hope during a time when things are probably really tough is awesome. And we can do things like this. Alright, y'all. Next story up. Toronto man tries to make public transportation less lonely. Little gestures can shift the whole mood. In Toronto, one man and his classes are making a city a friendlier place by wishing people a great week or even just outrightly declaring to whoever he sees that they make the world a better place. Min Jane Cho is once just like thousands of other Torontans. He took the bus and the subway, went to work, and he was lonely. Now he's a one in a million, a full time influencer who's received praise from the mayor, the head of Toronto Transportation, and his thirty six thousand Instagram followers. His methods are simple being courageous in his kindness, wishing people well, spreading amability, and brightening up Toronto's one bus ride at a time. It started at a time when I was in a lonely, disconnected part of my life where I wasn't seeing that many people. I wanted to push myself to show up more openly in everyday life with social interactions to rebuild my social confidence, said Joe. What I am doing is harmless. I'm just saying have a nice day. I'm not pranking people. Most people see my effort and my courage and respond positively. He captures all of his interactions with his meta glasses less intrusive than a phone camera, which often end in smiles, laughs, and even hugs, even tears at times. He's been told his outreach has helped people get through tough times or even making life changing decisions for the worse. The TTC drivers recognize him and are happy to have him on board. Everyone could use a little more joy in their life, including on their commute, and these posts certainly convey that sentiment, said the CEO of TTC. The videos on his Instagram account under the handle magnetic MJ are introspectively interesting. You can so clearly taste the tension at times in the air when Cho is wishing someone a good day who seems reluctant to look up from their phone and acknowledge his existence. You may feel relieved when they look up, shake his hand and smile, and you get the feeling that if that very person were watching a video of Cho talking to someone else, they would get the same feeling. Mayor Olivia Chow felt that Cho is doing the work of thousands, saying when asked about his videos, that if everyone did what he does to just one person, one bus ride once a week, the city would feel a lot more like a neighborhood. Wow, how good stuff everybody. Oh my goodness. Alright, it's time to recap my top three episodes of the week. That's my top three podcast episodes as I like you. Love to listen to podcasts. I try to grow and get better and better every day in every way. So here we go. First up, number one, you owe it to you by Alex Hormozzi. No one is coming to save you, Alex says. No perfect moment, no magical motivation, no rescue. The life you want will be built by the standards that you choose today. Number one, stop waiting and start becoming. Most people waste years waiting, waiting until they feel ready, waiting until fear disappears, waiting until circumstances improve. Winners don't wait for the ideal circumstances, they act despite imperfect ones. Your life changes when your excuses become more painful than your discipline. Your current life reflects your current standards. Alex emphasizes that your bank account, your health, your relationships, and your confidence are often mirrors of what you are tolerating. If you keep breaking promises to yourself, choosing comfort over growth, talking bigger than you act, you remain stuck. He says raise your standards by doing what you say you'll do, keeping your commitments, building up your self respect by taking action. Taking shortcuts, he says, is usually the long way. Avoiding discomfort creates weakness, embraces discomfort, and creates capacity. Want better finances? He says learn valuable skills. Want better health? Master your self discipline. Want better relationships? Become trustworthy. He says the hard path is often the path that builds the strongest version of you. Alright, y'all. Link to the full episode is in the show notes as always. Number two, how to love yourself again. You can love yourself again no matter what you've been through, no matter how far you feel from the person you used to be, no matter how broken, exhausted, or lost that you feel, you are not finished. Loving yourself again begins with one life-changing decision. Stop defining yourself by what hurts you. You are not your divorce, you are not your addiction, you are not your trauma, you are not your mistakes. You are not the opinions of people who failed to see that you're worth. You are still valuable, you are still worthy, and you are still enough. Healing starts when you realize your past may explain you, but it does not own you. You cannot hate yourself into becoming someone you love. Once again, you cannot hate yourself into becoming someone you love. So many people think beating themselves up will make them stronger. They believe shame will force them to improve. But real transformation does not come from self-hate, it comes from self-respect. You grow when you begin speaking to yourself with grace. You rise when you start believing your life still has purpose. You will heal when you forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for the bad decisions or staying too long. You did not know then what you do know now. You were learning, you were growing, and you were surviving. And survival is not failure. So once again everyone, link to the full episode is in the show notes. Number three Why self care is not selfish by Simone Nago. She explains that many people have been conditioned to believe that prioritizing themselves is selfish. Society often praises sacrifice while glorifying burnout. She uses the familiar airplane oxygen mask analogy. You always put your mask on first before helping others. One of her strongest points is that self care is often misunderstood. It's not just spa days, vacations or pampering. True self care, she says, includes setting healthy boundaries, saying no without guilt, prioritizing rest and sleep, nourishing your body, protecting your mental health. Choose relationships that uplift you, letting go of toxic expectations. Self care is about preserving your energy, your peace, and your purpose. She encourages people to stop apologizing for taking breaks, protecting their time, seeking therapy, resting or declining unrealistic demands. She recommends daily reflection or journaling, gratitude, prayer or meditation, daily exercise, disconnecting from constant noise, and giving yourself permission to pause. Self care models strength for others. She says that taking care of yourself gives others permissions to do the same. Whether you are a parent, spouse, friend, leader, or modeling these healthy habits, teachers teaches others that wellness truly matters. Her message is not choose yourself instead of others, it's choose yourself too. Taking care of yourself is not selfish, it's essential. So the link for the entire episode is in the show notes, everybody. Alright. It's time for our challenge of the week. Really take a look at your life and ensure that you're giving yourself quality self-care. You deserve it. You can't show up as the best version of you to others if you are not taking care of yourself. Alright, y'all. I want to close this out the way I started it by reminding you: you are enough. You have what it takes. You are loved and appreciated. You're a champion whose absolute best days are straight ahead. Never, ever, ever, ever stop believing or dreaming big. And then we talk about hope. Hope is, for an acronym, helping one person every day. And that is our community's mission. Can you imagine if everybody in life just helped one person every day? All right, y'all. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for being a part of our great community as we roll to one million. Have an epic day and a magnificent week. God bless.

SPEAKER_00 27:42

Thank you once again for listening to a conversation of hope with Brent. Brent 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, comment, and comment. Be sure to check out the show notes for links to Brett's all three podcasts of the week. Until next time, wishing you and your family an incredible weekend. And ultimately, a great life. Because you, you, you, and the body.