Good morning and
welcome to Morning Cereal.
Okay, good morning and welcome to Friday.
We made it best day of
the work or the school week.
And it's a special day too because today
is National Chocolate Milkshake Day.
One of my favorite indulgences and it's
nearly impossible for me to pass up.
Well, it's also Stand Up to Cancer Day,
which is a powerful reminder that
research and awareness matter and even
more with over 2 million new cancer cases
being reported every year.
You can get involved by donating,
fundraising and just staying informed.
Life is precious.
And to remind us of this, our quote this
morning is from the
late Paul Walker who said,
"You only live one time.
I want to get it all in."
End quote. So embrace opportunities and
experiences to live a full and rich life.
One life, live it.
All right, today's news facts and
birthdays are for September 12th.
Start back 1958.
That's when the U.S. Supreme Court
ordered the all-white Central High School
in Little Rock,
Arkansas to finally integrate.
Then moving up to 1981,
the animated cartoon series.
Do you guys remember this one?
The Smurfs by Hanna-Barbera.
Well, it was first broadcasted in North
America on this day, inspiring kids
everywhere to smurf to it.
Then in 1995, a sad day.
The Harlem Globetrotters' 8829 game
winning streak was broken.
Then finally in 2004, the season finale
of the first season of the TV show
Entourage was broadcast.
Well, hey, happy birthday to
you if today is your birthday.
You share a birthday with powerhouse
singer and actress Jennifer Hudson.
She's 44 today.
NBA legend and global ambassador and a
guy stood next to her to Bard in Vegas
and came up to his hip bone basically.
Yao Ming. He's 44 today.
Actress and singer from Phantom of the
Opera movie, among others, Emmy Rossum.
She's 39 today.
The late Paul Walker was born on this
date in 1973, as was the late Barry
White, born on this day in 1944.
Now, the number one song on this date
back in 1997 was Honey by Mariah Carey.
Now, this sultry R&B pop ballad, it
marked a bold sonic shift for Carey
because it was blending hip hop
production with her soaring vocals.
It became her third single to debut at
number one on the Billboard Hot 100,
which actually set a record at the time.
You might remember the song's James Bond
inspired music video.
Well, it featured Carey as a glamorous
secret agent escaping captivity, which
was actually a symbolic declaration of
her newfound independence following her
divorce at the time.
Well, let's jump into our
Friday honey for the soul.
As we hear from Kobe's view on the
spiritual dimension in habit seven in
Stephen R. Kobe's The Seven Habits of
Highly Effective People.
Now, Kobe defines the spiritual dimension
as the core of renewal.
He writes, quote, "The spiritual
dimension is your center, your commitment
to your value system," end quote.
And it's not about religion, though it
can be. It's about
purpose, alignment and meaning.
He notes that neglecting the spiritual
that starves motivation, quote, "Without
a deep sense of purpose, we fritter away
our lives," end quote.
I like that word fritter.
Renewal in this area involves meditation,
prayer, reading inspirational literature,
time in nature and service to others.
Maybe he'd add listening to
your morning serial podcast.
Well, Kobe does emphasize reflection,
taking time to step outside the whirlwind
of tasks and reconnect with
the why behind the what's.
He says, quote, "Spiritual renewal
requires investment of time,
but this time is not wasted.
It is the highest leveraged activity of
your life," end quote.
And Kobe highlights the synergy physical,
mental and emotional
renewal depend on the spirit.
Without spiritual clarity, exercise feels
empty, learning feels scattered and the
relationships lack depth.
Kobe provides a few examples, which
include journaling or studying great
thinkers or simply
practicing just gratitude.
And by aligning daily choices with core
values, we tap into reservoirs of
strength that weather storms.
All right. Here is your Friday takeaway.
Spiritual renewal is anchoring yourself
in values and meaning.
Make time to reconnect with purpose and
every other dimension of life sharpens.
So today, sip or maybe spoon out that
milkshake, honor those fighting the good
fight and find renewal, not just in the
body but in the soul as well.
Hey, thanks for wrapping
the week with Morning Serial.
Come back Monday for a fresh new pour of
cereal for the mind.
Have a great weekend
and have a fantastic day.
And we'll see you tomorrow.