Morning Cereal

Start your day with inspirational quotes, followed by a fun journey through nostalgic facts from this day in history. Then, we dive into Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 
In Part 4, Habit 7, we’ll explore Covey’s timeless advice on building authentic connections, the art of influence, and creating positive interactions in every area of life.
In This Episode:
  • Daily inspirational quotes to spark your motivation
  • Fun historical facts from this day in history
  • A dive into Part 4, Habit 7 of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective
Whether you're a leader, communicator, or just someone looking to improve your relationships, this episode is packed with actionable insights.
Tune in now and let’s grow together!
Resources:
Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change. Free Press. 
 
All photo’s utilized in this video are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported by Wikimedia Commons license and are free to copy, distribute and transmit.  No photos have been altered.

What is Morning Cereal?

Good morning, and welcome to Morning Cereal!
Pull up a stool, grab your favorite cereal, and let’s kick-start your day with a spoonful of inspiration, nostalgia and personal growth. Join your host, Shaen Inglis, as he highlights the music, movies, and moments that made the 80s, 90s, and 2000s unforgettable—kind of like digging for toy at the bottom of the cereal box. Each episode, Shaen also reviews a chapter or so from top wellness books, offering practical insights to help you set a positive tone for your day. Start your mornings right—no cartoons required!

Follow and subscribe to the Morning Cereal podcast and visit our Life Happens, Live Balanced channel and our website at shaeninglis.com to check out and follow our other podcasts. You can also follow Shaen @ShaenInglis on Instagram, YouTube, etc. Feel free to share the Morning Cereal with someone who could use a little fun and motivation to start their day right.

Good morning and

welcome to Morning Serial.

Okay, good morning

and welcome to Thursday.

It's the fourth day of the week and today

is national first love day.

And it's a day to remember your first

butterflies, that first date, maybe that

first spark of young love.

Whether it ended up happily ever after or

just with some nostalgic

memories from years past.

Those people, well, they're building

blocks that make us who we are today.

And they probably taught us a little bit

about what still warms our heart now.

Now, our quote this morning comes from

somebody who played some parts that maybe

did believe in love at first sight,

but maybe not true love or fidelity.

Well, our quote this morning comes from

James Gandolfini who said, quote, those

that want respect, they give respect.

Well, that's pretty straightforward. You

want to be treated with

value and consideration?

Well, show others those same qualities.

Well, now that quote may have been a Tony

Soprano quote, but it still works, right?

Tony also said all this from a slice of

Gaba Ghoul, end quote, let that sink in.

All right. Well, today's news facts and

birthdays are for September 18th.

We're going to start back in 1773.

That's when U.S. President George

Washington, he laid the cornerstone of

the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

Then moving up to 1947, that's when the

Central Intelligence Agency, well, it

officially came into existence after

being established by President Truman.

Then in 1970, on this date, the famed

musician at just age 27, Jimi Hendrix, he

was found deceased in

his hotel room in London.

Then finally here in 1987, the thriller

movie Fatal Attraction, it opened up in

U.S. movie theaters.

Now, this movie starred Michael Douglas

and Glenn Close, and it

won six Academy Award nods,

and it provided just another reason to

steer clear of infidelity.

Well, happy birthday to

you. Today is your birthday.

You share a birthday with legendary

Barcelona soccer player, Rinaldino.

He's 49 today. Actress and forgive me,

Will, for saying her

name, Jada Pinkett Smith.

She's just 54 today and Livestrong

Infamy, Lance Armstrong.

He's just 53 today.

And lastly, actor and the crime boss you

hated to love, the late James Gandolfini.

He was born on this date in 1961. He

would have only been 64.

Well, the number one song on this date

back in 1986 was Take

My Breath Away by Berlin.

And not only is this one of my top five

songs, it is very apropos

for National First Love Day,

taking us all the way back to those very

first butterflies and those first loves

in the 80s and the 90s.

Or if you're not feeling that, I know

you're at least thinking about Tom

Cruise, sunglasses and a motorcycle.

Either way, great song

and greater nostalgia.

By the way, Take My Breath Away won the

Academy Award for Best Original Song, as

well it should have.

Love this song.

Okay, moving from love and life to our

friend, Kovi, who tells us that the real

secret to lasting

effectiveness isn't found in surges.

It's found in balance.

In the sub-chapter Balance and Renewal in

Stephen R. Kovi's The Seven Habits of

Highly Effective People,

he explores how sharpening the saw must

happen across all dimensions

of life, not just one of them.

Now, Kovi explains, quote, "Renewal must

be balanced in all four

dimensions of our nature.

The physical, the spiritual, the mental

and the social-emotional," end quote.

And if we only emphasize one, say,

physical exercise, but we neglect

reflection, we neglect

relationships or learning,

then we eventually burn out

or we start feeling hollow.

Balance ensures that growth in one area,

it feeds and it

supports all the other areas.

Kovi points out how

interconnected these dimensions are.

Physical health supports clear thinking.

Mental development fuels

emotional intelligence.

And spiritual grounding provides

perspective when challenges come.

If one dimension is

ignored, the whole system weakens.

For example, Kovi writes, quote,

"Neglecting any one area negatively

impacts the rest," end quote.

That's why marathon hours at work without

nurturing relationships or values,

eventually that

leaves people unfulfilled.

And Kovi uses the

metaphor of the saw again here.

If you sharpen only one side, the tool

still won't cut well.

A balanced approach creates harmony.

This doesn't mean equal time in all

dimensions every day, but

rather more of a rhythm over time.

Some seasons may lean more on physical

while others more on the emotional side.

But balance across the weeks and across

the months, that creates

renewal that's sustainable.

And Kovi encourages us to intentionally

schedule renewal in

all four areas, right?

And that might even mean combining them,

going on a walk with a friend that blends

physical and social-emotional.

Or studying inspirational literature

deepens both the mental

and the spiritual renewal.

Now, the synergy of balance is powerful.

Kovi emphasizes that renewal isn't

selfish, it's stewardship.

Quote, "We are the instruments of our own

performance. To be effective, we need to

recognize the importance of taking time

regularly to sharpen the saw

in all four ways," end quote.

And when we keep balance, we're better

partners, we're better

leaders and creators.

Okay, here's your takeaway.

True renewal is about balance. So our

hearts remember, our bodies sustain, our

minds stay curious, and

our spirits stay alive.

So today, enjoy the nostalgia of those

first butterflies, maybe even if it's

just for laughing at yourself, and strive

for renewal and

balance for yourself as well.

All right, hey, thanks for being part of

Morning Serial this morning.

Come back tomorrow. We'll have some more

music meeting and moments that matter.

Hey, have a fantastic day.

And we welcome special guests too. So

join us. It'll be a good time, I promise.

Thanks again for listening. Have a

fantastic day. We'll see you tomorrow.