1 01:00:01,250 --> 01:00:04,125 Good morning and 2 01:00:04,125 --> 01:00:05,958 welcome to Morning Serial. 3 01:00:08,833 --> 01:00:13,625 Okay, good morning and welcome to Friday. 4 01:00:14,250 --> 01:00:16,500 And if that's not enough, all on its own, 5 01:00:16,500 --> 01:00:17,583 today has three 6 01:00:17,583 --> 01:00:19,500 pretty strong celebrations. 7 01:00:19,791 --> 01:00:21,666 Okay, we're going to start with Hawaiian 8 01:00:21,666 --> 01:00:22,833 shirt day because 9 01:00:22,833 --> 01:00:25,291 nothing says TGIF like rocking 10 01:00:25,583 --> 01:00:26,583 and aloha print. 11 01:00:26,958 --> 01:00:27,916 Now I definitely would have 12 01:00:27,916 --> 01:00:29,541 done that had I owned one. 13 01:00:29,541 --> 01:00:31,291 I just don't have that or I guess. 14 01:00:31,833 --> 01:00:34,875 Well, aloha Hawaii, our 50th US state. 15 01:00:35,291 --> 01:00:38,125 And it's also Kool-Aid day because that 16 01:00:38,125 --> 01:00:39,458 makes it feel like it's 17 01:00:39,458 --> 01:00:40,708 still summer, just a little 18 01:00:40,708 --> 01:00:41,375 bit longer. 19 01:00:41,875 --> 01:00:44,375 And then lastly, it's world greatness 20 01:00:44,375 --> 01:00:45,916 day, reminding us to 21 01:00:45,916 --> 01:00:47,958 salute not just global icons, 22 01:00:48,333 --> 01:00:50,125 but recognize the everyday 23 01:00:50,125 --> 01:00:51,708 greatness around us, right? 24 01:00:51,708 --> 01:00:54,125 Our parents, our friends, our pets maybe, 25 01:00:54,541 --> 01:00:55,458 maybe even yourself. 26 01:00:56,041 --> 01:00:58,000 It's a day to appreciate the brilliance 27 01:00:58,000 --> 01:00:59,750 in others and in ourselves. 28 01:01:00,333 --> 01:01:02,833 Now here's your Friday pep talk from Ben 29 01:01:02,833 --> 01:01:04,291 Affleck who said, "You 30 01:01:04,291 --> 01:01:06,041 only live once, but if you do 31 01:01:06,041 --> 01:01:07,750 it right, once is enough." 32 01:01:08,458 --> 01:01:10,208 Now I love this quote. 33 01:01:10,208 --> 01:01:12,500 I constantly find myself trying to remind 34 01:01:12,500 --> 01:01:15,250 myself, right, that we only have this one 35 01:01:15,250 --> 01:01:16,375 shot at this life. 36 01:01:17,000 --> 01:01:18,625 So we got to do it right. 37 01:01:18,625 --> 01:01:19,583 You got to take full 38 01:01:19,583 --> 01:01:20,500 advantage of it, right? 39 01:01:20,833 --> 01:01:21,750 Let's be bold. 40 01:01:22,000 --> 01:01:24,583 Be goofy or just make the most of that 41 01:01:24,583 --> 01:01:25,541 coffee this morning. 42 01:01:26,125 --> 01:01:27,833 Well, today's news, facts, and birthdays 43 01:01:27,833 --> 01:01:29,666 are for August 15th. 44 01:01:29,666 --> 01:01:31,125 Now we're going to start back in 1939. 45 01:01:31,958 --> 01:01:34,500 That's when The Wizard of Oz, the iconic 46 01:01:34,500 --> 01:01:36,125 American musical film, the 47 01:01:36,125 --> 01:01:37,750 adaptation of L. Frank Baum's 48 01:01:37,750 --> 01:01:40,333 book, well, the movie premiered at 49 01:01:40,333 --> 01:01:41,375 Gromen's Chinese 50 01:01:41,375 --> 01:01:43,083 Theater in Hollywood today. 51 01:01:43,875 --> 01:01:46,375 Then in 1969 on this date, the Woodstock 52 01:01:46,375 --> 01:01:47,333 Festival, it opened 53 01:01:47,333 --> 01:01:48,583 up in Bethel, New York 54 01:01:48,583 --> 01:01:51,166 on Max Yasker's dairy farm. 55 01:01:51,666 --> 01:01:52,833 Now I've been to a couple of dairy farms 56 01:01:52,833 --> 01:01:54,000 and I know what they 57 01:01:54,000 --> 01:01:55,458 smell like, so that must 58 01:01:55,458 --> 01:01:57,833 have been a very special few days. 59 01:01:58,416 --> 01:02:01,083 And then lastly, in 1994, the original 60 01:02:01,083 --> 01:02:02,583 Lion King, it roared 61 01:02:02,583 --> 01:02:03,875 into theaters becoming one 62 01:02:03,875 --> 01:02:04,666 of the most beloved 63 01:02:04,666 --> 01:02:06,541 animated films of the 90s. 64 01:02:07,166 --> 01:02:08,333 Well, happy birthday to you. 65 01:02:08,333 --> 01:02:09,583 Today is your birthday. 66 01:02:09,833 --> 01:02:12,125 You share a birthday with actress with 67 01:02:12,125 --> 01:02:13,291 that killer blend of 68 01:02:13,291 --> 01:02:14,958 humor and just raw talent, 69 01:02:15,375 --> 01:02:15,958 Jennifer Lawrence. 70 01:02:16,333 --> 01:02:18,166 She turns only 35 today. 71 01:02:18,833 --> 01:02:20,125 Top singer who's okay with 72 01:02:20,125 --> 01:02:21,541 being jealous, Joe Jonas. 73 01:02:22,250 --> 01:02:22,958 Maybe that's his brother. 74 01:02:23,291 --> 01:02:25,166 Well, Joe turns 36 today. 75 01:02:25,708 --> 01:02:27,291 And then the hard-hitting actor and 76 01:02:27,291 --> 01:02:30,083 director, Ben Affleck, he turns 53 today. 77 01:02:30,666 --> 01:02:33,250 And lastly, from the Bill and Melinda 78 01:02:33,250 --> 01:02:33,875 Gates Foundation, 79 01:02:34,291 --> 01:02:36,041 Melinda Gates, she's 61 today. 80 01:02:36,625 --> 01:02:38,375 And now the number one song on this date 81 01:02:38,375 --> 01:02:40,750 back in 1986 was "Papa 82 01:02:40,750 --> 01:02:42,125 Don't Preach" by Madonna. 83 01:02:42,666 --> 01:02:44,958 Now this is a bold dance pop 84 01:02:44,958 --> 01:02:46,791 and baroque blend hit, right? 85 01:02:47,000 --> 01:02:49,375 But it became yet another Madonna anthem 86 01:02:49,375 --> 01:02:52,291 that fused social commentary that she was 87 01:02:52,291 --> 01:02:53,208 kind of known for at 88 01:02:53,208 --> 01:02:54,791 that time with a pop hook. 89 01:02:55,083 --> 01:02:57,333 Now you might remember that it caused a 90 01:02:57,333 --> 01:02:59,166 lot of buzz for its storyline, right? 91 01:02:59,750 --> 01:03:01,666 Teenage pregnancy with a rebellious edge. 92 01:03:02,125 --> 01:03:04,583 Now Madonna, she dedicated the song to 93 01:03:04,583 --> 01:03:06,000 Pope John Paul II 94 01:03:06,000 --> 01:03:07,625 during her "Who's That Girl" 95 01:03:07,625 --> 01:03:10,333 world tour, which led to the Vatican 96 01:03:10,333 --> 01:03:12,166 urging Italian fans to 97 01:03:12,166 --> 01:03:13,166 boycott her concerts. 98 01:03:14,250 --> 01:03:16,958 Well, speaking of bold statements and 99 01:03:16,958 --> 01:03:18,000 messages, let's move 100 01:03:18,000 --> 01:03:18,958 into our book review. 101 01:03:19,500 --> 01:03:22,166 We are now in habit five of Kovey's "The 102 01:03:22,166 --> 01:03:24,250 Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." 103 01:03:24,583 --> 01:03:27,333 And this sub-chapter introduces the rare 104 01:03:27,333 --> 01:03:28,916 but powerful practice 105 01:03:28,916 --> 01:03:30,500 of empathic listening. 106 01:03:30,791 --> 01:03:32,458 Now Kovey explains that empathic 107 01:03:32,458 --> 01:03:34,541 listening isn't about giving advice or 108 01:03:34,541 --> 01:03:36,125 prepping a rebuttal. 109 01:03:36,125 --> 01:03:38,416 It's about fully entering into another 110 01:03:38,416 --> 01:03:40,000 person's emotional world. 111 01:03:40,458 --> 01:03:42,833 As Kovey writes, "You will never be able 112 01:03:42,833 --> 01:03:45,833 to truly step inside another person until 113 01:03:45,833 --> 01:03:47,416 you develop the empathic 114 01:03:47,416 --> 01:03:49,208 listening skills to do it." 115 01:03:50,125 --> 01:03:51,708 Now this isn't mimicking 116 01:03:51,708 --> 01:03:54,250 "got it" or selective hearing. 117 01:03:54,833 --> 01:03:56,916 It's moving through four stages. 118 01:03:57,208 --> 01:03:58,166 One, you mimic. 119 01:03:58,750 --> 01:03:59,625 Two, interpret. 120 01:04:00,041 --> 01:04:01,000 Three, evaluate. 121 01:04:01,500 --> 01:04:03,583 And fourthly, empathic listening. 122 01:04:04,000 --> 01:04:04,791 And this is where you 123 01:04:04,791 --> 01:04:06,416 reflect their feeling. 124 01:04:06,416 --> 01:04:08,208 You unpack the meaning and you 125 01:04:08,208 --> 01:04:09,541 acknowledge their humanity. 126 01:04:10,250 --> 01:04:12,458 That's the highest rung. 127 01:04:12,458 --> 01:04:15,416 Empathic listening means pushing past our 128 01:04:15,416 --> 01:04:16,625 instinct to judge or 129 01:04:16,625 --> 01:04:19,083 fix and instead, "enter 130 01:04:19,291 --> 01:04:21,000 into their frame of reference." 131 01:04:21,666 --> 01:04:22,583 As Kovey describes. 132 01:04:23,250 --> 01:04:25,166 Now it's giving someone the emotional 133 01:04:25,166 --> 01:04:26,875 space to be seen, like 134 01:04:26,875 --> 01:04:28,458 listening to your kids' 135 01:04:28,458 --> 01:04:30,708 mixtape ideas before calling it cringe. 136 01:04:31,916 --> 01:04:33,250 This is more than communication. 137 01:04:33,708 --> 01:04:35,583 It's emotional connection. 138 01:04:36,333 --> 01:04:38,333 And it's a reminder that real listening 139 01:04:38,333 --> 01:04:40,125 helps cut through the noise. 140 01:04:40,500 --> 01:04:42,000 Alright, here's your takeaway. 141 01:04:42,625 --> 01:04:44,958 Empathic listening is more than a skill. 142 01:04:45,458 --> 01:04:48,000 It's the foundation of trust, clarity, 143 01:04:48,000 --> 01:04:49,291 and meaningful connection. 144 01:04:49,875 --> 01:04:51,916 When you listen to understand without 145 01:04:51,916 --> 01:04:52,500 judgment or 146 01:04:52,500 --> 01:04:54,708 distraction, you build bridges. 147 01:04:55,333 --> 01:04:55,833 Try it today. 148 01:04:56,291 --> 01:04:58,000 In meetings with friends or even with 149 01:04:58,000 --> 01:04:59,708 that silent car ride, right? 150 01:05:00,000 --> 01:05:02,833 Let others feel heard and watch 151 01:05:02,833 --> 01:05:04,000 understanding follow. 152 01:05:04,708 --> 01:05:06,375 Alright friends, whether you're in a 153 01:05:06,375 --> 01:05:07,666 floral shirt, sipping 154 01:05:07,666 --> 01:05:09,000 Kool-Aid, or giving someone 155 01:05:09,000 --> 01:05:12,166 your undivided ear, go seize today with 156 01:05:12,166 --> 01:05:14,250 comfort, courage, and curiosity. 157 01:05:15,000 --> 01:05:16,583 Hey, thanks for listening today. 158 01:05:16,583 --> 01:05:17,791 Have a great weekend. 159 01:05:17,791 --> 01:05:19,458 Come back on Monday for more wit and 160 01:05:19,458 --> 01:05:20,375 thoughtful nostalgia. 161 01:05:20,666 --> 01:05:22,916 And have a fantastic day. 162 01:05:24,375 --> 01:05:26,041 Don't forget to follow and subscribe to 163 01:05:26,041 --> 01:05:26,666 the Morning Serial 164 01:05:26,666 --> 01:05:28,791 Podcast on the One Life Live 165 01:05:28,791 --> 01:05:29,250 It channel. 166 01:05:29,791 --> 01:05:31,750 You can find more episodes and videos by 167 01:05:31,750 --> 01:05:32,500 visiting our YouTube 168 01:05:32,500 --> 01:05:34,583 channel and the website at Shawn 169 01:05:34,625 --> 01:05:37,333 English and at ShawnEnglish.com, where 170 01:05:37,333 --> 01:05:38,541 you can also follow our 171 01:05:38,541 --> 01:05:39,958 other podcasts, the Mr. 172 01:05:39,958 --> 01:05:40,875 and Mrs. English Podcast 173 01:05:40,875 --> 01:05:42,458 and the Life Happens Podcast. 174 01:05:43,416 --> 01:05:45,541 And these other podcasts will dive deeper 175 01:05:45,541 --> 01:05:46,458 into everyday issues, 176 01:05:46,708 --> 01:05:48,000 self-improvement, well-being, 177 01:05:48,250 --> 01:05:50,000 business and finance, and we 178 01:05:50,000 --> 01:05:51,291 welcome special guests too. 179 01:05:51,791 --> 01:05:52,500 So join us. 180 01:05:52,500 --> 01:05:53,791 It will be a good time, I promise. 181 01:05:54,541 --> 01:05:55,416 Thanks again for listening. 182 01:05:55,583 --> 01:05:57,166 Have a fantastic day and 183 01:05:57,166 --> 01:05:57,708 we'll see you tomorrow.