Good morning and
welcome to Morning Serial.
Okay, good morning and welcome to Friday.
And if that's not enough, all on its own,
today has three
pretty strong celebrations.
Okay, we're going to start with Hawaiian
shirt day because
nothing says TGIF like rocking
and aloha print.
Now I definitely would have
done that had I owned one.
I just don't have that or I guess.
Well, aloha Hawaii, our 50th US state.
And it's also Kool-Aid day because that
makes it feel like it's
still summer, just a little
bit longer.
And then lastly, it's world greatness
day, reminding us to
salute not just global icons,
but recognize the everyday
greatness around us, right?
Our parents, our friends, our pets maybe,
maybe even yourself.
It's a day to appreciate the brilliance
in others and in ourselves.
Now here's your Friday pep talk from Ben
Affleck who said, "You
only live once, but if you do
it right, once is enough."
Now I love this quote.
I constantly find myself trying to remind
myself, right, that we only have this one
shot at this life.
So we got to do it right.
You got to take full
advantage of it, right?
Let's be bold.
Be goofy or just make the most of that
coffee this morning.
Well, today's news, facts, and birthdays
are for August 15th.
Now we're going to start back in 1939.
That's when The Wizard of Oz, the iconic
American musical film, the
adaptation of L. Frank Baum's
book, well, the movie premiered at
Gromen's Chinese
Theater in Hollywood today.
Then in 1969 on this date, the Woodstock
Festival, it opened
up in Bethel, New York
on Max Yasker's dairy farm.
Now I've been to a couple of dairy farms
and I know what they
smell like, so that must
have been a very special few days.
And then lastly, in 1994, the original
Lion King, it roared
into theaters becoming one
of the most beloved
animated films of the 90s.
Well, happy birthday to you.
Today is your birthday.
You share a birthday with actress with
that killer blend of
humor and just raw talent,
Jennifer Lawrence.
She turns only 35 today.
Top singer who's okay with
being jealous, Joe Jonas.
Maybe that's his brother.
Well, Joe turns 36 today.
And then the hard-hitting actor and
director, Ben Affleck, he turns 53 today.
And lastly, from the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation,
Melinda Gates, she's 61 today.
And now the number one song on this date
back in 1986 was "Papa
Don't Preach" by Madonna.
Now this is a bold dance pop
and baroque blend hit, right?
But it became yet another Madonna anthem
that fused social commentary that she was
kind of known for at
that time with a pop hook.
Now you might remember that it caused a
lot of buzz for its storyline, right?
Teenage pregnancy with a rebellious edge.
Now Madonna, she dedicated the song to
Pope John Paul II
during her "Who's That Girl"
world tour, which led to the Vatican
urging Italian fans to
boycott her concerts.
Well, speaking of bold statements and
messages, let's move
into our book review.
We are now in habit five of Kovey's "The
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People."
And this sub-chapter introduces the rare
but powerful practice
of empathic listening.
Now Kovey explains that empathic
listening isn't about giving advice or
prepping a rebuttal.
It's about fully entering into another
person's emotional world.
As Kovey writes, "You will never be able
to truly step inside another person until
you develop the empathic
listening skills to do it."
Now this isn't mimicking
"got it" or selective hearing.
It's moving through four stages.
One, you mimic.
Two, interpret.
Three, evaluate.
And fourthly, empathic listening.
And this is where you
reflect their feeling.
You unpack the meaning and you
acknowledge their humanity.
That's the highest rung.
Empathic listening means pushing past our
instinct to judge or
fix and instead, "enter
into their frame of reference."
As Kovey describes.
Now it's giving someone the emotional
space to be seen, like
listening to your kids'
mixtape ideas before calling it cringe.
This is more than communication.
It's emotional connection.
And it's a reminder that real listening
helps cut through the noise.
Alright, here's your takeaway.
Empathic listening is more than a skill.
It's the foundation of trust, clarity,
and meaningful connection.
When you listen to understand without
judgment or
distraction, you build bridges.
Try it today.
In meetings with friends or even with
that silent car ride, right?
Let others feel heard and watch
understanding follow.
Alright friends, whether you're in a
floral shirt, sipping
Kool-Aid, or giving someone
your undivided ear, go seize today with
comfort, courage, and curiosity.
Hey, thanks for listening today.
Have a great weekend.
Come back on Monday for more wit and
thoughtful nostalgia.
And have a fantastic day.
Don't forget to follow and subscribe to
the Morning Serial
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So join us.
It will be a good time, I promise.
Thanks again for listening.
Have a fantastic day and
we'll see you tomorrow.