Good morning and
welcome to Morning Serial.
Okay, good morning and welcome to Monday.
I hope you had a great weekend and now
you're ready to conquer yet another week.
And if you woke up feeling a little bit
philosophical today, it's
likely because today is Confucius
Day, honoring the Chinese
philosopher of wisdom and virtue.
But if that's a little bit heavy for you
this morning, I
understand it's also National
Coffee Day.
So just start small, start with your
coffee, then move on to
diving into what philosophical
archetype you want to
be conquering today.
All right, our quote this morning to set
our week into motion comes
from the singer-songwriter
Halsey who said, "You are
not allowed to be overwhelmed.
You are only allowed to be strong."
Okay, admittingly not one of the
healthiest
philosophies you could live by.
But you get the point, right?
Positive mindsets can power you through
some of the toughest times.
Well, if we're moving too fast for you
this morning, just top
off your coffee because
today's news facts and
birthdays are for September 29th.
Starting back in 1982, that's when
Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide
killed seven people,
leading to new safety
packaging laws for pharmaceuticals.
Apparently the 80s were crazy.
People were putting
razor blades in candy.
What are we going to do?
All right, let's move up to 1988.
That's when NASA launched the Discovery.
It was the first shuttle mission
following the Challenger disaster.
Then on the same day in the same year,
1988, that's when Stacey
Allison, she became the
first American woman to reach
the summit of Mount Everest.
And then lastly, something we probably
all remember, we all
chewed our fingernails over
it, but in 2008 on this date, the Dow
Jones Industrial Average
fell 777.68 points to be
exact.
It was then the largest single day point
loss following the bankruptcies of Lehman
Brothers and Washington Mutual and
following Congress's
inability to pass a $700 billion
bank bailout.
Now, imagine that, Congress having
trouble getting things done.
I'm just shocked.
Well, moving on.
Happy birthday if today is your birthday.
You share a birthday with
singer and songwriter Halsey.
She's only 31.
NBA All-Star Kevin Durant.
He's only 36.
And lastly, the dice,
Andrew Dice Clay, he's 68.
I actually thought he was older.
Well, the number one song on this date
back in 1994 was "I'll
Make Love To You" by Boys
To Men.
Now, this is a classic ballad that you no
doubt slow dance to
if you're in school in
the 90s.
The song spent 14 weeks at number one,
which at the time, tied
Whitney's Houston, "I Will
Always Love You" for the record length on
the Hot 100 at number one.
Well, those silky harmonies of Boys To
Men and their heartfelt
lyrics, they are still
a staple of weddings and slow dances.
And they had some really great songs.
Well, from soulful harmonies to live
pivots, let's hear Mel
Robbins' story of "The Prom
That Changed My Life."
And in this chapter, Robbins shares a
personal story about how
her high school prom became
a turning point in her life.
Now, on the surface, it was awkward and
imperfect, but it carried lessons that
shaped her confidence.
And she recalls worrying about fitting
in, about appearances,
about whether the night
would go "right."
But what she discovered was that the
meaning of a moment isn't in perfection.
It's in participation.
By showing up, laughing through the
awkwardness, and allowing herself to
enjoy it, she realized
that life rarely
delivers flawless experiences.
It delivers opportunities, though.
And Robbins connects
this to a broader truth.
The events that change us
don't always look monumental.
Sometimes they're ordinary milestones
that, in hindsight, they
teach us resilience, humor,
and self-acceptance.
So, she frames the promise
symbolic of a bigger pattern.
"You don't need the moment to be perfect.
You need to be present."
And her story encourages us to reframe
past memories of our own.
Instead of cringing at imperfections, see
how they shaped your growth, and, looking
forward, embrace new events not as tests
of perfection, but as
chances to practice being
real.
Alright, here's your takeaway.
Life-changing moments
often wear ordinary disguises.
Choose to be present over perfection, and
you'll find meaning in unexpected places.
Alright, well, today, sip your coffee
like Confucius intended,
with wisdom and harmony,
and find strength in the ordinary.
Thanks for starting your
week here with Morning Serial.
We'll see you back here tomorrow, and
until then, have a fantastic day.
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It'll be a good time, I promise.
Thanks again for listening.
Have a fantastic day,
and we'll see you tomorrow.