1 01:00:01,250 --> 01:00:04,125 Good morning and 2 01:00:04,125 --> 01:00:06,541 welcome to Morning Cereal. 3 01:00:11,791 --> 01:00:12,708 Okay good morning 4 01:00:12,708 --> 01:00:14,541 people and welcome to Monday. 5 01:00:14,833 --> 01:00:16,000 I hope you had a great weekend 6 01:00:16,000 --> 01:00:18,250 frantically shopping Amazon for those 7 01:00:18,250 --> 01:00:19,333 last second Christmas 8 01:00:19,333 --> 01:00:21,166 presents and attending those Christmas 9 01:00:21,166 --> 01:00:23,166 parties and using the 10 01:00:23,166 --> 01:00:24,833 holidays as an excuse to just 11 01:00:25,083 --> 01:00:26,750 eat, drink, whatever you want to do. 12 01:00:26,916 --> 01:00:27,791 I know I'm doing that 13 01:00:27,791 --> 01:00:28,750 but hey don't worry. 14 01:00:29,166 --> 01:00:31,083 We will lose the weight in January. 15 01:00:31,416 --> 01:00:31,791 No problem. 16 01:00:32,500 --> 01:00:34,541 Alright, well on a more inspiring note, 17 01:00:34,916 --> 01:00:35,875 our quote this morning 18 01:00:35,875 --> 01:00:37,125 is from a woman who had 19 01:00:37,125 --> 01:00:39,208 her 36th birthday over the weekend. 20 01:00:39,541 --> 01:00:41,541 You might know her, Taylor Swift. 21 01:00:41,958 --> 01:00:43,916 She once said quote, "You're not going to 22 01:00:43,916 --> 01:00:44,916 be everyone's cup of 23 01:00:44,916 --> 01:00:46,041 tea and that's okay." 24 01:00:46,458 --> 01:00:46,791 End quote. 25 01:00:47,208 --> 01:00:48,958 The truth is you can't please everyone 26 01:00:48,958 --> 01:00:50,291 and that's perfectly fine. 27 01:00:50,583 --> 01:00:52,291 Get comfortable in that fact. 28 01:00:52,708 --> 01:00:54,958 Instead, focus on genuine connections 29 01:00:54,958 --> 01:00:57,000 rather than universal approval. 30 01:00:57,666 --> 01:00:59,916 Okay, here are your four moments that 31 01:00:59,916 --> 01:01:02,041 matter for December 15th. 32 01:01:02,041 --> 01:01:04,625 On this day in history in 2001, the 33 01:01:04,625 --> 01:01:06,083 Leaning Tower of Pisa 34 01:01:06,083 --> 01:01:08,208 reopened after 11 years and 35 01:01:08,208 --> 01:01:11,083 $27 million of very careful engineering. 36 01:01:11,875 --> 01:01:13,208 Still leaning and this is 37 01:01:13,208 --> 01:01:14,666 me doing my part to help. 38 01:01:15,416 --> 01:01:16,583 Today's special day is the fact that 39 01:01:16,583 --> 01:01:18,000 today is Bill of Rights 40 01:01:18,000 --> 01:01:19,500 Day and I just go ahead 41 01:01:19,500 --> 01:01:21,166 and throw in Wear Your Pearls Day as 42 01:01:21,166 --> 01:01:22,458 well, which means today 43 01:01:22,458 --> 01:01:23,541 is your chance to be both 44 01:01:23,541 --> 01:01:26,583 patriotic and glamorous before 9 a.m. 45 01:01:27,416 --> 01:01:29,166 The number one song on this date back in 46 01:01:29,166 --> 01:01:30,666 1984, my favorite, 47 01:01:31,166 --> 01:01:33,208 Last Christmas by Wham. 48 01:01:33,416 --> 01:01:35,291 Now I just said it, this may well be my 49 01:01:35,291 --> 01:01:37,000 favorite Christmas song, but it's 50 01:01:37,000 --> 01:01:38,125 definitely my favorite 51 01:01:38,166 --> 01:01:39,208 80s Christmas song. 52 01:01:39,875 --> 01:01:40,958 Well, happy birthday to you 53 01:01:40,958 --> 01:01:42,041 if today is your birthday. 54 01:01:42,375 --> 01:01:45,125 You share a birthday with actress from 55 01:01:45,125 --> 01:01:47,208 Downton Abbey, Michelle Dockery. 56 01:01:47,208 --> 01:01:48,416 She's 44 today. 57 01:01:49,041 --> 01:01:50,666 Miami Vice himself and 58 01:01:50,666 --> 01:01:53,291 Dakota Johnson's dad, Don Johnson. 59 01:01:53,583 --> 01:01:55,083 He's 76 today. 60 01:01:55,583 --> 01:01:55,958 All right. 61 01:01:56,250 --> 01:01:59,125 Well, it is book review time for Monday. 62 01:01:59,416 --> 01:02:02,458 We are beginning chapter 13 today in Mel 63 01:02:02,458 --> 01:02:04,083 Robbins, The Let Them Theory. 64 01:02:04,625 --> 01:02:07,208 And Mel Robbins begins this section with 65 01:02:07,208 --> 01:02:08,666 a striking truth as 66 01:02:08,666 --> 01:02:10,166 she usually does, saying, 67 01:02:10,333 --> 01:02:12,291 "Great friendships don't just happen. 68 01:02:12,875 --> 01:02:13,708 They're created." 69 01:02:14,000 --> 01:02:14,375 End quote. 70 01:02:14,916 --> 01:02:16,791 Now she walks us into the intentional 71 01:02:16,791 --> 01:02:17,625 side of adult 72 01:02:17,625 --> 01:02:19,916 relationships, challenging the assumption 73 01:02:20,041 --> 01:02:22,083 that closeness develops naturally. 74 01:02:22,500 --> 01:02:24,583 Instead she argues, "Meaningful 75 01:02:24,583 --> 01:02:25,916 friendships are the result of 76 01:02:25,916 --> 01:02:27,708 deliberate choices, consistent 77 01:02:27,875 --> 01:02:29,750 energy and shared vulnerability." 78 01:02:30,458 --> 01:02:32,083 Robbins explains that many adults feel 79 01:02:32,083 --> 01:02:33,208 lonely, not because 80 01:02:33,208 --> 01:02:35,000 they're unlovable, but because 81 01:02:35,333 --> 01:02:36,000 they're passive. 82 01:02:36,750 --> 01:02:38,750 She writes, "We wait for friendships to 83 01:02:38,750 --> 01:02:40,000 find us instead of 84 01:02:40,000 --> 01:02:41,250 building the friendships that 85 01:02:41,250 --> 01:02:41,916 we want." 86 01:02:42,250 --> 01:02:42,583 End quote. 87 01:02:43,166 --> 01:02:44,166 Now this chapter is a 88 01:02:44,166 --> 01:02:45,708 call to action for you. 89 01:02:46,000 --> 01:02:48,041 If you crave deeper, healthier 90 01:02:48,041 --> 01:02:50,500 friendships, you have to participate. 91 01:02:51,416 --> 01:02:53,250 Mel lays out the foundation for creating 92 01:02:53,250 --> 01:02:54,500 friendships that last. 93 01:02:55,291 --> 01:02:58,625 Honesty, reciprocity and aligned values, 94 01:02:59,041 --> 01:03:00,875 not perfection, not 95 01:03:00,875 --> 01:03:02,791 constant availability, not 96 01:03:02,833 --> 01:03:03,958 endless agreement. 97 01:03:04,500 --> 01:03:06,958 Robbins says, "The best friendships are 98 01:03:06,958 --> 01:03:08,125 the ones where both people 99 01:03:08,125 --> 01:03:09,875 feel safe being themselves." 100 01:03:10,250 --> 01:03:10,541 End quote. 101 01:03:11,000 --> 01:03:12,833 Now one of her most freeing insights is 102 01:03:12,833 --> 01:03:14,250 that adult friendships 103 01:03:14,250 --> 01:03:16,416 thrive when everyone feels 104 01:03:16,458 --> 01:03:18,166 emotionally unpressured. 105 01:03:18,791 --> 01:03:21,291 No guilt trips, no silence scoring, no 106 01:03:21,291 --> 01:03:23,791 expectations disguised as obligations. 107 01:03:24,541 --> 01:03:26,250 Mel writes, "When friendship becomes 108 01:03:26,250 --> 01:03:28,458 work, it stops feeling like friendship." 109 01:03:28,750 --> 01:03:29,083 End quote. 110 01:03:30,125 --> 01:03:32,375 Mel also addresses the natural hesitation 111 01:03:32,375 --> 01:03:33,500 many people feel 112 01:03:33,500 --> 01:03:35,666 about reaching out, which 113 01:03:35,666 --> 01:03:38,125 is the fear of seeming needy or awkward. 114 01:03:38,583 --> 01:03:40,958 She dismantles this by reminding us that 115 01:03:40,958 --> 01:03:43,625 connection is a universal human craving. 116 01:03:44,000 --> 01:03:45,125 "Everyone is waiting for 117 01:03:45,125 --> 01:03:46,916 someone else to go first." 118 01:03:48,208 --> 01:03:50,666 By initiating plans, checking in or 119 01:03:50,666 --> 01:03:51,875 asking deeper questions, 120 01:03:52,250 --> 01:03:53,333 we actually give others 121 01:03:53,333 --> 01:03:54,500 the belonging that 122 01:03:54,500 --> 01:03:55,791 they've been hoping for. 123 01:03:56,166 --> 01:03:57,791 Another crucial point here that she makes 124 01:03:57,791 --> 01:03:58,666 is that quality 125 01:03:58,666 --> 01:04:00,458 matters more than quantity. 126 01:04:01,000 --> 01:04:01,958 In childhood, friendships 127 01:04:01,958 --> 01:04:03,250 are often built on proximity. 128 01:04:03,541 --> 01:04:04,541 We talked about that, right? 129 01:04:05,041 --> 01:04:07,250 In adulthood, they're built on choice. 130 01:04:07,916 --> 01:04:09,791 Robbins encourages readers to invest in 131 01:04:09,791 --> 01:04:11,250 people whose presence 132 01:04:11,250 --> 01:04:13,125 consistently feels grounding 133 01:04:13,125 --> 01:04:13,750 to them. 134 01:04:13,750 --> 01:04:15,083 That's energizing and 135 01:04:15,083 --> 01:04:16,250 it's emotionally honest. 136 01:04:16,875 --> 01:04:17,666 Ultimately, this 137 01:04:17,666 --> 01:04:19,208 chapter is about empowerment. 138 01:04:19,750 --> 01:04:22,291 You're not at the mercy of fate when it 139 01:04:22,291 --> 01:04:23,250 comes to friendships. 140 01:04:23,666 --> 01:04:25,333 You can create the kind of connection 141 01:04:25,333 --> 01:04:26,625 that feels supportive, 142 01:04:26,958 --> 01:04:28,791 that's mutual and wholehearted. 143 01:04:29,250 --> 01:04:31,250 All right, here is your Monday takeaway. 144 01:04:32,125 --> 01:04:33,833 Great friendships aren't found. 145 01:04:34,166 --> 01:04:35,708 They're formed through intention, 146 01:04:36,125 --> 01:04:37,458 honesty, and showing 147 01:04:37,458 --> 01:04:38,791 up as your true self. 148 01:04:39,416 --> 01:04:40,625 All right, this is 149 01:04:40,625 --> 01:04:41,875 going to be a great week. 150 01:04:42,375 --> 01:04:44,541 Be the brave version of yourself out 151 01:04:44,541 --> 01:04:45,541 there this week and 152 01:04:45,541 --> 01:04:46,791 start the week building the 153 01:04:46,791 --> 01:04:48,125 relationships that matter. 154 01:04:48,458 --> 01:04:49,750 All right, thanks for starting your week 155 01:04:49,750 --> 01:04:50,375 with Morning Serial. 156 01:04:50,666 --> 01:04:52,458 We will see you back here tomorrow. 157 01:04:52,833 --> 01:04:55,500 Until then, have a fantastic day. 158 01:04:56,291 --> 01:04:58,583 Don't forget to follow and subscribe to 159 01:04:58,583 --> 01:04:59,250 the Morning Serial 160 01:04:59,250 --> 01:05:01,333 podcast on the One Life Live 161 01:05:01,333 --> 01:05:01,833 It channel. 162 01:05:02,375 --> 01:05:04,250 You can find more episodes and videos by 163 01:05:04,250 --> 01:05:05,041 visiting our YouTube 164 01:05:05,041 --> 01:05:07,166 channel and the website at Shawn 165 01:05:07,208 --> 01:05:09,875 English and at ShawnEnglish.com, where 166 01:05:09,875 --> 01:05:11,083 you can also follow our 167 01:05:11,083 --> 01:05:12,500 other podcast, the Mr. 168 01:05:12,500 --> 01:05:13,416 and Mrs. English podcast 169 01:05:13,416 --> 01:05:15,125 and the Life Happens podcast. 170 01:05:16,000 --> 01:05:18,083 These other podcasts will dive deeper 171 01:05:18,083 --> 01:05:19,000 into everyday issues, 172 01:05:19,250 --> 01:05:20,500 self-improvement, well-being, 173 01:05:20,791 --> 01:05:22,541 business and finance, and we 174 01:05:22,541 --> 01:05:23,833 welcome special guests too. 175 01:05:24,375 --> 01:05:25,041 Join us. 176 01:05:25,041 --> 01:05:26,333 It will be a good time, I promise. 177 01:05:27,083 --> 01:05:28,125 Thanks again for listening. 178 01:05:28,125 --> 01:05:29,708 Have a fantastic day and 179 01:05:29,708 --> 01:05:30,250 we'll see you tomorrow.