Everyday Lessons Every Day
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Not all everyday lessons come from self-improvement books. Sometimes they sneak up on you in the strangest places. This week’s lesson comes from Pixar’s Toy Story and it’s probably not the lesson you’re thinking of. Join David as he takes you back to 1987 and shares the story of an incident that hurt him deeply and puzzled him for years, making him wonder what was wrong with him and what he had done wrong. Then find out how Buzz and Woody taught him a lesson that allowed him to finally put that hurt and confusion aside. Referenced in this episode: Toy Story
Everyday Lessons Every Day is all about the concept of learning life lessons and implementing them to be a better version of yourself. I’m proud of the progress I’ve made and excited to share my stories of growth with the world. But just when I think I've come so far on my journey from grumpy to grateful, I do occasionally revert back to my old ways. In this episode, I share how poorly I handled my Monday morning and the terrible impact it took on my daughter. I lost my temper, couldn’t see things from her point of view, and acted like an asshole. Maybe you’ll relate. Hopefully, you’ll learn from my mistakes.
Too many times, we act on limited information, be it a text from a friend, news on the television, or even social media posts and comments. Later on, we are provided more information, we discover that we acted inappropriately, wishing we had been given a more complete picture to work with. Eric Davis refers to this as call center syndrome and he talks about how to recognize it and avoid it so that you can make better decisions and improve your relationships. Insight into this everyday lesson can help you at work and at home.
Rob White is an international best-selling author and intriguing philosopher. He has over 30 years of experience helping others to accurately understand themselves and their remarkable resources, so they might realize their dreams. He was born in a small mill town, went on to become a schoolteacher and then a successful entrepreneur as a bicoastal real estate developer and restauranteur. Rob’s an avid reader, engaging thinker, and zealous poet, as well as global traveler and author. Over the past 25 years of his life-journey, Rob has been exploring the incalculable nature of what it means to be a human being. Combining that knowledge with his vast experiences, he has reworked his realizations, spiritual insights, and wisdom into sound practical advice. Rob was a regular columnist in the Huffington Post, has written four other
When David hears his nephew’s new song on Spotify, he is transported to the past, struggling to reconcile the beautiful and professionally produced song with the little baby he knew so long ago. How could this tiny person be a college graduate, producing music? In this moment, he starts to realize just how much he’s been pining for the past. To further complicate things, his daughter turns sixteen this week, causing more conflict between wanting his baby girl to stay little and looking forward to what the future will bring for them. He is reminded of a quote he learned from Yoda (yes, the little green dude from Star Wars) many years ago. No, it’s not the quote about trying and doing. It’s a different bit of wisdom from the mind of George Lucas and the voice of Frank Oz. Tune in to find out what everyday lesson from Yoda shaped and improved David’s life this week. Referenced in this Episode: Return of the Jedi Nice and Slow, by Jacob North Hill
At 68 years young, Jill Phillips has a lot of stories and several everyday lessons worth sharing. From growing up in 1960’s London, to writing a book, to getting healthy and completing a 5K in her mid-sixties, Jill’s message is clear: Do the things you want to do. This energetic and vibrant lady reminds us that divorce isn’t a death sentence and that spending time with loved ones near the ends of their lives can be incredibly fulfilling and valuable. When Jill decided to write her book, it meant learning about and telling her family stories. What surprised Jill during this process was how much she learned about herself. If you have a passion project, a bucket list, or just want to make a few changes in your life, Jill’s interview may be the jolt you need to get up off the couch and do the things you want to do.
Sean Tyler Foley is passionate about helping others confidently take the stage and impact an audience with their stories. He is the author of the #1 best-selling book which is based on his speaker training courses. In this episode, Tyler shares one of the most powerful lessons from his training courses: The thing you’re afraid to say is very likely the thing that the world needs to hear. If you’re struggling to share your truth with the world, this episode will give you the confidence that you seek.
Like a lot of new moms, Catherine O’Brien quickly discovered that a new baby meant a new dynamic in her relationship with her husband. Even as a Licensed Marriage Therapist, she found herself overwhelmed and unprepared for how significantly her life had changed. Her kids are older now and she learned a lot on her journey. Thankfully, she was brave enough and took the time to write her story to share the everyday lessons she learned along the way with other new parents. From dealing with sleep deprivation, to finding time for self-care, Catherine shares some of her best tips in this episode of Everyday Lessons Every Day. This is a great episode for new parents, of course, but there’s also some pretty solid relationship advice for those who aren’t parents yet, or who have been at it awhile.
When Brandy Peterson started her career in early childhood education, she quickly found herself doing the work of three people. Because of her “helper personality,” she did the best she could to keep up. Being needed made her feel necessary and validated. But she was stressed and tired and not eating. She wasn’t giving her all to her family at home. She was simply stretched too thin. That’s when she broke down and cried in the middle of the circle-time carpet. Luckily, Brandy had a boss who cared for her more as a person than as an employee. That’s when she learned to let go of some things and focus on the tasks that only she could do. The lesson has stuck with her for nearly two decades and in this episode she shares how it helped her to be a better boss, friend, spouse and mother. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and overworked, this episode is for you.
If you’ve ever wanted to turn your passion project or side hustle into a full-time career, you’re going to want to hear what Julian Placino has to say about discovering your talents and abilities, using them to serve others, and how doing those things will help you and your community to grow. Julian has been a student of success for many years, investing thousands of dollars and hours into books, seminars, and personal coaching. He hosts the successful Podcast and YouTube show “Pathways to Success” where he interviews leaders, authors, CEOs and entrepreneurs. In this episode, Julian talks about his journey from corporate career to independent entrepreneur and provides several everyday lessons for those who are on a similar journey.
With thousands of followers, Julie Burton has a unique perspective of how her social media posts impact the world. This snarky mother of two isn’t afraid to talk about how hard it is to be a woman, what it’s like to go through a divorce or to describe in great detail what it was like getting her first Brazilian. The feedback she gets from her followers has helped her to see the value in being honest and vulnerable. Join us for some insight into what kind of an impact you’ll have on the world and how the world may reciprocate when your social media doesn’t always look like it comes directly out of a magazine. Referenced in this episode: But Did You Die?: Setting the Parenting Bar Low (I Just Want to Pee Alone) by Jen Mann I’m sorry… Love, Your Husband by Clint Edwards
has been graced by some very strong female guests. This week is no exception with Tracy Oswald, who speaks proudly for women everywhere. Tracy shares how she approached her life at work and her life outside of work in very different ways. Then, after an immersive theater experience, she found herself forever changed. She decided to start being true to herself and the changes that occurred were life-altering. This is the episode for women who need to be reminded that their feelings and their voices count, and for men who may not realize that women are still suffering from second-sex syndrome. Referenced in this episode: presented by Emursive
Matt Brandenburg, serial entrepreneur, husband and father, is one of the most positive people you’ll ever have the pleasure of meeting. But he wasn’t always like smiling fool that he is today. In his twenties, Matt found himself with a failed relationship under his belt and a massive lack of life direction. That’s when his best friend got tired of him feeling sorry for himself and challenged him to make a change. Learn what Matt did to change his circumstances and how the everyday lessons he learned during this difficult time have shaped his life and his attitude in such a positive way.
Do you struggle with your coworkers, employees or your boss? It’s not an uncommon problem. Personality conflict at work has the power to turn even the most awesome job into a terrible one. When Dr. Amy Hahn, graduated dental school and started working at her father’s practice, she discovered this the hard way. It turned out that dealing with employees was a serious challenge that she hadn’t been taught to handle in any of her classes. So she took a page out of the Everyday Lessons playbook and picked up a couple of books filled with workplace advice for dealing with difficult coworkers and staff members. What she learned from those books helped to shift her perspective and transform her office. She even created a required reading list for her staff to read. While it wasn’t an overnight change, the lessons she and her team learned from those books have helped her to create a workplace filled with positivity. Referenced in this episode: by Robert I. Sutton by Robert I. Sutton by Oprah Winfrey by Don Miguel Ruiz
Fellow sales trainer and podcaster Mike Papacoda talks about a classic everyday lesson – the power of visualization. He shares the story of how he used visualization to get a new job as well as an account of how visualization helped him lose weight. But Mike does more than just share stories in this episode. He explains how visualization helps your brain to recognize the resources you need to accomplish your goals and leverages the law of attraction to bring the people and resources into your life to turn your dreams into reality. Referenced in this episode: Tony Robbins Zig Ziglar Caddyshack by Rhonda Byrne
When Lee Clontz reached out to David McBee to say hello and let him know that he liked an episode of Everyday Lessons, David immediately saw an opportunity. Figuring that if Lee was a listener of his podcast then he probably was a fan of the self-improvement genre. That’s when David asked Lee if he had an everyday lesson that had shaped his life and if he’d be interested in being a guest on the show. Turns out this journalist-turned-IT-manager had an experience with a predictive health study that let him to find his passion, his tribe and a handful of everyday lessons that he eagerly shares in this episode. Referenced in this episode: by Dan Harris by Billy Baker
Courtney Lawrence was like a lot of people, a wife and mother of two children, working hard at her career and climbing the corporate ladder. She was comfortable, but not totally fulfilled. That’s when a book, a leadership course and a business coach inspired her to face her fears and follow her dream. If you too are comfortable but not truly living the life of your dreams, allow this episode and Courtney’s journey to inspire you to get uncomfortable and to overcome whatever obstacles are holding you back. Referenced in this episode: by Michelle Poler Business Coach, Sarah Stevens at Black Pearl Coaching Leadership Development Program by Ginny Wilson-Peters, Integrity Integrated Lead(h)er Mentorship Program
What happens when you ask a comedian for advice about how to improve your life? Well that’s what you’ll find out in this episode with James Johann, who has been looking at life with a sense of humor and making people laugh for over 30 years. James may not be a big reader of self-help, but he shares a lesson that was passed down to him from his father, and from his father before him. And it’s this advice that has provided James with a positive mental attitude that makes him one of the most likable guys you could ever want to meet. Referenced in this episode: by David Naster
This week’s lesson comes from entrepreneur, business owner, consultant, author, father, husband and Ninja Warrior, Troy Helming. And if you’re wondering how one man can be all of those things, then you can probably guess the everyday lesson that Troy has to share. It’s all about wearing too many hats, and wasting time in the transition between tasks. Troy shares tips on how to become more efficient, to get into the flow state, to purge your brain of clutter and to win back your physical, mental and emotional energy. This episode is for the overworked and over-committed.
Every once in awhile we are blessed with “a moment.” Something happens that makes us reevaluate our behavior and our beliefs. Musician and middle school band director, Eric Griffin had such a moment when he read . In this episode, Eric describes how he felt when he learned an everyday lesson that changed his perception of the people around him, and how a slight change improved his ability to connect with his students and peers. This is the episode every teacher, coach, manager and leader will benefit from. Referenced in this episode: by Jeff Olson by The Arbinger Institute
On vacation in beautiful Hawaii, Kristy Neick’s son noticed his mother spending a lot of time on her phone. When he mentioned it to her, she had a bit of an epiphany. She might have a social media addiction. This was her wake-up call and she decided to take action to remedy the situation by taking a month-long break. The detox turned out to be harder than she thought, and Kristy learned a lot about how social media had been impacting her life in an adverse way. Find out how things went and how she is slowly allowing social media back into her life. Referenced in this episode (Netflix documentary) by Rachel Hollis The fabulous Mel Robbins
There are certain people in this world whom some might consider “self-improvement junkies.” These people often read tons of books, listen to audio books and podcasts and they are usually surrounded by like-minded individuals who consider a positive mental attitude as vital to their lives as oxygen. Sharon Fanto is one of those people and I knew this about her when I invited her to be my guest on . What I didn’t prepare for was the amount of good advice she would bring to the table. Unwilling (or maybe unable) to limit her everyday lessons to just one, Sharon shares a great deal of advice that has impacted her life and helped her be successful. Find out why she left a career she loved and is diving into a whole new world filled with anxiety and excitement. And maybe grab a pencil because she’s references a ton of great books and brilliant self-improvement strategies. Referenced in this episode: by Dale Carnegie by John Gray by Gary Chapman by Amy Edmondson And the fabulous Mel Robbins
NOTE: This episode contains profanity. In this episode, David makes a departure from his season 2 format, compelled to share a personal story about how his efforts to help his daughter with his “everyday lessons” advice didn’t go as well as he had hoped. Referenced in this episode: and by P!nk
How many times have you heard someone say that school doesn’t actually prepare kids for the real world? Maybe you’ve thought there should be a class that teaches people the fundamentals of success – how to prepare for an interview, how to dress for an interview, how to land the job! In his new book, Now What? (Real World Advice for Graduates), Bob Visotcky gives a master class on those topics and more. Written specifically for new graduates, but ideal for anyone going through transition, Bob shares real-world everyday lessons that anyone can implement for a better future. Referenced in this episode: Now What? (Real World Advice for Graduates) by Bob Visotcky Dress for Success by John T. Malloy Ninja Selling by Larry Kendall Richard Williams AKA Prince EA
When Jonathan Burnos picked up Matthew McConaughey’s new book about a walkabout, he discovered that it was filled with profound wisdom and several possible subjects worthy of discussion on the podcast. But as he was trying to choose just one lesson to talk about, he realized that the real lesson wasn’t one of Matthew’s discoveries, but rather the act of journaling itself. When he took a look at his own journaling habits, he realized how much value the process of writing and rereading old journal entries had brought to his life. In this episode, Jonathan talks about how his journals have helped him process his recent divorce, become a better parent, and have helped him to “outbox” his feelings so that he isn’t so reactionary when faced with difficult situations. Referenced in this episode: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
When I met Shannon Mossler a few years ago, I was immediately impressed with her. Barely out of college, taking on her first “real job,” this young go-getter was someone I found myself proud to work with. When I discovered that she was a reader of self-improvement books, I wasn’t surprised in the least. Her work ethic and positive mindset are quickly obvious to anyone who knows her. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have her as a guest on , and I hope you enjoy her story. Referenced in this episode: by Lewis Howes Kyle Maynard
Have you ever had the urge to create something? Maybe you’ve got an idea for a book, a song, a play, a work of art or even a charity, organization or a business you want to start. Ever wonder where those ideas come from or if they’re worth pursuing? If yes, you’ll want to hear the everyday lesson that Wilene Dunn learned from , a book that has been around for nearly 100 years and is still relevant today. We also talk children’s books, poetry and t-shirts. Join us and learn to embrace your ideas to create a life you’ll love. Referenced in this episode: ROLLERCOASTER: The Ups and Downs of Life in Poetry by Wilene Dunn The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn Your Word is Your Wand by Florence Scovel Shinn The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks More stuff by Wilene: Butterflies and Flower Petals by Wilene Dunn and Melanie Mitchell Raindrops and Lightning Bugs by Wilene Dunn and Melanie Mitchell PhoneticsWorld.com WCDSpeakers.com
Our lives are filled with limiting beliefs. Some of those beliefs keep us stuck in a rut, at a job we don’t love, trudging toward a retirement that isn’t guaranteed. In this episode, Stephen Heiner shares how reading forced him to challenge his own limiting beliefs. While the lessons didn’t sink in right away, sixteen years later, Stephen has discovered his ikigai. Roughly translated, ikigai means “reason to live” and is one of the Okinawans’ 3 secrets to a long life. Find out what limiting beliefs are holding you back and how to find your ikigai in this week’s episode of Everyday Lessons Every Day. Referenced in this episode: The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss Gary Vaynerchuk Ikigai
If you’re struggling with a difficult family member, friend, boss or neighbor, the insights from this episode will be invaluable. Rebecca Clark is a life and work coach with training in coaching, teaching, psychology, leadership, and learning theories. In this episode, Rebecca shares the story of how a college psychology class introduced her to an everyday lesson that impacted her life in a big way. The lessons she learned from it have guided her life and her career for many years and she rereads the book regularly to remind herself that one way of dealing with difficult people is to pay attention to how you are showing up with them, and that change comes from within. Referenced in this episode: The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict by The Arbinger Institute Leadership and Self-deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute Bonds That Make Us Free: Healing Our Relationships, Coming to Ourselves by C. Terry Warner Move Your Desk Podcast by Rebecca Clark
Mike is one of those half-glass-full types who is always looking for ways to improve his life through self-motivation, leadership training, church and other ventures. So when he picked up a book that encouraged quitting, it caught him off guard and provided him an everyday lesson he wasn’t expecting. In this podcast, Mike talks about a story from by Bob Goff that changed the way he’s going to take on 2021. Instead of giving you homework, Mike shares how to shed some of the burdens that are keeping you from growing. Referenced in this episode: Dream Big by Bob Goff
