CBN John O'Leary

2 hours ago

Have you ever had a hangover?Stayed out a little too late. Had one too many drinks. Come on, we’ve all been there!But the kind of hangover I’m referring to isn’t the kind that a glass of water and a few Tylenol can cure. No, I’m referring to the holiday hangover.Several years ago, a Live Inspired Community member named Helen asked me on January 5 how she could get over the holiday hangover she was suffering from.All the build-up and excitement had passed, time had been spent away from work, family had gathered, gifts exchanged. All the preparation, cooking, eating, opening of presents, racing to parties, watching the clock strike midnight, and flipping the calendar had left her in debt, tired and a little down.And now she had to head back to work, to school, to real life. Helen wanted to know how we cure this kind of hangover.Rather than wait until after the hangover sets in this year, I thought I’d share some sage advice now from a woman with nine and a half decades of experience to help prevent it from starting in the first place.At our family Christmas Eve celebration several years ago, my parents hosted their six children and spouses, 17 grandchildren, a few friends, and my then 94-year-old grandmother, Caddy. She’s an amazing woman and right before dinner I had a wonderful 15-minute conversation just with her.Grandma’s short-term memory was beginning to fade, but her zest for life and natural beauty remained perfectly intact. During our conversation I asked about her childhood, how she met my grandpa, what it was like during World War II when he was in the Pacific, raising kids during the 50s, and a few of her favorite memories.I then asked what advice she’d give me as I continued along this path in life.She looked me in the eyes, patted my right leg, and responded thoughtfully, “Seems like today everyone is so busy racing. All that racing means they’re busy doing things, but also more likely to miss the gifts that are in front of them right now.”After 94 of years of living life, raising kids, losing friends, enduring recessions and wars, learning through mistakes and savoring the good stuff, my grandma realized that the very success many sprint toward professionally, relationally, in parenting is elusive because we don’t slow down enough to notice gifts that are already ours to celebrate.So, my friend, as we step into another busy holiday season, I encourage you to embrace this sage advice from Grandma Caddy.As we clean up from Thanksgiving and prepare for the Christmas season, rather than making a list of all the things you have to get done, places you need to go, presents you feel obliged to buy, parties you must attend, instead consider making different lists.Make a list of what truly matters most this holiday season. Then make a second list of all the things you’re going to not do to ensure you focus on what matters most.A beautiful lady once shared with me that everyone is so busy racing and busy doing things, but all that racing means we are more likely to miss the gifts that in front of us right now.Let’s choose to be less frantic this season. Because the best way to avoid a hangover is to not participate in activities certain to give you one.Today is your day. Live Inspired. ... See MoreSee Less

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John O'Leary - Live Inspired

4 days ago

I consider Thanksgiving one of my favorite family holidays. It’s certainly a wonderful time away from work, enjoying good food, viewing football, and taking inventory of the many blessings in life.Join me as I share the original reason for this holiday and a new tradition I’ll be implementing at my family feast. Today’s episode will ignite an abundance of gratitude and help you celebrate Thanksgiving on fire.Listen to Live Inspired Podcast ep. 518 here:My website: johnolearyinspires.com/podcast/archive/thanksgiving-2022/Your favorite podcast app: link.chtbl.com/tOmM9ExS ... See MoreSee Less

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John O'Leary - Live Inspired

1 week ago

Spending several decades as a hospice doctor, Dr. Ira Byock learned much about the process of death. Perhaps surprisingly, though, spending years among the dying taught him even more about living.In their final days, his patients often reiterated what many of us know to be true. That experiences matter more than things. That life is temporary and each moment a gift. That we should strive to contribute to something bigger than ourselves.But for many of us, these platitudes become part of the noise. A quote card we scroll through on social media or see in the aisles of Homegoods. Something we say when other words escape us.For Byock, though, these weren’t just bumper stickers. These were the words and scenes played out not in the noise but in the quiet. Witnessed in patient after patient, family after family, year after year.But here’s the good news, my friends: We do not have to wait until our own final days are upon us or until we are at the bedside of someone we care about to live out these end of life lessons. He’s distilled years of experience into four short but mighty statements that allow us all to be liberated from the burden of regret.I forgive you.We have all been let down, discouraged, or wronged by others. There are disagreements – spoken and unspoken- we have with those we care for most that linger for years and poison our most important connections. ‘I forgive you’ frees us from carrying a grudge that further damages a relationship and allows the person we share it with to recognize we accept them as they are.Please forgive me.One of the most difficult aspects of any relationship is the awareness of when we have wronged another. Recognizing it is important, but humbly, sincerely asking for forgiveness brings us closer to true reconciliation and fullness in that relationship.Thank you.In a highly independent existence where individuality is prized above all else, we’ve been taught if we strive hard enough, we can achieve greatness. In reality, we do very little by ourselves. We are made to be in community with others and much of what we accomplish is because of them not in spite of them. Letting others know they matter, they are seen, and are a part of our journey helps give others purpose.I love you.Perhaps the sweetest words we can hear from another human being. They matter profoundly as we approach the end, but also each day we’re fortunate enough to be alive.These four statements are powerful words to hear and speak when we’re near the end of our lives, certainly. But this week as we step into a season of Thanksgiving, surrounded by family and friends, rather than wait to share these life-changing words, let’s say them now.Dying is inevitable.But learning from those who are facing it and immediately acting upon those learnings liberates us not only from potential regrets, but permits us to be far more joyful, loving, and free in the life we have.Today is your day. Live Inspired. ... See MoreSee Less

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John O'Leary - Live Inspired

2 weeks ago

Susan Rogers is one of the most successful female record producers of all-time. Yet her journey to working with Prince during his iconic Purple Rain-era and other award-winning musical artists including the Barenaked Ladies and Rusted Root wasn’t always clearly laid out.Today, Susan shares how her enthusiasm opened the first doors for her career in music and how she was able to make her mark in a male-dominated industry. Plus, having studied music cognition and psychoacoustics and earning her doctorate in psychology, you’ll learn insights about how and why our brains decipher music.If you’re looking to deepen your connection to your favorite artists and change the way you listen to music, this conversation is for you.Listen to Live Inspired Podcast ep. 516:My website: johnolearyinspires.com/podcast/archive/susan-rogers/Your favorite podcast app: link.chtbl.com/tOmM9ExS ... See MoreSee Less

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John O'Leary - Live Inspired

2 weeks ago

"I don’t have any friends; I don’t have any family. I’ve never had a girlfriend; I've never had a social life. I've been an isolated loner my entire life."After writing these words, a 19-year-old placed the note on his passenger seat, exited his car and entered the high school he had graduated from a year earlier. He entered the school with an AR-15-style rifle, with 600 rounds of ammunition and with the determination to make others feel the pain he carried with him.Surrounded by so much divisiveness, anger and cynicism, it’s easy to be overwhelmed and focus on the negative. It’s common to lose hope in humanity and believe things have never been so bad. Yet in the midst of this recent tragedy that rocked my hometown, it’s important to not only share the calamity that occurred, but the heroes who leapt into action ensuring it wouldn’t be far worse.Central Visual and Performing Arts High School is a highly-regarded and tightly-knit school community in St. Louis, MO. After a 30-year career as a Marine, Germaine Yancy chose to become a security officer there. He wanted to invest his life positively impacting young people in our city. Yancy was one of the first to see the gunman on the morning of Oct. 24. He immediately radioed in the alert and then sprinted to classrooms informing the teachers that this wasn’t a drill. The former Marine shared that he “felt like God put me in schools for a reason, so I could move kids in the right direction.” And on a morning where these young people desperately needed direction, he provided it.Principal Frederik Steele, known to the students for both his firmness as well as his love of them, heard the shooting and the screams. He moved hallway to hallway at great risk to his own life, reminding staff and students what to do and where to go for safety. He did his best to keep every one of his kids alive that day. Although 7 were injured and tragically 15-year-old Alexzandria Bell would die, he comforted her until the paramedics arrived.Upstairs, Jean Kuczka, a teacher for more than 3 decades heard the shots down the hallway from her classroom. As the horrifying sounds got closer, she took action, putting herself between the gunman and her students. Described as joyful and caring by all who knew her, Jean would ultimately perish. The students she dedicated her life to educating, though, survived this brutal attack.Nearby, a contingency of police officers were at a funeral service for a fallen officer when their radios alerted them to an active shooter at the school. They sprinted toward the school and within 4 minutes of the first shot, were already entering the building. They had no body armor, no guarantee of safety and no real understanding of the situation. Yet they entered the building without any concern for their lives. These police officers were willing, as they are each day, to lay down their lives for others.They were able to quickly enter through the building’s back doors because nearby construction workers had heard the chaos and offered to help. Using their construction tools to wedge open doors, they helped the officers enter into the building.As children and teachers evacuated the building, a nearby grocery store opened the entire store to the school. The employees of a grocery store passed out pallets of water and snacks to the students and teachers and offered a safe place for them gather, grieve and ultimately reunite with their families.My friends, the shooting at CVPA came on the same day a Michigan teen pleaded guilty to murder charges in a 2021 school shooting and a week before another teen received his sentence for the shooting in Parkland, FL. It represented the 40th school shooting this year to result in injury or death. And, appallingly, there have been additional school shootings in the last several weeks.Much needs to be done to keep our students and teachers safe. Honest, bold conversations must be had around our current culture of gun violence. Creative and bi-partisan discussions must put forward solutions to the mental health pandemic impacting our nation. Security within schools, training for staff and wellness programs for students must become a priority for administrative leaders.These are profoundly complicated and divisive topics.And yet, despite the massive challenges we face, the school shooting we endured as a community reminds us of the extraordinary power of disparate individuals coming together for a cause bigger than themselves.The example set by unarmored police officers, selfless school staff members and grocery store workers reminds us not only of how a diverse group of individuals coming together helped save lives weeks ago at a school in St. Louis, but how it will ultimately help elevate and safeguard lives going forward.In witnessing the selfless love within this tragedy, perhaps we can choose to model it in our ordinary lives, too.Today is your day. Live Inspired. ... See MoreSee Less

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