October 11, 2024 • 21 mins
Ever wondered how a retired cop could find comedy and motivation as his guiding principles? Join us as Cliff Yates, a former LA County Sheriff's Department officer turned comedian, reveals his remarkable story of transformation. Influenced by motivational giants like Jim Rohn and Tony Robbins, Cliff shares how he shifted from a bleak mindset to one of personal growth and gratitude, all while staying rooted in Christian values. This conversation sheds light on how changing our mindset can lead to profound personal and professional changes, allowing us to approach life with a thankful heart and share that positivity with others.
Together with Cliff, we explore the nuances of mastering mindset and emotional control through the power of questions and self-talk. Discover practical tools that Cliff uses to maintain positivity, such as altering physiology, focus, and embracing power poses to anchor positive states of mind. Real-life examples illustrate how simple shifts in perspective can transform setbacks into stepping stones and navigate life's hurdles with renewed confidence. This episode promises to equip you with the insights needed to conquer negativity and embrace each day with a refreshed outlook.
Make sure you favorite or subscribe to our show!! If we are making a difference in your life please let us know, email us at iamadiamond2021@outlook.com. Go to our website www.godsdiamond.net and leave a review. Find out more about who we are, our merch and more!! Remember in the sight of God YOU ARE A DIAMOND!!!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, hello, and welcome back to God's Diamonds
in the Rough.
We are so glad to be with youone more time.
Amen, I hope all is well.
I hope you're having a greatday today.
Unfortunately, michael is nothere.
Womp, womp, womp, he's not here.
He's taking care of business.
Yeah, amen and so.
But I do have a guest with me.
(00:22):
His name is Cliff Yates and weare so glad to have him with us.
He is a retired cop.
He's also a comedian.
I'm excited about thisconversation that is coming.
We're talking about changingyour thinking, changing your
attitude.
So, before we do that and gethim in the room, we're gonna
(00:44):
pray.
Y'all know we gotta do it, wegotta pray first.
So let's go, let's go, come ony'all.
Father, we thank you so much foryour grace and your mercy.
Thank you, god, for allowing usthis day, in this time, god to
um be a blessing to the body.
I pray, god, that we can be thelight you desire, to desire us
to be.
I pray that we can be all thatyou, um, uh, all that you need
(01:05):
us to be and that you will useus to be.
I pray that we can be all thatyou need us to be and that you
would use us to your glory.
I pray, god, for everyone thatis here, all of our diamonds,
god, that they would continue toshine for you, that they would
see the diamond that you havemade them to be.
All of us would see it.
Father, we thank you so much forwhat you're doing in this
season and we just pray, god,you continue to do through us
what you desire to.
We love you so much for whatyou're doing in this season and
(01:25):
we just pray, god, you'llcontinue to do through us what
you desire to.
We love you so much, so verygrateful and so thankful.
We pray that this prayer andall of our prayers are pleasing
in your sight.
In jesus christ's name, we dopray.
Amen, amen and amen, amen,hallelujah.
So, uh, cliff, will you sayhello to everybody and introduce
yourself?
(01:45):
Tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Hello everybody.
Catherine, thanks for having meon the God's Diamonds podcast.
You guys are doing great thingsand I know you're allowing the
Lord to work through you, and Ican use you as an example
because I feel I could do abetter job, like you're doing,
and so I'm going to take yourlead and try to do better each
and every day, and so I'm justhappy to be with you.
(02:08):
As you said, I'm a retired copof 35 plus years and retired
from the LA County Sheriff'sDepartment, and I also did stand
up comedy, some acting, someproducing, and I love podcasting
and I'm happy to be a guest onyour show.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
The devil is a liar, so we're glad to have you.
The devil is a liar, absolutely.
You heard me.
I say it all the time the devilis a liar, amen.
So today we're going to betalking about changing your
thinking, changing your attitude.
Why are you a voice for that?
Where was your struggle and howdid you get to this place where
you are focused on that?
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Well, I had been with the LA Sheriff's Department for
about 10 years and then I gotinto a negative place and so I
decided well, I'm going to showthem, I'm going to become a real
estate agent, get my realestate license, and then I'll
make my money from the work thatI do and I'll be going to lead
this profession.
And so then I took the test andI got my real estate license,
(03:13):
and then my broker sent me toJim Lone, who was a business
speaker and coach and spoke allover the world, and I went there
for sales training, training,but it really was life training.
And so from that one, oneseminar that I went to with jim
rohn that led me to tony robbins, and then I started to realize,
(03:34):
oh, it's not the economy, it'snot negative relatives, not
negative friends, it's nothingoutside, it's an inside job.
We don't blame anybody else,I'm responsible for the
reactions that I'm getting.
And as soon as I changed,everything started to change for
me.
And so I got hooked on personalgrowth, personal development.
And what I found out, catherine, was many of these I don't want
(03:58):
to call them gurus, but youknow business professionals and
motivational speakers.
A lot of their messages were Ididn't realize it at the time
were really based in Christian,bible-based principles, and so
that kind of even though I hadaccepted Jesus a few years
before that led me to be moreactive in my walk with Jesus and
(04:19):
God.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Awesome, awesome.
So what exactly are you doingto teach more?
Teach this principle of or Icall it a principle because it
really is a choice and astandard to live by that I'm
going to walk with a goodattitude, but that attitude only
comes from how I think.
(04:42):
So what are you doing to teachthis thing?
I guess you could say I don'tknow what else to call it.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Well, I'm sharing these principles, Catherine, and
all these things that I keeplearning, and so, because I want
to talk about them and I feel Ishould share them, then it
leads me to, first of all, whenI share motivational things and
inspirational things, I get tohear these things over again in
my own head, through my ownvoice.
So, you know, you can't helpsomebody else without helping
(05:14):
yourself.
And so when you go with thatkind of attitude and I'm just
grateful all the time,especially as I get a little bit
older, catherine, and I realize, hey, this person's gone, that
person's gone, hey, they passedaway and they were younger than
I was, and so I'm grateful everyday that I'm here.
And so then I feel you knowGod's using me.
So, as I try to, I feel I'mgetting a message to maybe share
(05:38):
more of.
You know scriptures and gospelthings, even though I sometimes
think who am I to share thesethings?
And as I'm learning more andmore each day that we're all
responsible for, you knowsharing these messages, and we
don't have to be the expert inthe field, we can just point
people in the right direction.
And by doing so, you know youfeel obligated, right to
(05:59):
meditate on the word and beingthe word daily, and so that's
kind of where I'm at okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
So, um, what's my question?
So, man, I lost my question.
I had a question I was gettingready to ask you as you were
talking.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Oh, my goodness, I'm gonna have to come up with
another question, tell you thatyou know, yeah, and you know, I
just found myself and, uh, youknow, bible-based uh churches
and I, we found a wonderfulbible-based church in in florida
.
We had one in california too,and it just just really kind of
the bible is the leading, is thelead of that, and so I'm really
(06:35):
finding myself trying tounderstand better.
You know, and I and I found,you know, things are revealed to
us right as we read things overand over again.
Sometimes, you know, tomorrowI'm going to be a different
person, so when I read the samescripture over again it's going
to mean something different tome, and so I'm coming to learn
and know that the Bible is aliveand well and it's a living word
(06:56):
.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
I mean, it's exciting right, okay, I got my question.
Well, how would you, what wouldyou describe I got it?
What would you describe I gotit now?
What would you describe to benegative thinking Like, what
type of thinking needs to?
Is the thinking mind that needsto change?
How would you describe that?
So that I asked you thatquestion?
(07:17):
So that, so that if there is alistener who's trying to
understand, well, why do I keepon ending up in the same
position, like, how am I gettinghere?
So my question to you is whatwould you, in what you've
learned and what you'veexperienced, what are the signs
of a mind or thinking that needsto be changed?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yeah, and I think you have to do it with intention.
And what I've learned and fromthese people that know better
than me, and it seems to besomething that's taught over and
over again is that I mean, thebiggest thing I learned and did
was change the questions and howI was talking to myself.
So it's so, this amazing bodyand brain and mind we have it
(08:08):
doesn't argue with this, right.
So, no matter what question weask it, you know, hey, why am I
so screwed up?
Why, why, why am I alwaysmessing up?
You know your brain won't arguewith you.
It's gonna look for thosereasons, and so what I had to do
was just change my questions.
And so when I did that,starting in the morning okay,
what's good about this?
(08:29):
What am I most thankful for?
What am I grateful for?
What am I going to try to focuson today?
Then your brain looks for thoseanswers.
So just changing your questionsis going to change, first of
all, your thinking, and thethinking is going to precede
actions, and then your actionsare going to change and so the
results are going to change.
So I think that's one of themajor things that I learned,
(08:51):
catherine, was changingquestions and also learning to
really be in more control of mystate of mind.
And you know we're all human, asyou know.
You know and everybody knowsthat you know I'm subject to
negative thinking and that'skind of.
You know, we're built that wayas a default because you know
we're built to survive and we'rebuilt to look for dangers and
(09:12):
hey, that might kill me.
So we have to intentionallyoverride some of these thoughts
and say, no, you know what'sreally happening.
So I've learned to change mystate on demand.
So I know I can do that withlike three tools.
And these are the three things,not from me.
I've learned these from otherpeople.
But the first thing I can do ischange my physiology, how I'm
(09:33):
moving my body.
Right Motion affects emotion.
If I can change how I'm moving,that's going to help me change
my state.
Number two change what I'mfocusing on, change my focus and
then what I'm saying to myself,what are the things I'm saying
to myself in my head?
And, man, if you can do those,you can change on demand your
state of mind.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
So I think those are some of the key things that can
help anybody change.
Ok, all right, I'm just writingthese down because I'm getting
excited just talking about it.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Every time I share these ideas, I get worked up, I
get excited.
Yeah, because you know Iassociate these kind of thoughts
with excitement.
My wife and I both went to aTony Robbins seminar right, I
went twice, she went with me.
And so now when I'm thinkingabout these concepts and
principles, I've anchored afeeling with these thoughts and
these words.
So now when I start talkingabout them, I'm anchored to
(10:27):
being excited, to being in apositive state.
So anchoring, you know, aphysical movement with a state
of mind will also is somethingthat you can bring to your mind
whenever you want to.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Yeah, and what you're saying just sounds like you
know when you're having a, ifyou're having a rough day, you
kind of think about the thingsthat you know, Not that you
don't focus on the thing that'swrong, but you look for what's
right, Kind of like looking forthe good, even a bad situation.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Or change the meaning , right, I can change the
meaning of this thing, right.
So this flat tire is terrible,I'm not, I'm not going to make
it to my meeting.
So what's good about this?
Well, I needed to change mytires anyways, or maybe I'll put
a made-up meaning to it.
You know what, bob?
What if I knew?
If I hadn't had this flat tire,I might have gone to an
intersection where somebody rana red light and hit me with
(11:23):
their truck and killed me, andso, oh hey, I would have been
real happy if I knew that aheadof time.
I can put that meaning on thatand all of a sudden, you know, I
feel some calmness and all of asudden it's not that big Right.
Or I can look at it from adistance, I can pull back.
Okay, it's not such a big dealIf I.
I'm a very emotional person, soI have memories or I start
(11:59):
thinking.
You know, I get sad, likeanybody else and I try to.
Okay, you know, that's enough.
I need to change that right now.
Right, I've sat in that sadnesslong enough.
Or maybe I have a meetingcoming up and I need to be in a
positive state of mind.
So what I do is those threethings.
The first thing I do is changemy physiology, how I'm moving my
body.
They did a Harvard study, right.
(12:20):
If you stand for two minuteswith your hands on your hips
right for two minutes like aSuperman pose, it actually
changes how your brain isfunctioning, to a more positive,
confident state.
So I changed my movement, right.
So have a confident movementthat you can actually anchor.
You can play motivating musicand then make a movement.
(12:43):
Play motivating music, make amovement and then later on you
can make that movement.
It'll help you get into thatstate.
Then, also change your focus,what you're focusing on.
My dad passed and I've beenfocusing on that day and how sad
I was.
I'm going to change what.
I'm going to think about thisnow instead Body movement,
change focus.
And now what I'm saying tomyself in my head hey, what's
(13:05):
good about this day?
What am I grateful for?
Stuff in my head, hey, what'sgood about this day?
What's what am I grateful foryou.
Start doing those things, andthen you're in control of your
emotions intently.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
That's deep, that's good, and I'm so glad that you
said that clearly again.
Um, because a lot of times Imean it's just a random thing.
I mean anything can kind oflike push you the wrong way.
But you know, when you'reintentional, like I'm not gonna,
I'm not gonna let you steal myjoy today, I'm not gonna be, I'm
not gonna let you take my peaceaway from me today, and you
(13:33):
just kind of, and you do that.
We do that subconsciously,without being conscious of it,
right?
Yeah, you know, we really do dothat when you think about it
yeah, yeah all the time.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
so part of that was katherine.
You know those, those, you knowthat positive anchoring that I
said.
So this was the example thatwas told to me that made sense
to me.
Let's say you're, you're at afuneral, you're in a very sad
state of mind, feeling down,depressed, patting you on the
shoulder Ten years from nowsomeone could pat you on the
shoulder just that way and allof a sudden you're in a state of
(14:12):
depression.
I mean, you don't know why,because that was anchored with
you.
So when we're conscious of that, we can intently change that.
So yes, like you said,something can just, you know,
derail us and we might not knowwhy that is.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Right.
So this question I think youkind of answered it as I wrote
the question.
I think you kind of answeredthe question, but I'm going to
ask it anyway.
Yeah, how do you?
Speaker 2 (14:37):
I'll do it again.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
How do you keep?
How do you through what youlearned and experienced?
How do you keep, keep thismindset, this new way of
thinking, without findingyourself hiding and tucking away
really how you feel?
Speaker 2 (14:57):
you know what without you know I'm pretty open to
being vulnerable and I don'tmind doing that.
But you know, we all, you knowthings happen to us.
So you know it's not thateverything's a hundred percent.
You know, I'm never going tofeel down again, I'll never be
depressed.
And if I went to scriptureright, even Jesus wept.
Right, he became sad and heweptpt and he had to overcome
(15:20):
the human emotions that he wasfeeling.
He was God right.
So we need to give ourselves abreak and say you know, if
you're a feeling person who hasempathy for other people, you're
going to take on those emotionssometimes.
So I think we can't always be100%.
We're not, you know, made instone.
We are human and we're subjectto these things.
(15:43):
But we need to be on guard,right, we have to guard the mind
and the heart and if we turnover our cares and our worries
to God, you know, who transcendsall understanding, he'll, he'll
take care of us and he'll guardour heart and our minds.
So I think that's a mindsetthat we can take to any of these
problems that they're going tohit us.
Life's going to happen to us.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Right, yeah, yeah, I thank you for saying that as
well, cause that's because Ibelieve that, especially as
Christians, we want to put on apresent, we want to present a I
have it together face all thetime.
And the problem with that is isthat when you have it all
together and when you fall topieces, then it's like sometimes
(16:29):
people, I feel like sometimeswe lash out in different ways.
I believe that sometimes peoplehold it together so long that
when they do fall to pieces,their response is wrong.
Would you agree?
Their response was wrong.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Yeah, I agree, catherine.
Yeah, yeah, and that's where wehave total control, right in
the response.
You know, our power is in ourresponse, right, not in what
someone else is going to do orsay.
So our power is in thatresponse.
So that's what I try to remindmyself too that my, my power is
my response.
Do I want to give this power?
(17:04):
You wouldn't let somebody youknow grab you and and kidnap you
you would fight that, right.
And then we let other peoplekidnap our thoughts and our
emotions, right, we let themaffect how we're feeling that
day.
Why would we, why would we givethem that power?
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Yeah, I like it, I love it.
Cliff is there.
You want to tell us a joke.
Since you used to be, you usedto do.
You want to tell us some jokesJust because we got about three
minutes left.
You want to give us a joke ortwo before we get ready to go or
share anything.
Take this opportunity really toshare anything that is laying I
(17:41):
really can't think of.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
You know, I used to.
I used to do humor on my realjob that I was, you know, when I
was a police officer, you knowokay I used to always talk how a
lot of cops will approach a carand don't they have that
constipated look on their face?
You feel like when they put thecar listen, let me go, and you
go to the bathroom because itlooks like you got to go back.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Oh, that was good.
That was a good one, cliff.
I like it For all you're doing.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Catherine, you guys are putting out a positive
message and I really love it.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
All right, well, we appreciate it.
So give us a final word,whatever the Lord is laying on
your heart, before we get readyto pray and go about our day.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Man.
Do you know what's somethingthat hits me all the time is?
I guess it's Philippians 4.
Not that I know the Bible verywell to quote it, but I think
it's Philippians 4, somethingwhere you know rejoice in the
Lord always.
And Paul wrote I'm going torepeat that again rejoice in the
Lord always and let yourgentleness be evident to all.
So I think that we, you know,we can really always be
(18:47):
rejoicing, and so that's mymessage, and it's not that we
don't accept the reality ofwhat's happening in the world,
but, like you said, we canchoose to rejoice in the Lord.
So that's my message, and Iwant to thank you for having me
on.
I appreciate you sharing great,positive things with everybody
else.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
I thank you as well for being here.
I mean, I can't say every guestthat comes.
They always bring words ofinspiration and words of life.
And you know, this is what wewant here we want people to,
when they finish, they have sometype of encouragement to go on
another day and really look fromwithin um, not at their
circumstances, but reallylooking within.
(19:26):
This is our design, so that we,you know, because we have to
look in to find that diamond,the thing that's shining,
because you know, we are soflawed and we don't realize that
the more flawed you are, themore valuable in the sight of
God you are.
And even when you're talkingabout worldly diamonds, the more
flawed it is, the more value,the more expensive it is to buy.
(19:50):
So absolutely powerful.
Thank you again, chief.
I was going to call you Chief.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Are you going to call me?
I'll tell you, catherine.
Catherine, come over to metoday, everybody, I am now the
chief.
Hey, I'll take it.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I love it.
Cliff, could you please pray usout before we go, please?
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Oh Lord in heaven, please, you know, give us, you
know, let us get out of the wayof our earthly selves and let
your word work through us sothat we can have a positive
impact on other people.
So they will ask us why are youso joyful?
And we can give them the answerthat's the best one as to lead
them to your word and the faithin you and man.
(20:36):
I pray that for everybody today.
Amen, amen, amen, y'all, y'all.
I have that for everybody today.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Amen, amen, amen, y'all, y'all.
I have so enjoyed you.
I love it.
I love it when we have guestswho make us laugh a little bit.
Amen, absolutely so.
Cliff, thank you again forbeing here and y'all know,
remember until the next timethat you are a diamond in the
rough.
Amen, we love you, weappreciate your presence and we
(21:01):
want to invite you to come backon next week.
Y'all have a great one andwe'll see you on next time.
Hello, hello, and welcome back to God's Diamonds
in the Rough.
We are so glad to be with youone more time.
Amen, I hope all is well.
I hope you're having a greatday today.
Unfortunately, michael is nothere.
Womp, womp, womp, he's not here.
He's taking care of business.
Yeah, amen and so.
But I do have a guest with me.
(00:22):
His name is Cliff Yates and weare so glad to have him with us.
He is a retired cop.
He's also a comedian.
I'm excited about thisconversation that is coming.
We're talking about changingyour thinking, changing your
attitude.
So, before we do that and gethim in the room, we're gonna
(00:44):
pray.
Y'all know we gotta do it, wegotta pray first.
So let's go, let's go, come ony'all.
Father, we thank you so much foryour grace and your mercy.
Thank you, god, for allowing usthis day, in this time, god to
um be a blessing to the body.
I pray, god, that we can be thelight you desire, to desire us
to be.
I pray that we can be all thatyou, um, uh, all that you need
(01:05):
us to be and that you will useus to be.
I pray that we can be all thatyou need us to be and that you
would use us to your glory.
I pray, god, for everyone thatis here, all of our diamonds,
god, that they would continue toshine for you, that they would
see the diamond that you havemade them to be.
All of us would see it.
Father, we thank you so much forwhat you're doing in this
season and we just pray, god,you continue to do through us
what you desire to.
We love you so much for whatyou're doing in this season and
(01:25):
we just pray, god, you'llcontinue to do through us what
you desire to.
We love you so much, so verygrateful and so thankful.
We pray that this prayer andall of our prayers are pleasing
in your sight.
In jesus christ's name, we dopray.
Amen, amen and amen, amen,hallelujah.
So, uh, cliff, will you sayhello to everybody and introduce
yourself?
(01:45):
Tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Hello everybody.
Catherine, thanks for having meon the God's Diamonds podcast.
You guys are doing great thingsand I know you're allowing the
Lord to work through you, and Ican use you as an example
because I feel I could do abetter job, like you're doing,
and so I'm going to take yourlead and try to do better each
and every day, and so I'm justhappy to be with you.
(02:08):
As you said, I'm a retired copof 35 plus years and retired
from the LA County Sheriff'sDepartment, and I also did stand
up comedy, some acting, someproducing, and I love podcasting
and I'm happy to be a guest onyour show.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
The devil is a liar, so we're glad to have you.
The devil is a liar, absolutely.
You heard me.
I say it all the time the devilis a liar, amen.
So today we're going to betalking about changing your
thinking, changing your attitude.
Why are you a voice for that?
Where was your struggle and howdid you get to this place where
you are focused on that?
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Well, I had been with the LA Sheriff's Department for
about 10 years and then I gotinto a negative place and so I
decided well, I'm going to showthem, I'm going to become a real
estate agent, get my realestate license, and then I'll
make my money from the work thatI do and I'll be going to lead
this profession.
And so then I took the test andI got my real estate license,
(03:13):
and then my broker sent me toJim Lone, who was a business
speaker and coach and spoke allover the world, and I went there
for sales training, training,but it really was life training.
And so from that one, oneseminar that I went to with jim
rohn that led me to tony robbins, and then I started to realize,
(03:34):
oh, it's not the economy, it'snot negative relatives, not
negative friends, it's nothingoutside, it's an inside job.
We don't blame anybody else,I'm responsible for the
reactions that I'm getting.
And as soon as I changed,everything started to change for
me.
And so I got hooked on personalgrowth, personal development.
And what I found out, catherine, was many of these I don't want
(03:58):
to call them gurus, but youknow business professionals and
motivational speakers.
A lot of their messages were Ididn't realize it at the time
were really based in Christian,bible-based principles, and so
that kind of even though I hadaccepted Jesus a few years
before that led me to be moreactive in my walk with Jesus and
(04:19):
God.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Awesome, awesome.
So what exactly are you doingto teach more?
Teach this principle of or Icall it a principle because it
really is a choice and astandard to live by that I'm
going to walk with a goodattitude, but that attitude only
comes from how I think.
(04:42):
So what are you doing to teachthis thing?
I guess you could say I don'tknow what else to call it.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Well, I'm sharing these principles, Catherine, and
all these things that I keeplearning, and so, because I want
to talk about them and I feel Ishould share them, then it
leads me to, first of all, whenI share motivational things and
inspirational things, I get tohear these things over again in
my own head, through my ownvoice.
So, you know, you can't helpsomebody else without helping
(05:14):
yourself.
And so when you go with thatkind of attitude and I'm just
grateful all the time,especially as I get a little bit
older, catherine, and I realize, hey, this person's gone, that
person's gone, hey, they passedaway and they were younger than
I was, and so I'm grateful everyday that I'm here.
And so then I feel you knowGod's using me.
So, as I try to, I feel I'mgetting a message to maybe share
(05:38):
more of.
You know scriptures and gospelthings, even though I sometimes
think who am I to share thesethings?
And as I'm learning more andmore each day that we're all
responsible for, you knowsharing these messages, and we
don't have to be the expert inthe field, we can just point
people in the right direction.
And by doing so, you know youfeel obligated, right to
(05:59):
meditate on the word and beingthe word daily, and so that's
kind of where I'm at okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
So, um, what's my question?
So, man, I lost my question.
I had a question I was gettingready to ask you as you were
talking.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Oh, my goodness, I'm gonna have to come up with
another question, tell you thatyou know, yeah, and you know, I
just found myself and, uh, youknow, bible-based uh churches
and I, we found a wonderfulbible-based church in in florida
.
We had one in california too,and it just just really kind of
the bible is the leading, is thelead of that, and so I'm really
(06:35):
finding myself trying tounderstand better.
You know, and I and I found,you know, things are revealed to
us right as we read things overand over again.
Sometimes, you know, tomorrowI'm going to be a different
person, so when I read the samescripture over again it's going
to mean something different tome, and so I'm coming to learn
and know that the Bible is aliveand well and it's a living word
(06:56):
.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
I mean, it's exciting right, okay, I got my question.
Well, how would you, what wouldyou describe I got it?
What would you describe I gotit now?
What would you describe to benegative thinking Like, what
type of thinking needs to?
Is the thinking mind that needsto change?
How would you describe that?
So that I asked you thatquestion?
(07:17):
So that, so that if there is alistener who's trying to
understand, well, why do I keepon ending up in the same
position, like, how am I gettinghere?
So my question to you is whatwould you, in what you've
learned and what you'veexperienced, what are the signs
of a mind or thinking that needsto be changed?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yeah, and I think you have to do it with intention.
And what I've learned and fromthese people that know better
than me, and it seems to besomething that's taught over and
over again is that I mean, thebiggest thing I learned and did
was change the questions and howI was talking to myself.
So it's so, this amazing bodyand brain and mind we have it
(08:08):
doesn't argue with this, right.
So, no matter what question weask it, you know, hey, why am I
so screwed up?
Why, why, why am I alwaysmessing up?
You know your brain won't arguewith you.
It's gonna look for thosereasons, and so what I had to do
was just change my questions.
And so when I did that,starting in the morning okay,
what's good about this?
(08:29):
What am I most thankful for?
What am I grateful for?
What am I going to try to focuson today?
Then your brain looks for thoseanswers.
So just changing your questionsis going to change, first of
all, your thinking, and thethinking is going to precede
actions, and then your actionsare going to change and so the
results are going to change.
So I think that's one of themajor things that I learned,
(08:51):
catherine, was changingquestions and also learning to
really be in more control of mystate of mind.
And you know we're all human, asyou know.
You know and everybody knowsthat you know I'm subject to
negative thinking and that'skind of.
You know, we're built that wayas a default because you know
we're built to survive and we'rebuilt to look for dangers and
(09:12):
hey, that might kill me.
So we have to intentionallyoverride some of these thoughts
and say, no, you know what'sreally happening.
So I've learned to change mystate on demand.
So I know I can do that withlike three tools.
And these are the three things,not from me.
I've learned these from otherpeople.
But the first thing I can do ischange my physiology, how I'm
(09:33):
moving my body.
Right Motion affects emotion.
If I can change how I'm moving,that's going to help me change
my state.
Number two change what I'mfocusing on, change my focus and
then what I'm saying to myself,what are the things I'm saying
to myself in my head?
And, man, if you can do those,you can change on demand your
state of mind.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
So I think those are some of the key things that can
help anybody change.
Ok, all right, I'm just writingthese down because I'm getting
excited just talking about it.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Every time I share these ideas, I get worked up, I
get excited.
Yeah, because you know Iassociate these kind of thoughts
with excitement.
My wife and I both went to aTony Robbins seminar right, I
went twice, she went with me.
And so now when I'm thinkingabout these concepts and
principles, I've anchored afeeling with these thoughts and
these words.
So now when I start talkingabout them, I'm anchored to
(10:27):
being excited, to being in apositive state.
So anchoring, you know, aphysical movement with a state
of mind will also is somethingthat you can bring to your mind
whenever you want to.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Yeah, and what you're saying just sounds like you
know when you're having a, ifyou're having a rough day, you
kind of think about the thingsthat you know, Not that you
don't focus on the thing that'swrong, but you look for what's
right, Kind of like looking forthe good, even a bad situation.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Or change the meaning , right, I can change the
meaning of this thing, right.
So this flat tire is terrible,I'm not, I'm not going to make
it to my meeting.
So what's good about this?
Well, I needed to change mytires anyways, or maybe I'll put
a made-up meaning to it.
You know what, bob?
What if I knew?
If I hadn't had this flat tire,I might have gone to an
intersection where somebody rana red light and hit me with
(11:23):
their truck and killed me, andso, oh hey, I would have been
real happy if I knew that aheadof time.
I can put that meaning on thatand all of a sudden, you know, I
feel some calmness and all of asudden it's not that big Right.
Or I can look at it from adistance, I can pull back.
Okay, it's not such a big dealIf I.
I'm a very emotional person, soI have memories or I start
(11:59):
thinking.
You know, I get sad, likeanybody else and I try to.
Okay, you know, that's enough.
I need to change that right now.
Right, I've sat in that sadnesslong enough.
Or maybe I have a meetingcoming up and I need to be in a
positive state of mind.
So what I do is those threethings.
The first thing I do is changemy physiology, how I'm moving my
body.
They did a Harvard study, right.
(12:20):
If you stand for two minuteswith your hands on your hips
right for two minutes like aSuperman pose, it actually
changes how your brain isfunctioning, to a more positive,
confident state.
So I changed my movement, right.
So have a confident movementthat you can actually anchor.
You can play motivating musicand then make a movement.
(12:43):
Play motivating music, make amovement and then later on you
can make that movement.
It'll help you get into thatstate.
Then, also change your focus,what you're focusing on.
My dad passed and I've beenfocusing on that day and how sad
I was.
I'm going to change what.
I'm going to think about thisnow instead Body movement,
change focus.
And now what I'm saying tomyself in my head hey, what's
(13:05):
good about this day?
What am I grateful for?
Stuff in my head, hey, what'sgood about this day?
What's what am I grateful foryou.
Start doing those things, andthen you're in control of your
emotions intently.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
That's deep, that's good, and I'm so glad that you
said that clearly again.
Um, because a lot of times Imean it's just a random thing.
I mean anything can kind oflike push you the wrong way.
But you know, when you'reintentional, like I'm not gonna,
I'm not gonna let you steal myjoy today, I'm not gonna be, I'm
not gonna let you take my peaceaway from me today, and you
(13:33):
just kind of, and you do that.
We do that subconsciously,without being conscious of it,
right?
Yeah, you know, we really do dothat when you think about it
yeah, yeah all the time.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
so part of that was katherine.
You know those, those, you knowthat positive anchoring that I
said.
So this was the example thatwas told to me that made sense
to me.
Let's say you're, you're at afuneral, you're in a very sad
state of mind, feeling down,depressed, patting you on the
shoulder Ten years from nowsomeone could pat you on the
shoulder just that way and allof a sudden you're in a state of
(14:12):
depression.
I mean, you don't know why,because that was anchored with
you.
So when we're conscious of that, we can intently change that.
So yes, like you said,something can just, you know,
derail us and we might not knowwhy that is.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Right.
So this question I think youkind of answered it as I wrote
the question.
I think you kind of answeredthe question, but I'm going to
ask it anyway.
Yeah, how do you?
Speaker 2 (14:37):
I'll do it again.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
How do you keep?
How do you through what youlearned and experienced?
How do you keep, keep thismindset, this new way of
thinking, without findingyourself hiding and tucking away
really how you feel?
Speaker 2 (14:57):
you know what without you know I'm pretty open to
being vulnerable and I don'tmind doing that.
But you know, we all, you knowthings happen to us.
So you know it's not thateverything's a hundred percent.
You know, I'm never going tofeel down again, I'll never be
depressed.
And if I went to scriptureright, even Jesus wept.
Right, he became sad and heweptpt and he had to overcome
(15:20):
the human emotions that he wasfeeling.
He was God right.
So we need to give ourselves abreak and say you know, if
you're a feeling person who hasempathy for other people, you're
going to take on those emotionssometimes.
So I think we can't always be100%.
We're not, you know, made instone.
We are human and we're subjectto these things.
(15:43):
But we need to be on guard,right, we have to guard the mind
and the heart and if we turnover our cares and our worries
to God, you know, who transcendsall understanding, he'll, he'll
take care of us and he'll guardour heart and our minds.
So I think that's a mindsetthat we can take to any of these
problems that they're going tohit us.
Life's going to happen to us.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Right, yeah, yeah, I thank you for saying that as
well, cause that's because Ibelieve that, especially as
Christians, we want to put on apresent, we want to present a I
have it together face all thetime.
And the problem with that is isthat when you have it all
together and when you fall topieces, then it's like sometimes
(16:29):
people, I feel like sometimeswe lash out in different ways.
I believe that sometimes peoplehold it together so long that
when they do fall to pieces,their response is wrong.
Would you agree?
Their response was wrong.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Yeah, I agree, catherine.
Yeah, yeah, and that's where wehave total control, right in
the response.
You know, our power is in ourresponse, right, not in what
someone else is going to do orsay.
So our power is in thatresponse.
So that's what I try to remindmyself too that my, my power is
my response.
Do I want to give this power?
(17:04):
You wouldn't let somebody youknow grab you and and kidnap you
you would fight that, right.
And then we let other peoplekidnap our thoughts and our
emotions, right, we let themaffect how we're feeling that
day.
Why would we, why would we givethem that power?
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Yeah, I like it, I love it.
Cliff is there.
You want to tell us a joke.
Since you used to be, you usedto do.
You want to tell us some jokesJust because we got about three
minutes left.
You want to give us a joke ortwo before we get ready to go or
share anything.
Take this opportunity really toshare anything that is laying I
(17:41):
really can't think of.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
You know, I used to.
I used to do humor on my realjob that I was, you know, when I
was a police officer, you knowokay I used to always talk how a
lot of cops will approach a carand don't they have that
constipated look on their face?
You feel like when they put thecar listen, let me go, and you
go to the bathroom because itlooks like you got to go back.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Oh, that was good.
That was a good one, cliff.
I like it For all you're doing.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Catherine, you guys are putting out a positive
message and I really love it.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
All right, well, we appreciate it.
So give us a final word,whatever the Lord is laying on
your heart, before we get readyto pray and go about our day.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Man.
Do you know what's somethingthat hits me all the time is?
I guess it's Philippians 4.
Not that I know the Bible verywell to quote it, but I think
it's Philippians 4, somethingwhere you know rejoice in the
Lord always.
And Paul wrote I'm going torepeat that again rejoice in the
Lord always and let yourgentleness be evident to all.
So I think that we, you know,we can really always be
(18:47):
rejoicing, and so that's mymessage, and it's not that we
don't accept the reality ofwhat's happening in the world,
but, like you said, we canchoose to rejoice in the Lord.
So that's my message, and Iwant to thank you for having me
on.
I appreciate you sharing great,positive things with everybody
else.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
I thank you as well for being here.
I mean, I can't say every guestthat comes.
They always bring words ofinspiration and words of life.
And you know, this is what wewant here we want people to,
when they finish, they have sometype of encouragement to go on
another day and really look fromwithin um, not at their
circumstances, but reallylooking within.
(19:26):
This is our design, so that we,you know, because we have to
look in to find that diamond,the thing that's shining,
because you know, we are soflawed and we don't realize that
the more flawed you are, themore valuable in the sight of
God you are.
And even when you're talkingabout worldly diamonds, the more
flawed it is, the more value,the more expensive it is to buy.
(19:50):
So absolutely powerful.
Thank you again, chief.
I was going to call you Chief.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Are you going to call me?
I'll tell you, catherine.
Catherine, come over to metoday, everybody, I am now the
chief.
Hey, I'll take it.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I love it.
Cliff, could you please pray usout before we go, please?
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Oh Lord in heaven, please, you know, give us, you
know, let us get out of the wayof our earthly selves and let
your word work through us sothat we can have a positive
impact on other people.
So they will ask us why are youso joyful?
And we can give them the answerthat's the best one as to lead
them to your word and the faithin you and man.
(20:36):
I pray that for everybody today.
Amen, amen, amen, y'all, y'all.
I have that for everybody today.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Amen, amen, amen, y'all, y'all.
I have so enjoyed you.
I love it.
I love it when we have guestswho make us laugh a little bit.
Amen, absolutely so.
Cliff, thank you again forbeing here and y'all know,
remember until the next timethat you are a diamond in the
rough.
Amen, we love you, weappreciate your presence and we
(21:01):
want to invite you to come backon next week.
Y'all have a great one andwe'll see you on next time.
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