Connection and Relationship Mastery (S4) S48:E4

Welcome back, friends, to another episode of the Inspirations for Your Life Show—the daily podcast dedicated to fueling your growth, resilience, and unstoppable energy! I’m your host, John C. Morley—Serial Entrepreneur, Engineer, Marketing Specialist, Video Producer, Podcast Host, Coach, Graduate Student, and passionate lifelong learner. My mission? To unlock your greatest potential and help you build a fulfilling, connected life—starting today.

This season, we’re diving deep into “Unstoppable You — The Blueprint for Modern Growth and Resilience.” Today’s master topic is all about Connection and Relationship Mastery—because building strong connections with ourselves and with others is the foundation for lasting happiness and success.

Let’s level up with these powerful daily habits:

[1️⃣] Send a gratitude text every morning. Set the tone for your day—and someone else’s—by sending a quick gratitude text each morning. Let those you care about know you appreciate them. This small act creates ripples of positivity that can transform relationships and brighten lives.

[2️⃣] Host a digital detox dinner with friends. There’s magic in the moments when everyone is truly present. Invite friends over for a meal and make it tech-free. When screens are off, conversations deepen, laughter grows, and genuine connections flourish.

[3️⃣] Really listen—don’t just wait to reply. True listening is a superpower. Commit to being fully present in your conversations; focus on understanding, not just responding. Watch as trust builds and your relationships strengthen in powerful ways.

[4️⃣] Give genuine compliments out loud. Don’t keep those kind thoughts to yourself—share them! Speaking genuine compliments can brighten someone’s day and reinforce positive energy in your community.

[5️⃣] Start conversations with “Tell me more.” Show authentic interest by inviting people to open up. Instead of quick answers, ask, “Tell me more.” You’ll not only learn new perspectives but also make others feel truly valued and heard.

[6️⃣] Learn a fun fact about a colleague. Connection grows through curiosity. Make it a point to learn something fun or unique about those around you whether at work or in your community. These tidbits can spark conversations and build rapport.

[7️⃣] Celebrate others’ wins as your own. Life’s too short for envy. Celebrate the victories of friends, family, and colleagues with the same excitement you would your own. Your happiness will multiply and your relationships will thrive.

[8️⃣] Avoid multitasking when you’re with others. Give people your full attention. Put distractions aside and be present—whether at home, at work, or with friends. Quality time builds quality relationships.

[9️⃣] Remember birthdays—and send a note. Everyone loves to feel remembered. Put birthdays in your calendar and send a message or card. That personal touch can make someone’s year.

[🔟] Thank your mentors. Our journeys are shaped by those who guide us. Take a moment to thank the people who’ve mentored or inspired you. A heartfelt note can be more meaningful than you realize.

[1️⃣1️⃣] Introduce two friends who should meet. Be the connector. Introduce friends or colleagues who have something in common—you might just create the next great friendship or partnership.

[1️⃣2️⃣] Set up monthly “catch-up” calls. Consistency nurtures closeness. Schedule regular check-ins with friends and family—even quick ones. These habits keep relationships strong across distance and time.

[1️⃣3️⃣] Apologize with sincerity, not excuses. When you mess up, own it. Offer a sincere apology without defensiveness. That humility paves the way for trust and deeper connections.

[1️⃣4️⃣] Ask for feedback—then use it. Grow by inviting feedback in all areas of life. Listen with an open mind and put helpful suggestions into practice—you’ll earn respect and grow closer to those around you.

[1️⃣5️⃣] Laugh with someone daily. Make shared laughter non-negotiable. Seek out moments of fun and humor; they’re the glue that bonds all lasting relationships.

[1️⃣6️⃣] Give your time as a gift. Material gifts are nice, but time is priceless. Spend it with those who matter—whether it’s a call, a visit, or running an errand together.

[1️⃣7️⃣] Give “phone-free” time in conversations. Show respect and care by stowing your phone and being truly present. Uninterrupted attention is a powerful gift in our distracted world.

[1️⃣8️⃣] Share your story—flaws and all. Authenticity is magnetic. Be open about your journey, your challenges, and your growth. It encourages true connection and inspires those around you.

[1️⃣9️⃣] Highlight someone on social media. Shine a spotlight on others—publicly acknowledge their talents, milestones, or kindness. A little recognition goes a long way in building goodwill.

[2️⃣0️⃣] Make the first move to reconnect. Don’t wait

Episode Transcript

(00:24):
Well, hey guys, good evening.
It is John C.
Morley here, Serial Entrepreneur.
It is great to be with you on
Inspirations for Your Life.
Happy to have you with me.
If this is your very first time, I
want to say welcome and thank you.
If you're coming back, definitely a big welcome
back and thank you to you.
Really do appreciate that you enjoy my content

(00:45):
and want to keep sharing it around.
So today is Tuesday.
It's November 25th, just a day or two
before Thanksgiving and it's Gobble Gobble time, right?
So again, a big welcome to everyone.
If you have not checked out BelieveMeAchieved.com,
what are you waiting for?
Go check that out.
That is after the show you can check

(01:05):
that out.
There's lots of great information there that you
can check out.
Short form, long form, reels and articles and
so much more.
So check that out.
If you guys are thirsty or hungry, feel
free to go get yourself a snack, a
drink, hot, cold, nuts, fruit, yogurt, chocolate, whatever
it is, feel free to get that and

(01:25):
come on back to the show.
Without any further ado guys, I want to
take this opportunity to welcome you back, friends,
to another amazing episode of the ever-popular
Inspirations for Your Life show.
The daily podcast dedicated to fueling your growth,

(01:46):
resilience, and unstoppable energy.
I'm your host, ladies and gentlemen, John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur, engineer, marketing specialist, video producer,
podcast host, coach, graduate student, and yes, a
passionate lifelong learner.
My mission, everyone, is to unlock your greatest

(02:08):
potential and help you build a fulfilling, connected
life, starting today.
All right, so this season we're diving into
a very important topic for this week.
The master topic, you know, goes from Saturday
and ends on Friday.
And that master topic is Unstoppable You, the
blueprint for modern growth and resilience.

(02:31):
So that's our master topic and it's all
about connection.
And today it's about the granular topic of
relationship mastery because building strong connections with ourselves
and with others is the foundation for lasting
happiness and success.
So we, ladies and gentlemen, in case you're

(02:52):
wondering, this is series four.
That means we're in our fourth year in
case you didn't know that.
December 31st will be ending the fourth year.
We'll be in our fifth year.
We'll be on the air four years.
Wow.
Show 48, episode number four.
So a big welcome, everyone.
So let's level up with these powerful daily
habits.

(03:13):
Number one, send a gratitude text every morning.
Set the tone for your day and someone
else's by sending a quick gratitude text.
Each morning, let those you care about know
you appreciate them.
This small act creates ripples of positivity that

(03:34):
can transform relationships and brighten lives up like
that.
Number two, guys, host a digital detox.
What the heck is that?
Well, dinner with friends.
There's magic in the moments when everyone is
truly present.
Invite friends over for a meal and make

(03:56):
it tech free.
That means they need to silence their cell
phones, leave them at the door or turn
them off.
When screens are off, guess what?
Conversations tend to deepen.
Laughter grows and genuine connections, well, they start
to flourish.
So why haven't we been doing this in
the past?
It's like we're afraid that if we turn

(04:16):
off our phone or our technology, like it's
not going to be there.
Guess what, guys?
It's going to be there, I promise you.
After you've unplugged, it'll still be there.
Number three, really listen.
Don't just wait to reply.
True listening is a superpower.
Commit to being fully present in your conversations.
Focus on understanding, not just responding.

(04:39):
Watch as trust builds and your relationships, well,
they strengthen in powerful ways beyond your imagination.
Number four, give genuine compliments out loud.
Don't keep those kind thoughts to yourself.
Share them.
Speaking genuine compliments can brighten someone's day and

(05:02):
reinforce positive energy in your community.
So why not start doing that?
Number five, guys, start conversations with tell me
more.
Show authentic interest by inviting people to open
up.
You know, Dale Carnegie said something a long
time ago.
Two of the most important things.

(05:22):
One is people love to hear the sound
of their name.
So make sure you're saying their name properly.
Feel free to ask the person, you know,
I don't want to botch your name up.
Could you help me say your name?
And they'll maybe tell you to try it
and then they'll correct you if you like.
And that'll really give some importance to you
and to them that you care enough to
say their name so perfectly because that's like

(05:43):
the most beautiful thing to hear is the
name.
The second thing, ladies and gentlemen, is to
strive to become genuinely interested in the other
person.
Instead of the quick answers, ask, tell me
more.
You'll not only learn new perspectives, but also
make others feel truly valued and heard.
And again, this isn't something you should be
doing as a fleeting notion.

(06:03):
This is something you should be doing because
you care about it, because you want to
do it.
And I think that's something that a lot
of people don't really understand.
And so these are important things to to
think about.
And so that's very, very important, you know,

(06:24):
to really understand.
And so I think these are, you know,
very, very important things that a lot of
people don't realize.
They don't understand, like, you know, what's really
going on or why things are going on.

(06:45):
I think that's happening because of that question
or because of that issue.
And that issue is something that a lot
of people don't really understand.
Number six, learn a fun fact about a

(07:05):
colleague connection.
It'll grow through curiosity.
Make it a point to learn something fun
or unique about those around you, whether at
work or in your community.
These tidbits can spark conversations and build rapport.

(07:25):
I think that's important to really understand.
Number seven, guys, celebrate.
Yes, celebrate.
Others wins as your own.
Life's too short for envy.
Celebrate the victories of friends, family and colleagues
with the same excitement you would your own.

(07:49):
Your happiness will multiply and your relationships will
thrive.
Number eight, avoid multitasking when you're with others.
Give people your full attention.
They deserve it.
Put distractions aside and be present, whether at
home, at work or with friends.
Quality time builds quality relationships.

(08:10):
Number nine, remember birthdays and send a note.
Everyone loves to feel remembered.
Put birthdays in your calendar and send a
message or card.
That personal touch can make someone's year a
lot better.
Number 10, thank your mentors.

(08:31):
Our journeys are shaped by those who guide
us.
Take a moment to thank the people who've
mentored or inspired you.
A heartfelt note can be more meaningful than
you ever realized possible.
Number 11, introduce two friends who should meet.
Be the connector.

(08:52):
Introduce friends or colleagues who have something in
common.
You might just create the next great friendship
or partnership.
Number 12, guys, set up monthly catch up
calls.
Consistency nurtures closeness.
Schedule regular check ins with friends and family,

(09:15):
even quick ones.
These habits keep relationships strong across distance and
time.
I think that's an important thing to to
understand.
And so number 13 is apologize with sincerity,
not excuses.
When you mess up, own it.

(09:36):
Offer a sincere apology without being defensive.
That humility paves the way for trust and
deeper connections.
Number 14, ask for feedback.
Then use it.
Grow by inviting feedback in all areas of
life.
Listen with an open mind and put helpful

(09:56):
suggestions into practice.
You'll earn respect and grow closer to those
around you.
I think that's a point that a lot
of people don't realize is how we actually
own respect and what we need to do
to own that respect.
I think that's a very, very viable thing.
Accountability is the key, guys.
It really, really is the key.

(10:19):
Alright, so number 15 is laugh.
Laugh with someone daily.
Make shared laughter non-negotiable.
Seek out moments of fun and humor.
They're the glue that bonds all lasting relationships.
Number 16, give your time as a gift.
Material gifts are nice, but time is priceless.

(10:43):
Spend it with those who matter, whether it's
a call, a visit, or running an errand
together.
That's important.
Number 17, give phone-free time in conversations.
Show respect and care by stowing your phone
and being truly present.

(11:03):
Uninterrupted attention is a powerful gift in our
distracted world.
Let's start giving it.
Number 18, share your story.
Flaws and all.
Authenticity is magnetic.
Be open about your journey, your challenges, and
your growth.
It encourages true connection and inspires those around

(11:25):
you.
Number 19, guys, highlight someone on social media.
Shine a spotlight on others.
Publicly acknowledge their talents, milestones, or maybe their
kindness.
A little recognition goes a long way in
building goodwill, so why not start doing that
today?

(11:45):
I think a lot of people don't do
this because they think that if they do
it, they're gonna take away from themselves, but
actually what they're gonna do is they're actually
going to strengthen their value.
They're gonna strengthen who they really are, and
I think when we can appreciate the fact
that there is so much that we can
give to others, we can gain so much

(12:06):
as well from that help.
Number 20, guys, make the first move to
reconnect.
Don't wait for others to reach out.
Be the one to break the ice and
rekindle connections.
A simple message can restart meaningful relationships, so
why not be the changemaker?

(12:27):
Number 21, say yes to spontaneous invites.
Life happens in the moments you don't plan
for.
Accept invites, say yes to new experiences, and
you'll build vivid, lasting memories with others.
Number 22, help solve problems, not just complain.

(12:51):
Be a positive force by offering solutions.
People appreciate those who help uplift and support,
not just those who notice what's wrong.
Number 23, guys, use people's names often.
A person's name, as I said by Dale
Carnegie, is the most playing they want to

(13:11):
hear.
It's like music to their ears.
Use it often and use it correctly to
build connection, engagement, and establish trust.
Number 24, reflect on your best relationship moments
regularly and revisit the highlights of your relationships

(13:31):
to stay grateful and inspired to keep giving
your best every day.
Number 25, support friends ventures publicly.
Promote and cheer for your friends.
Goals, share their businesses.
Art or causes, support builds bonds.

(13:53):
So let's start supporting each other today.
Offer help without being asked.
See a need, step in and help without
waiting.
This generosity will never be forgotten.
I think sometimes, you know, we get stuck

(14:13):
in a pattern of life, and when we
get stuck, it's like we don't know where
to go or what to do, and I
think that's an important piece for all of
us to understand.
Number 27, host an online game night.
Virtual connections count too.
Bring friends together for a game night.

(14:37):
Laugh, connect, and create new memories.
You know you can do it, and you
know you'll feel good about it, and so
will everybody else.
Number 28, do one favor for a stranger.
This sounds weird, but it's important.
Practice kindness outside your circle.
Hold open a door.
Leave a positive note.

(14:58):
You never know the ripple effect that that
could cause.
Number 29, give your best energy at home,
not just at work.
Your loved ones deserve your best.
Save some energy for them, not just professional
projects.

(15:18):
I think sometimes when people get home, it's
like they don't have the energy to be
that good best self, and it's because they
burned out in the office, and it's because
they have not balanced their life, right?

(15:39):
We want to make sure there's plenty of
us to go around, and when we're around
people that fuel us, guess what happens?
Well, we want to do more and more
for other people, right?
But if we are around people, and it
kind of tires us out, it's like, oh,
I don't want to do this.
I'm so tired.
I'm so exhausted, because certain people will drain
you.
Yes, they will.

(16:00):
If you're around a person that makes you
feel good, you're gonna feel amazing, okay?
But if you're around somebody that drains you,
well, you're gonna be like, oh, I'm so
tired.
I'm so exhausted.
So, realize the people you hang around with,
you have a choice to be with who
you want to be.
Not your family, but your friends.

(16:20):
You can choose them, and I tell you
to choose them wisely, because when you're around
people that energize you, it's like a new
breath of fresh air.
When you're around people that keep draining us,
oh my gosh, when am I ever gonna
leave this person?
When's this person ever gonna leave, right?
And we've all gotten moments like that, right?
We're around that person, it's like, oh boy,

(16:41):
I know I'm just being polite, but when
is this evening gonna end?
We've all had those nights, right?
And those are nights we don't want to
have again, but if we don't take notice
of this, if we constantly try to be
nice, and we're like, oh, sure, I'll hang
with them again.
Don't do that.
That's just gonna hurt you.
Remember what I said, say no to other

(17:02):
people, and say yes to yourself.
That is so very key, guys.
30, leave positive reviews for your favorite people
or businesses.
Spread positivity by highlighting those who make your
life better.
A glowing review can be a huge encouragement.

(17:24):
I think when we ponder about these things,
we ponder about relationships, there are some people
that are so into themselves, they feel that,
well, what am I gonna gain by being
nice to someone?
But actually, the world is karmic.
So when you're nice to someone, you know
what happens?
It comes back to you.

(17:45):
If you're not nice to someone, it comes
back to you too.
It's what we call the boomerang effect.
And it's something that's not new.
It's been around for a long time.
So if we understand that people out there
basically feed off of our energy, and we
feed off their energy.
So if the energy is good, well, then
we feel that.
If the energy is bad, then we feel

(18:05):
that too.
Just a short distance of three feet enables
you to feel the positive or negative energy.
A lot of times you say, oh, I
hate being around this person, because you can
feel their negative energy.
Someone will say, gee, I love hanging around
John because he loves, they love my positive
energy.
So I think it's important to be cognizant

(18:26):
of how you feel when you're around certain
people.
Forget what they say to you.
Just be observant of the energy and how
you feel when you're in their presence, when
you're in, let's say, a proximity of three
feet or closer.
And when we think about relationships, the first
thing everybody says is, you know, we're thinking

(18:47):
about a romantic relationship.
But I want to tell you something.
That's not all the relations in life.
There are, as I said, the platonic, and
then there are the non-platonic.
So platonic are the friendships, right?
The non, you know, the non, let's say,
intimate relationships.
But you can still have intimate relationships with

(19:07):
platonic friends, meaning you're very close, you hug,
and you care about each other, right?
So I think understanding this can maybe get
us to get recharged.
Platonic is a great place to be able
to care and show that, you know, this
person means something to you.

(19:28):
It doesn't have to be a non-platonic
relationship, which is how the world has been
conditioned, that that's the only place that people
can care for you, but other people can
care for you, too.
So these things hopefully will make sense for
you.
And I don't just mean today.
I mean every day of your life.
So starting today or starting tomorrow, I want
you to pay attention to the people in

(19:48):
your life.
Pay attention to how these people make you
feel.
You know, are your chest starting to tighten
up?
Are you feeling loose around them?
Are you feeling out of breath?
Are you feeling nervous around them?
Like, do you have, you know, a very
high heartbeat when you're around them?
Or is your heart just relaxed and normal,

(20:09):
right?
How do you feel around these people?
I think these are very important things.
Maybe something like your palms.
Are your palms sweaty, or are they just
relaxed, meaning that they're just regular temperature?
These are signs that can tell us whether
this person is good for our energy.
Another one can be something as simple as,

(20:31):
you know, if you're around somebody and they're
constantly tapping their pen, right?
Well, they're very, there's like nervous energy.
They're not enjoying being around you, and you're
probably not enjoying being around them.
So I think those are important things to
realize.
Maybe you got somebody who's a tapper, right?
You know, they tap their face.
It's like they're around you, but like they
can't wait to like not be around you.
And, you know, why prolong that?
Why not just leave the situation?

(20:52):
Leave a situation when you're not welcome.
I think that's the most important thing that
I want to share here.
So ladies and gentlemen, by making the choices,
okay, to incorporate these daily habits that I've
shared with you, you'll not only nurture, you'll
deepen connection, and you'll boost your resilience.

(21:15):
And you know what you're going to do?
You're going to set yourself up for a
lifetime of fulfilling relationships.
So relationships are a two-way street.
You give, you take.
If a relationship is all one-sided, well,
that relationship is going to end very soon.

(21:37):
If it hasn't ended, it will end pretty
soon.
Because it's like if you have a rope,
right, and we're always pulling on one way,
there's only so much that rope can take.
If we don't have a little give and
take, that rope is going to break.
And if we keep putting so much on
one person, the person is like, okay, enough
is enough.
I can't take this anymore, right?

(21:57):
And maybe they're going to try to be
polite because that's just their makeup.
But I'm here to tell you, don't be
polite.
You can just say, look, I've had enough.
Or you can just take yourself out of
the situation.
Because that's going to harm you.
If it harms you, it's going to put
negative energy back into the world.

(22:17):
And that's not going to go anywhere.
And you're just going to be so drained
from that.
Does that make sense?
So relationships, connections, they have the power to
fuel us, to give us that vitality of
being so grateful to be alive.
But there are the moments like, oh my

(22:38):
gosh, I got to hang out with that
person again.
How many minutes is it been?
How many more minutes do I have to
hang out with this person?
And maybe you're doing that because it's a
friend of somebody's, you know, you have a
right to say no.
And you have a right to say yes
to yourself.
That's the important thing I want you to
get here is that if you're doing something

(22:58):
because you're trying to please somebody once or
twice, fine.
But don't make a habit of it.
Because what's going to happen is it's going
to make you feel tired and miserable.
And you're like, oh, when can I get
out of this?
When can this person go home?
Or when can I go home?
Right?
Maybe you can't think of a situation.
But I'm sure if you think back, there's
been a time when you've been at an

(23:19):
event, it could be anything from a date
to just a friend to maybe it was
some volunteer thing you were doing.
You're like, oh my gosh, I can't wait
to get off this team.
I can't wait to not be around these
people.
Or maybe it was just a case of
somebody at work that you know you have
to be with, but you don't enjoy being

(23:39):
around them.
And so that's a little bit different.
But in that case, don't let that person
walk on you.
And I think sometimes this happens in the
friendship world where people feel, well, you know,
he's gonna be nice, so of course he'll
let me do it.
Yeah, but that's kind of like really, how

(24:00):
can I say, putting pressure on your friendship,
and it could potentially break it.
Because, hey, there's only so much a person
can take.
We are human, right?
And so you can't expect somebody to be
just like, forgiving of everything, even though we'd

(24:23):
like that.
But we have to realize if somebody did
that to us, would we freak out?
Would we go crazy?
I think if we could think about that,
we're like, now I understand what I'm doing
to the other person.
I wouldn't want that in my life, right?
So I hope that these points are making
sense to you.
And you know, whether it's a brand new
friendship, maybe it could be a fraternity brother,

(24:45):
maybe there's somebody in college, somebody in school,
grammar school, high school, or maybe it's a
new neighbor, and you want to build the
friendship, you need to work at striving to
become genuinely into the other person, not because
you have to, but because you should want
to.

(25:05):
Don't make the friendship all about you, because
you're not important.
They are.
Listen to them.
They will come back, I promise you and
ask questions about you.
And then you'll get your chance to shine.
But let them shine first.
Ask them the questions.
And I think you're gonna be like, Oh
my gosh, this is amazing.
Like, I feel like I've known this person
my whole life.

(25:25):
You probably had situations like that.
We met something like wow, I met this
person for like five or 10 minutes.
Like, I felt like I've known them my
whole life.
Like, where have you been?
So I think those are important things for
us to realize, as people, as a very
important part of our life, which is to

(25:45):
create, make and even break connections if they're
not healthy for us.
So those are very important things.
And I know as you're listening to me,
you're watching me here.
And I say the word friendship.
The first that comes to mind is probably
somebody that you know, you trust.

(26:06):
Somebody who trusts you.
Somebody who will help you out in a
bind when you're in one or you'll help
them out when they're in a bind.
That's friendship.
Friendship is not somebody that is going to
abuse the other because then that would kill
the friendship.
Remember what I said, it is a give
and it is a take.

(26:28):
It should not be a 100% give.
It should not be 100% take.
It should be this back and forth.
When it is this back and forth, it
kind of has this, this natural flow.
We've talked about this with bridges, engineers design
bridges structurally because if there's a storm, they
allow the bridge to like, you know, sway
a little bit in the wind just a

(26:49):
little bit, because if it didn't, the bridge
would actually break.
So don't allow your friendship to get so
tight.
Have communication, talk about things that bother you,
and you'll find that you'll be able to
create those things.
It's okay to create boundaries, especially in the
beginning.
Ladies and gentlemen, I want to take this

(27:09):
opportunity to personally say thank you to you
for tuning into the inspirations for your life
show.
Hosted by myself, John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
Remember everyone, connection is the foundation for unstoppable
living.
You can definitely check out more, and my

(27:33):
favorite takeaway and yours should hopefully be to
connect with me at BelieveMeAchieve.com to get
my short form content, my long form content,
articles, reels, and so much more.
And there's other tips too that can actually
help with your life.
So stay inspired, stay connected, and keep building

(27:54):
your unstoppable life.
The only one that can make that choice,
ladies and gentlemen, is you.
Have yourself a great rest of your day,
and I'll talk to you real soon.