January 5, 2026 • 29 mins
Sunday nights aren’t for beating yourself up; they’re for grounding yourself, learning gently, and stepping into Monday with more grace than guilt. This is the Inspirations for Your Life Show, the daily motivational show that helps you think sharper, feel stronger, and live more deliberately every single day. You’re here with John C. Morley—Serial Entrepreneur, Engineer, Marketing Specialist, Video Producer, Podcast Host, Coach, Graduate Student, and of course a passionate life‑long learner—someone who knows what it’s like to carry a full week and still want to grow from it, not just recover. Today’s episode is called “Sunday – Reset & Reflect” (S50 S2:E2), and together we’re going to gently review, release, and reset so you start the week grounded, not guilty.
1️⃣ “A heavy week does not mean a failed week.” If this week felt heavy, it doesn’t mean you did it wrong—it just means you were human in a real, demanding world. Let today be the moment you separate weight from worth and choose to see effort, not just outcomes.
2️⃣ “Pick one thing that helped you this week. Keep it intentionally.” Think of one habit, one mindset, or one tiny choice that made things even a little easier. Decide, right now, that this doesn’t happen by accident next week—you carry it forward on purpose.
3️⃣ “Pick one thing that drained you. Don’t pack it for next week.” There was something—a task, a person, a pattern—that quietly exhausted you. Name it, thank it for the lesson, and make a simple plan to reduce or remove it from your upcoming week.
4️⃣ “Rest is a result and a requirement.” You don’t earn rest by doing enough; you need rest so you can keep doing anything at all. Give yourself permission tonight to see rest as part of the work, not a reward for perfection.
5️⃣ “Give this week a title. What did it quietly teach you?” If this week were a chapter in your story, what would you call it? Naming it turns random days into meaning and helps you see the lesson instead of just the frustration.
6️⃣ “Celebrate one win nobody saw but you.” Think of a moment you could have quit, snapped, or shut down—but didn’t. Honor that invisible victory, because the quiet wins build the strongest version of you.
7️⃣ “You’re allowed to be proud of survival seasons.” Some weeks are not about thriving; they’re about getting through. Let yourself be proud that you made it, even if it wasn’t pretty or Instagram‑ready.
8️⃣ “Replace ‘I should have’ with ‘Next time, I will.’” Every “should have” keeps you stuck in yesterday. Shift the language to “Next time, I will,” and instantly turn regret into a plan.
9️⃣ “Ask: ‘What do I want more of next week?’ Schedule one tiny action.” Instead of trying to redesign your entire life, pick one feeling—calm, focus, fun—and put a tiny, concrete action on your calendar that supports it.
🔟 “You don’t owe anyone a highlight reel of your week.” Your week doesn’t need to look impressive to be valuable. Release the pressure to package your life for others and let yourself simply live it.
1️⃣1️⃣ “Your nervous system deserves a Sunday reset, not just your calendar.” It’s not just about planning tasks; it’s about calming your body. Breathe, stretch, walk, or sit in quiet—let your nervous system know it’s safe to slow down.
1️⃣2️⃣ “Forgive yourself for one thing from this week. Say it out loud.” Pick one mistake, one moment, one reaction—and offer yourself real forgiveness. Speak it: “I forgive myself for…” and feel the weight lift a little.
1️⃣3️⃣ “You are not your worst moment from the last 7 days.” Maybe you snapped, procrastinated, or shut down. That moment is part of your week, not the definition of your identity.
1️⃣4️⃣ “Write a 2‑sentence note to your future self about this week’s lesson.” Grab a notebook or your phone and send a short message to the you who will forget how strong you were. Capture the lesson while it’s fresh.
1️⃣5️⃣ “Let one expectation from others expire tonight.” There is at least one expectation someone has of you that no longer fits the season you’re in. You’re allowed to quietly lay it down and choose what’s truly sustainable.
1️⃣6️⃣ “You can close a week without closing your heart.” You don’t have to shut down emotionally to move on. You can release the week and still stay open to connection, joy, and growth.
1️⃣7️⃣ “Grieve what you didn’t get done. Appreciate what you did get through.” Let yourself feel the disappointment of unfinished tasks, then pivot to gratitude for the storms you did walk through. Both emotions can coexist.
1️⃣8️⃣ “Not every week needs a comeback story. Some just need closure.” You don’t have to turn every hard week into a dramatic transformation. Sometimes the most powerful move is simply saying, “That’s enough for now. I’m done.”
1️⃣9️⃣ “Ask yourself: ‘What worked that I’ve never given myself credit for?’” Scan your week for something
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:23):
Well, hey guys, and welcome to Inspirations for
Your Life.
It's great to be with you on the
fourth day of January.
That means that we are now celebrating being
on the air four years in a row,
and we're in our fifth year on our
fourth day.
So really great to be here.
Guys, thank you so much for being here.
(00:44):
Again, happy, healthy, prosperous, abundant, amazing New Year
to all of you wonderful people out there.
If this is your first time joining me,
I want to say welcome, and of course,
I want to say thank you.
If you're coming back, I want to say
welcome back, and thank you so much for
coming back.
I really do appreciate people that find value
in the content that I produce and share.
(01:05):
All right guys, so if you haven't checked
out BelieveMeAchieved.com, what are you waiting for?
Go check that out as soon as the
show is over.
You can go to BelieveMeAchieved.com, you can
get my short-form content, get my long
-form content.
It's a great place to go.
You can get articles and so much more,
but do that after the show.
If you guys are thirsty, parched, or a
little bit hungry, feel free to go grab,
(01:27):
yes, a snack.
Grab yourself a snack.
I think you will definitely appreciate that.
So definitely go ahead and do that, all
right?
All right guys, I think the most important
thing I want to share with you guys
again is that we're in 2026, and I
made a commitment in 2026.
(01:49):
For those of you who don't know, I
made a lot of commitments, but one of
them is I started my book, which is
actually commencing on Monday.
I'm not going to tell you the title
yet, that's kind of under wraps.
So what I'm doing is I'm doing an
outline every day, and then I'm writing the
other day.
So it's going to take me maybe a
year, maybe a little bit less.
The book's only going to be about 150
pages, but I'm doing other stuff too, but
(02:09):
at least I have a format for doing
this, so I'm really grateful for that, guys.
Thank you so much.
So without any further ado, guys, let's go
ahead and kick this show off, all right,
guys?
So Sunday nights aren't for beating yourself up.
Nope, they're for grounding yourself, learning gently, and
stepping into Monday, right?
(02:30):
With more grace than guilt.
This is the inspirations for your show.
It's the daily motivational show that helps you
think sharper, feel stronger, and live more deliberately
every single day.
Now, one of the things I told you
I was going to share was one of
my goals for 2026.
(02:51):
I am no longer going to allow people
that are rude or disrespectful in my life.
It doesn't happen that often, but if I
get those people, I'm no longer going to
suck up to them and try to be
nice.
I'm just going to say the words goodbye,
or I'm just going to leave, because I've
decided I need to treat myself better.
I mean, I treat myself pretty well, but
(03:11):
sometimes I found myself trying to be over
nice even when somebody's being rude, and there's
no need for that.
There's no reason for that behavior.
So you're here, guys, with myself, John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur, engineer, marketing specialist, video producer,
(03:32):
podcast host, coach, graduate student, and yes, of
course, a passionate lifelong learner, and someone who
knows what it's like to carry a full
week and still want to grow from it,
not just recover from it.
I think that's an important thing, and a
lot of people don't necessarily understand what I
mean by that, but I'm hoping you will.
(03:54):
There's a lot of people who say they're
going to do stuff.
A lot of people say they're going to
help you, but then you know what happens.
They get busy.
They don't help you.
So I don't hold it against them, but
I just know that I have to be
good to myself.
I think that's a very, very important thing
to realize.
So again, I just want to say welcome,
(04:17):
everyone.
Thank you so very much for deciding to
be here.
It means a lot to me that you
guys are here.
So let's kick this off.
Today's episode is called Sunday Reset and Reflect.
Yeah, because it's Sunday.
We are basically on, ladies and gentlemen.
(04:40):
This is series five.
It's show number two, and it's episode number
two, and together we're going to gently review,
release, and reset.
So you start the week grounded, not in
that guilty feeling.
You know what I mean.
Number one, guys, a heavy week does not
(05:02):
mean a failed week.
I think that's important for a lot of
people to understand, because sometimes, you know, people
are under, they're under a lot of stress
and tension, and I get that, right?
So if this week felt, I don't know,
I'm going to say maybe a little bit
heavy for you, it doesn't mean you did
(05:23):
anything wrong.
It just means you were human in a
real demanding world.
Let today be the moment you separate weight
from worth and choose to see effort, not
just outcomes.
Number two, pick one thing that helps you
this week.
(05:45):
Keep it intentionally.
That's important, guys.
And we keep it intentional, a lot can
happen.
Now, I had somebody else actually before asked
me to do something.
Now, you know, normally I'm the John that
always says yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
But I'm following my own advice.
And I realized what they wanted me to
do.
And I had the skills, but I said,
(06:06):
you know what?
Right now, I just don't have the bandwidth
for it.
My studies are picking up.
And I have other things I'm doing.
So that's not something I really have the
time for.
Well, we'll talk later then about it.
No, it's not going to change.
It's only going to get worse because I'm
going to get busier.
I think sometimes you have to say no
to people.
(06:26):
Think of one habit, one mindset or one
tiny choice that made things well, even a
little easier.
Okay?
Decide right now that it doesn't happen by
accident.
Next week, you carry it forward on purpose,
(06:47):
don't you?
Number three, pick one thing that drains you.
Don't pack it for next week.
There was something, a task, a person, a
pattern that quietly, let's say exhausted you in
some way, name it, thank it for the
(07:08):
lesson, and make a simple plan to reduce
or remove it from your upcoming week.
So one thing I did is I protected
my energy.
Normally, John would have said sure, I'll do
that.
I'll be happy to do that.
But then not realizing that I'm taking from
my own cup.
So I'm being more mindful of the choices
that I make in 2026.
(07:29):
People are like, oh, well, you know, we'll
talk about it later when you're ready.
No, we're not going to talk about later
because it's just going to become more busy.
And I think that's important to understand.
People have to realize they can't just count
on you for everything.
Number four, rest is a result.
And it's a requirement.
You don't earn rest by doing enough.
(07:50):
You need rest so you can keep doing
anything at all.
Give yourself permission tonight to see rest as
part of the work.
Not a reward, but really perfection.
All right.
Number five, give this upcoming week a title.
What did it quietly teach you?
If this week were a chapter in your
(08:10):
story, what would you call it?
So this was an interesting week, right?
Because this last week, even though we're starting
a new week in our master series, right?
We started on Saturday.
The last week was a very interesting week
because we had the kickoff of a new
year, right?
December 31st going into January 1st, right?
(08:31):
2026.
I think what I learned this year is
that, or this week, I should say, is
that I have to stick to my guns.
If I want to do something, I have
to do it.
Other people might try to talk me out
of it, but I need to still stick
to my guns.
That's the most important thing.
(08:52):
And I can't feel guilty because I say
no to people.
That's important.
So, um, I think I'm going to call
this week, John doesn't feel guilty anymore.
I don't.
Naming it terms the random days into meaning
and helps you see the lesson instead of
(09:14):
just the frustration.
Because the old John would have been like,
Oh, sure.
I'll do it.
Yeah.
What's one more thing on my plate?
Heck, why not?
And this goes for a lot of things,
guys.
It's not just about, um, you know, business.
Uh, it's about personal things you help people
(09:36):
with.
It's even about things that I do for
charities and other religious organizations.
That doesn't say I demean them or I
degrade them.
It just means that I have to know
when to say no.
I have to realize that I can't keep
giving every moment of my time.
Number six, guys.
(09:57):
Celebrate one win.
Nobody saw.
But you think of a moment you could
have quit, snapped, or maybe shut down, but
you didn't.
You honored that invisible victory because the quiet
winds build the strongest version of you.
Number seven, you're allowed to be proud of
(10:19):
survival seasons.
Number seven.
Some weeks are not about thriving, guys.
They're about getting through.
Let yourself be proud that you made it,
even if it wasn't pretty or Instagram pretty,
right?
You got through the week, and I think
that's an important thing.
When we can get through the week and
we can understand and we can learn from
(10:41):
the week, that's probably the biggest thing.
Number eight, replace I should have with next
time I will.
See, that's another important thing.
Don't harp on the fact that you didn't
do something.
Well, next time I'm going to do this,
okay?
Um, my example was every time in the
past, I would always say yes to people.
(11:01):
So I made a decision before the new
year that next time when something comes up,
I'm going to first see, does it deplete
my own personal cup?
And if it does, I'm going to say
no and not feel guilty about it.
Every should have keeps you stuck in yesterday.
(11:24):
Shift the language to next time.
I will, and instantly turn regret into a
plan.
There's no need to let it entrap you.
Ask number nine, what do I want more
of next week?
Schedule one tiny action.
Instead of trying to redesign your entire life,
(11:44):
pick one feeling, calmness, focus, fun, and put
a tiny concrete action on your calendar that
supports it.
So one thing was the book, right?
So I put some tiny actions on my
calendar to start getting my book going.
Another thing is, um, I wanted to get
some businesses of different areas that I haven't
tapped before.
(12:05):
And so I started with some ideas that
haven't gotten put on my calendar yet, but
they will by tomorrow.
And so I think when we could step
back and when we can say, wow, look
at what we did.
That's amazing.
We have to show up for ourselves.
(12:26):
Even other people don't.
And you might say to me, John, but
you know, if people don't support you, how
can you support yourself?
You can support yourself.
I'm telling you this right now.
Um, you can support yourself because you know
that you're worthy.
You know that you're a good person.
Number 10, you don't owe anyone a highlight
reel of your week.
(12:47):
Nope.
I don't need to tell people why I
can't do something.
It's my business.
Your week doesn't need to look impressive to
be valuable.
Release the pressure to package your life for
others and let yourself simply live it.
There's a very interesting concept.
(13:08):
Why don't we actually try that?
Number 11, your nervous system deserves a Sunday
reset.
Not just your calendar.
It's not just about planning tasks.
It's about calming your entire body.
Breathe, stretch, walk, or sit in quiet.
Let your nervous system know it's safe to
(13:30):
slow down.
Number 12, guys, forgive yourself for one thing
from this week.
Maybe what I forgive myself for right now
is the fact that I've been wanting to
start the book, but I didn't.
So unkind to myself, I forgave myself and
said, look, next time, this is the time
I'm doing something.
(13:53):
Um, maybe I forgave myself for some other
things.
And you feel good about that.
Okay.
And say them out loud.
Okay.
You could pick one mistake or a few,
one moment, one reaction and offer yourself, well,
real forgiveness.
Speak it.
(14:13):
I forgive myself for, I forgive myself for
procrastinating and not starting this book until this
coming Monday.
And I feel a big weight lifted on
my head or mind.
I forgive myself for always saying yes to
people and depleting my own cup.
(14:34):
So that when I need to do something,
I've been coming second.
By 2026, I'm going to make sure I
come first.
That doesn't mean I'm going to be selfish.
It means that I'm going to take care
of myself.
That's important to know.
Don't burn out.
Number 13, you are not your worst moment
(14:55):
from the last seven days.
Nope.
You're not.
Maybe you snapped, procrastinated, or shut down like
I did with the book.
That moment is part of your week.
It's not the definition of your identity.
I think that becomes hard for some people
that, you know, we feel that if we
just, because, you know, we didn't accomplish something,
(15:17):
that's who we are.
It's not who we are.
It's just the moment in time.
Number 14, write a two-sentence note to
your future self about this week's lesson.
Grab a notebook or your phone and send
a short message to the one person, you,
(15:38):
who will forget how strong you were.
Capture the lesson while it's fresh.
Number 15, let one expectation from others expire
tonight.
There's at least one expectation someone has of
you that no longer fits the season you're
(15:59):
in.
Let's name one.
I think it's, the big one is, oh,
John will jump in and do it.
He always does and has in the past.
Well, John's not going to jump in and
just do everything anymore.
John's going to be more discerning in the
(16:20):
time that he decides to give out.
You're allowed, guys, to quietly lay it down
and choose what truly is sustainable for you.
There's nothing wrong with that.
You can close a week without closing your
heart.
You don't have to shut down emotionally.
Nope.
(16:41):
To move on, you can release the week
and still stay open to connection, joy, and
growth.
All right.
Number 17, grieve what you didn't get done.
It's okay.
You can grieve it and you can move
on next time you'll get it done.
Appreciate what you did get it through.
Let yourself feel the disappointment of unfinished tasks.
(17:03):
Then pivot to gratitude for the storms you
did walk through.
Both emotions can coexist at the same time.
A lot of people think they can't, but
they can.
Number 18, not every week needs a comeback
story.
Some just need closure.
You don't have to turn every hard week
into a dramatic transformation.
(17:25):
Nope.
Sometimes the most powerful move is simply saying
that's enough for now.
I'm done.
Number 19, ask yourself what worked that I've
never given myself credit for.
I think that's a big one.
I need to give myself credit for more
things.
Being a podcast host, being in graduate school,
(17:48):
being a marketing professional, being a video producer,
I need to give myself credit.
Scan your week for something you handled well,
but you brushed it off.
Give that version of you a moment in
the spotlight and say, hey you, you really
did a great job.
(18:10):
Number 20, you're allowed to want an easier
week and be grateful for this one.
Hope for better does not cancel gratitude for
what you survived.
You can be thankful and desire gentler days.
Nothing wrong with that.
One boundary you'll more fiercely starting tomorrow.
(18:31):
I think I told you the one.
The one is being mindful of the people
that try to manipulate me not intentionally, but
they try to get to my good side.
I guess that part's intentional to get me
to do something for them because they know
I can.
And I said before, just because I can
(18:53):
doesn't mean I should.
Choose a line you won't cross easily this
week.
Maybe it's saying no after a certain hour
or not checking messages during dinner.
One no that I decided to do in
2026, so I run a few groups and
organizations.
I decided that I'm no longer going to
post this one group fiercely on Facebook.
(19:16):
I'm still going to post it on our
group page and our website, but I'm not
going to go posting on all these other
forks because I found number one, it tired
me out.
And number two, I didn't get people that
were appreciating my message.
Now this isn't about the show or anything
like that.
It's about another organization that I run.
So I realized that I need to be
(19:37):
more careful in discerning about where I put
the message out, who I invite to the
group.
Protect your energy like it matters because it
does.
You know, no one's going to tell you
to protect your energy.
They're just going to tell you to keep
going and going and going like, you know,
the Energizer bunny, right?
But the Energizer bunny, when it runs out,
(20:00):
you can give it more batteries.
When you run out, well, that could either
be a health issue or it could be
a need for you to just crash and
get some rest.
We can't just put batteries back in ourselves
and start, you know, hitting the drum.
It doesn't work like that, right?
Number 22, you're not starting over.
(20:22):
Monday, you're starting from experience.
Next week is not a reset to zero.
Nope.
You're walking in with more wisdom, more data,
and more self-awareness than you had seven
days ago.
That's pretty cool.
Think about ending the with compassion, not a
(20:43):
performance review.
Tonight is not about grading yourself.
It's about choosing kindness over criticism and recognizing
that you did the best you could with
what you had.
And I think that's something in the past
that I haven't done a lot.
I have not praised myself a lot in
(21:03):
the past.
And I think I need to do that
more.
I need to show myself self-compassion.
Number 24, let today be a soft landing,
not a scramble.
Resist the urge to cram everything into Sunday.
Night, that is.
Land softly.
(21:24):
Give your mind and body a gentle glide
into the new week.
It'll be much easier for you if you're
gentler with your body and your mind.
Number 25, your identity is not tied to
how much you crossed off.
Although a lot of people think it is,
it is not about that.
A short to-do list does not mean
(21:52):
a small life.
You are more than tasks, metrics, or checkboxes.
That's important.
Number 26, thank this version of you, the
one that you're with right now, for getting
(22:12):
you here through this week.
Close your eyes for a second and say
the words, thank you, to the you who
carried every responsibility, feeling, and challenge of this
week.
Now, I'm going to give you another example.
So there's some other organizations that I've worked
with.
There's been a couple that have been very,
how can I say, clicky.
(22:35):
And they've been political.
And I've also decided if I'm going to
get that type of reaction I'm not going
to be nasty.
But I'm just going to choose to let
them move aside.
And I'll take a different direction.
People that don't show me appreciation, whether it's
(22:56):
intentional or not, they're really not people I
want in my life.
I just got to be honest with you.
And there's no need to badger myself or
punish myself.
Appreciation is fuel.
And that fuel empowers me to want to
do more.
Do you know there was somebody this past
few days, I wished them a happy new
year.
(23:18):
And I was looking back just right now,
it was actually on LinkedIn.
And I was looking back on my LinkedIn.
And I remember somebody saying to me, I
think I said to them, wish you a
(23:39):
happy, healthy, prosperous, amazing new year, blessed new
year.
And I got a thank you.
Okay, thank you.
I did not get happy new year back.
I got messaged with something, a random question,
asking about one of my skills.
(24:01):
And I let them know that I appreciate
the opportunity.
But right now, that's not something I really
want to have the bandwidth for.
Does that make sense?
(24:26):
I hope so.
But I learned that the response I got
from that person, and I'm just kind of
looking back at it now as I'm talking
to you, so I can give you the
exact without giving the person's name, because that's
not really fair.
(24:47):
They asked me to do something.
And I said, I appreciate the offer.
But I'm gonna say no.
I'm swamped with school, the semester and other
things.
I'm still happy to do x and y
and z.
But I really just don't have any bandwidth
to take another committee to be quite honest,
they want to be the committee.
Understood, we can talk more when things calm
down.
Okay.
(25:11):
Person then reiterates, this would be a great
group for you.
Then they asked me to do something else.
And then I said to them, still no
on the first thing.
But the is a possibility.
But I don't think things will be coming
down to be honest about the other things.
I'm sorry.
But I don't need to say I'm sorry.
But I did say that.
(25:31):
I just don't have the bandwidth.
And there's no I don't need to apologize.
I think I was still apologizing.
I don't need to do that.
Don't need to apologize.
Number 27, set one gentle intention, not 10
aggressive demands.
Choose a single kind, focus for the week
ahead, like move with patience, or protect my
(25:52):
peace.
And let that guide your choices.
Number 28, ask what would make next week
5% kinder to me.
Do that.
You don't need a total overhaul.
You need a small shift.
One tiny kinder choice can change the tone
of the entire week.
(26:12):
I think that's something that's pretty amazing.
All right.
We don't need to move buildings.
Okay.
All we need to do is maybe open
a few windows or close a few doors.
Get my point?
Or maybe hang a picture.
Number 29, you did enough for who you
were this week.
(26:33):
With your energy, your circumstances, and what you
went through, you did what you could do.
Honor that truth instead of chasing an imaginary
perfect version of you.
The perfect version does not exist.
So let's think about that right now.
Okay.
Think about that right now.
(26:56):
Okay.
I hope that that means something to you.
Close the week with one deep breath.
Number 30.
I like to do the one I told
you about, which was the, you know, doing
the four, the four to six.
(27:20):
Inhale for four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six.
Do it again.
Inhale for four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six.
One more time.
Inhale for four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six.
(27:44):
This says I'm still here, guys.
I'm still trying.
And right now, take that breath with me
as I did.
Do it again.
In through the nose, as I said, and
out through the mouth like I did with
the count that I gave you.
Feel the pride in simply being here, still
willing to grow.
This has been the Sunday Reset and Reflect
(28:05):
on Inspirations for Your Life.
Be sure, ladies and gentlemen, to check out
BelieveMeAchieve.com for more of my motivational creations,
the show that helps you elevate your mindset,
unlock your purpose, and lead your life on
true intention, not by accident.
Have a great one, everyone.
I'll catch you real soon.
Be well, everyone.
Well, hey guys, and welcome to Inspirations for
Your Life.
It's great to be with you on the
fourth day of January.
That means that we are now celebrating being
on the air four years in a row,
and we're in our fifth year on our
fourth day.
So really great to be here.
Guys, thank you so much for being here.
(00:44):
Again, happy, healthy, prosperous, abundant, amazing New Year
to all of you wonderful people out there.
If this is your first time joining me,
I want to say welcome, and of course,
I want to say thank you.
If you're coming back, I want to say
welcome back, and thank you so much for
coming back.
I really do appreciate people that find value
in the content that I produce and share.
(01:05):
All right guys, so if you haven't checked
out BelieveMeAchieved.com, what are you waiting for?
Go check that out as soon as the
show is over.
You can go to BelieveMeAchieved.com, you can
get my short-form content, get my long
-form content.
It's a great place to go.
You can get articles and so much more,
but do that after the show.
If you guys are thirsty, parched, or a
little bit hungry, feel free to go grab,
(01:27):
yes, a snack.
Grab yourself a snack.
I think you will definitely appreciate that.
So definitely go ahead and do that, all
right?
All right guys, I think the most important
thing I want to share with you guys
again is that we're in 2026, and I
made a commitment in 2026.
(01:49):
For those of you who don't know, I
made a lot of commitments, but one of
them is I started my book, which is
actually commencing on Monday.
I'm not going to tell you the title
yet, that's kind of under wraps.
So what I'm doing is I'm doing an
outline every day, and then I'm writing the
other day.
So it's going to take me maybe a
year, maybe a little bit less.
The book's only going to be about 150
pages, but I'm doing other stuff too, but
(02:09):
at least I have a format for doing
this, so I'm really grateful for that, guys.
Thank you so much.
So without any further ado, guys, let's go
ahead and kick this show off, all right,
guys?
So Sunday nights aren't for beating yourself up.
Nope, they're for grounding yourself, learning gently, and
stepping into Monday, right?
(02:30):
With more grace than guilt.
This is the inspirations for your show.
It's the daily motivational show that helps you
think sharper, feel stronger, and live more deliberately
every single day.
Now, one of the things I told you
I was going to share was one of
my goals for 2026.
(02:51):
I am no longer going to allow people
that are rude or disrespectful in my life.
It doesn't happen that often, but if I
get those people, I'm no longer going to
suck up to them and try to be
nice.
I'm just going to say the words goodbye,
or I'm just going to leave, because I've
decided I need to treat myself better.
I mean, I treat myself pretty well, but
(03:11):
sometimes I found myself trying to be over
nice even when somebody's being rude, and there's
no need for that.
There's no reason for that behavior.
So you're here, guys, with myself, John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur, engineer, marketing specialist, video producer,
(03:32):
podcast host, coach, graduate student, and yes, of
course, a passionate lifelong learner, and someone who
knows what it's like to carry a full
week and still want to grow from it,
not just recover from it.
I think that's an important thing, and a
lot of people don't necessarily understand what I
mean by that, but I'm hoping you will.
(03:54):
There's a lot of people who say they're
going to do stuff.
A lot of people say they're going to
help you, but then you know what happens.
They get busy.
They don't help you.
So I don't hold it against them, but
I just know that I have to be
good to myself.
I think that's a very, very important thing
to realize.
So again, I just want to say welcome,
(04:17):
everyone.
Thank you so very much for deciding to
be here.
It means a lot to me that you
guys are here.
So let's kick this off.
Today's episode is called Sunday Reset and Reflect.
Yeah, because it's Sunday.
We are basically on, ladies and gentlemen.
(04:40):
This is series five.
It's show number two, and it's episode number
two, and together we're going to gently review,
release, and reset.
So you start the week grounded, not in
that guilty feeling.
You know what I mean.
Number one, guys, a heavy week does not
(05:02):
mean a failed week.
I think that's important for a lot of
people to understand, because sometimes, you know, people
are under, they're under a lot of stress
and tension, and I get that, right?
So if this week felt, I don't know,
I'm going to say maybe a little bit
heavy for you, it doesn't mean you did
(05:23):
anything wrong.
It just means you were human in a
real demanding world.
Let today be the moment you separate weight
from worth and choose to see effort, not
just outcomes.
Number two, pick one thing that helps you
this week.
(05:45):
Keep it intentionally.
That's important, guys.
And we keep it intentional, a lot can
happen.
Now, I had somebody else actually before asked
me to do something.
Now, you know, normally I'm the John that
always says yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
But I'm following my own advice.
And I realized what they wanted me to
do.
And I had the skills, but I said,
(06:06):
you know what?
Right now, I just don't have the bandwidth
for it.
My studies are picking up.
And I have other things I'm doing.
So that's not something I really have the
time for.
Well, we'll talk later then about it.
No, it's not going to change.
It's only going to get worse because I'm
going to get busier.
I think sometimes you have to say no
to people.
(06:26):
Think of one habit, one mindset or one
tiny choice that made things well, even a
little easier.
Okay?
Decide right now that it doesn't happen by
accident.
Next week, you carry it forward on purpose,
(06:47):
don't you?
Number three, pick one thing that drains you.
Don't pack it for next week.
There was something, a task, a person, a
pattern that quietly, let's say exhausted you in
some way, name it, thank it for the
(07:08):
lesson, and make a simple plan to reduce
or remove it from your upcoming week.
So one thing I did is I protected
my energy.
Normally, John would have said sure, I'll do
that.
I'll be happy to do that.
But then not realizing that I'm taking from
my own cup.
So I'm being more mindful of the choices
that I make in 2026.
(07:29):
People are like, oh, well, you know, we'll
talk about it later when you're ready.
No, we're not going to talk about later
because it's just going to become more busy.
And I think that's important to understand.
People have to realize they can't just count
on you for everything.
Number four, rest is a result.
And it's a requirement.
You don't earn rest by doing enough.
(07:50):
You need rest so you can keep doing
anything at all.
Give yourself permission tonight to see rest as
part of the work.
Not a reward, but really perfection.
All right.
Number five, give this upcoming week a title.
What did it quietly teach you?
If this week were a chapter in your
(08:10):
story, what would you call it?
So this was an interesting week, right?
Because this last week, even though we're starting
a new week in our master series, right?
We started on Saturday.
The last week was a very interesting week
because we had the kickoff of a new
year, right?
December 31st going into January 1st, right?
(08:31):
2026.
I think what I learned this year is
that, or this week, I should say, is
that I have to stick to my guns.
If I want to do something, I have
to do it.
Other people might try to talk me out
of it, but I need to still stick
to my guns.
That's the most important thing.
(08:52):
And I can't feel guilty because I say
no to people.
That's important.
So, um, I think I'm going to call
this week, John doesn't feel guilty anymore.
I don't.
Naming it terms the random days into meaning
and helps you see the lesson instead of
(09:14):
just the frustration.
Because the old John would have been like,
Oh, sure.
I'll do it.
Yeah.
What's one more thing on my plate?
Heck, why not?
And this goes for a lot of things,
guys.
It's not just about, um, you know, business.
Uh, it's about personal things you help people
(09:36):
with.
It's even about things that I do for
charities and other religious organizations.
That doesn't say I demean them or I
degrade them.
It just means that I have to know
when to say no.
I have to realize that I can't keep
giving every moment of my time.
Number six, guys.
(09:57):
Celebrate one win.
Nobody saw.
But you think of a moment you could
have quit, snapped, or maybe shut down, but
you didn't.
You honored that invisible victory because the quiet
winds build the strongest version of you.
Number seven, you're allowed to be proud of
(10:19):
survival seasons.
Number seven.
Some weeks are not about thriving, guys.
They're about getting through.
Let yourself be proud that you made it,
even if it wasn't pretty or Instagram pretty,
right?
You got through the week, and I think
that's an important thing.
When we can get through the week and
we can understand and we can learn from
(10:41):
the week, that's probably the biggest thing.
Number eight, replace I should have with next
time I will.
See, that's another important thing.
Don't harp on the fact that you didn't
do something.
Well, next time I'm going to do this,
okay?
Um, my example was every time in the
past, I would always say yes to people.
(11:01):
So I made a decision before the new
year that next time when something comes up,
I'm going to first see, does it deplete
my own personal cup?
And if it does, I'm going to say
no and not feel guilty about it.
Every should have keeps you stuck in yesterday.
(11:24):
Shift the language to next time.
I will, and instantly turn regret into a
plan.
There's no need to let it entrap you.
Ask number nine, what do I want more
of next week?
Schedule one tiny action.
Instead of trying to redesign your entire life,
(11:44):
pick one feeling, calmness, focus, fun, and put
a tiny concrete action on your calendar that
supports it.
So one thing was the book, right?
So I put some tiny actions on my
calendar to start getting my book going.
Another thing is, um, I wanted to get
some businesses of different areas that I haven't
tapped before.
(12:05):
And so I started with some ideas that
haven't gotten put on my calendar yet, but
they will by tomorrow.
And so I think when we could step
back and when we can say, wow, look
at what we did.
That's amazing.
We have to show up for ourselves.
(12:26):
Even other people don't.
And you might say to me, John, but
you know, if people don't support you, how
can you support yourself?
You can support yourself.
I'm telling you this right now.
Um, you can support yourself because you know
that you're worthy.
You know that you're a good person.
Number 10, you don't owe anyone a highlight
reel of your week.
(12:47):
Nope.
I don't need to tell people why I
can't do something.
It's my business.
Your week doesn't need to look impressive to
be valuable.
Release the pressure to package your life for
others and let yourself simply live it.
There's a very interesting concept.
(13:08):
Why don't we actually try that?
Number 11, your nervous system deserves a Sunday
reset.
Not just your calendar.
It's not just about planning tasks.
It's about calming your entire body.
Breathe, stretch, walk, or sit in quiet.
Let your nervous system know it's safe to
(13:30):
slow down.
Number 12, guys, forgive yourself for one thing
from this week.
Maybe what I forgive myself for right now
is the fact that I've been wanting to
start the book, but I didn't.
So unkind to myself, I forgave myself and
said, look, next time, this is the time
I'm doing something.
(13:53):
Um, maybe I forgave myself for some other
things.
And you feel good about that.
Okay.
And say them out loud.
Okay.
You could pick one mistake or a few,
one moment, one reaction and offer yourself, well,
real forgiveness.
Speak it.
(14:13):
I forgive myself for, I forgive myself for
procrastinating and not starting this book until this
coming Monday.
And I feel a big weight lifted on
my head or mind.
I forgive myself for always saying yes to
people and depleting my own cup.
(14:34):
So that when I need to do something,
I've been coming second.
By 2026, I'm going to make sure I
come first.
That doesn't mean I'm going to be selfish.
It means that I'm going to take care
of myself.
That's important to know.
Don't burn out.
Number 13, you are not your worst moment
(14:55):
from the last seven days.
Nope.
You're not.
Maybe you snapped, procrastinated, or shut down like
I did with the book.
That moment is part of your week.
It's not the definition of your identity.
I think that becomes hard for some people
that, you know, we feel that if we
just, because, you know, we didn't accomplish something,
(15:17):
that's who we are.
It's not who we are.
It's just the moment in time.
Number 14, write a two-sentence note to
your future self about this week's lesson.
Grab a notebook or your phone and send
a short message to the one person, you,
(15:38):
who will forget how strong you were.
Capture the lesson while it's fresh.
Number 15, let one expectation from others expire
tonight.
There's at least one expectation someone has of
you that no longer fits the season you're
(15:59):
in.
Let's name one.
I think it's, the big one is, oh,
John will jump in and do it.
He always does and has in the past.
Well, John's not going to jump in and
just do everything anymore.
John's going to be more discerning in the
(16:20):
time that he decides to give out.
You're allowed, guys, to quietly lay it down
and choose what truly is sustainable for you.
There's nothing wrong with that.
You can close a week without closing your
heart.
You don't have to shut down emotionally.
Nope.
(16:41):
To move on, you can release the week
and still stay open to connection, joy, and
growth.
All right.
Number 17, grieve what you didn't get done.
It's okay.
You can grieve it and you can move
on next time you'll get it done.
Appreciate what you did get it through.
Let yourself feel the disappointment of unfinished tasks.
(17:03):
Then pivot to gratitude for the storms you
did walk through.
Both emotions can coexist at the same time.
A lot of people think they can't, but
they can.
Number 18, not every week needs a comeback
story.
Some just need closure.
You don't have to turn every hard week
into a dramatic transformation.
(17:25):
Nope.
Sometimes the most powerful move is simply saying
that's enough for now.
I'm done.
Number 19, ask yourself what worked that I've
never given myself credit for.
I think that's a big one.
I need to give myself credit for more
things.
Being a podcast host, being in graduate school,
(17:48):
being a marketing professional, being a video producer,
I need to give myself credit.
Scan your week for something you handled well,
but you brushed it off.
Give that version of you a moment in
the spotlight and say, hey you, you really
did a great job.
(18:10):
Number 20, you're allowed to want an easier
week and be grateful for this one.
Hope for better does not cancel gratitude for
what you survived.
You can be thankful and desire gentler days.
Nothing wrong with that.
One boundary you'll more fiercely starting tomorrow.
(18:31):
I think I told you the one.
The one is being mindful of the people
that try to manipulate me not intentionally, but
they try to get to my good side.
I guess that part's intentional to get me
to do something for them because they know
I can.
And I said before, just because I can
(18:53):
doesn't mean I should.
Choose a line you won't cross easily this
week.
Maybe it's saying no after a certain hour
or not checking messages during dinner.
One no that I decided to do in
2026, so I run a few groups and
organizations.
I decided that I'm no longer going to
post this one group fiercely on Facebook.
(19:16):
I'm still going to post it on our
group page and our website, but I'm not
going to go posting on all these other
forks because I found number one, it tired
me out.
And number two, I didn't get people that
were appreciating my message.
Now this isn't about the show or anything
like that.
It's about another organization that I run.
So I realized that I need to be
(19:37):
more careful in discerning about where I put
the message out, who I invite to the
group.
Protect your energy like it matters because it
does.
You know, no one's going to tell you
to protect your energy.
They're just going to tell you to keep
going and going and going like, you know,
the Energizer bunny, right?
But the Energizer bunny, when it runs out,
(20:00):
you can give it more batteries.
When you run out, well, that could either
be a health issue or it could be
a need for you to just crash and
get some rest.
We can't just put batteries back in ourselves
and start, you know, hitting the drum.
It doesn't work like that, right?
Number 22, you're not starting over.
(20:22):
Monday, you're starting from experience.
Next week is not a reset to zero.
Nope.
You're walking in with more wisdom, more data,
and more self-awareness than you had seven
days ago.
That's pretty cool.
Think about ending the with compassion, not a
(20:43):
performance review.
Tonight is not about grading yourself.
It's about choosing kindness over criticism and recognizing
that you did the best you could with
what you had.
And I think that's something in the past
that I haven't done a lot.
I have not praised myself a lot in
(21:03):
the past.
And I think I need to do that
more.
I need to show myself self-compassion.
Number 24, let today be a soft landing,
not a scramble.
Resist the urge to cram everything into Sunday.
Night, that is.
Land softly.
(21:24):
Give your mind and body a gentle glide
into the new week.
It'll be much easier for you if you're
gentler with your body and your mind.
Number 25, your identity is not tied to
how much you crossed off.
Although a lot of people think it is,
it is not about that.
A short to-do list does not mean
(21:52):
a small life.
You are more than tasks, metrics, or checkboxes.
That's important.
Number 26, thank this version of you, the
one that you're with right now, for getting
(22:12):
you here through this week.
Close your eyes for a second and say
the words, thank you, to the you who
carried every responsibility, feeling, and challenge of this
week.
Now, I'm going to give you another example.
So there's some other organizations that I've worked
with.
There's been a couple that have been very,
how can I say, clicky.
(22:35):
And they've been political.
And I've also decided if I'm going to
get that type of reaction I'm not going
to be nasty.
But I'm just going to choose to let
them move aside.
And I'll take a different direction.
People that don't show me appreciation, whether it's
(22:56):
intentional or not, they're really not people I
want in my life.
I just got to be honest with you.
And there's no need to badger myself or
punish myself.
Appreciation is fuel.
And that fuel empowers me to want to
do more.
Do you know there was somebody this past
few days, I wished them a happy new
year.
(23:18):
And I was looking back just right now,
it was actually on LinkedIn.
And I was looking back on my LinkedIn.
And I remember somebody saying to me, I
think I said to them, wish you a
(23:39):
happy, healthy, prosperous, amazing new year, blessed new
year.
And I got a thank you.
Okay, thank you.
I did not get happy new year back.
I got messaged with something, a random question,
asking about one of my skills.
(24:01):
And I let them know that I appreciate
the opportunity.
But right now, that's not something I really
want to have the bandwidth for.
Does that make sense?
(24:26):
I hope so.
But I learned that the response I got
from that person, and I'm just kind of
looking back at it now as I'm talking
to you, so I can give you the
exact without giving the person's name, because that's
not really fair.
(24:47):
They asked me to do something.
And I said, I appreciate the offer.
But I'm gonna say no.
I'm swamped with school, the semester and other
things.
I'm still happy to do x and y
and z.
But I really just don't have any bandwidth
to take another committee to be quite honest,
they want to be the committee.
Understood, we can talk more when things calm
down.
Okay.
(25:11):
Person then reiterates, this would be a great
group for you.
Then they asked me to do something else.
And then I said to them, still no
on the first thing.
But the is a possibility.
But I don't think things will be coming
down to be honest about the other things.
I'm sorry.
But I don't need to say I'm sorry.
But I did say that.
(25:31):
I just don't have the bandwidth.
And there's no I don't need to apologize.
I think I was still apologizing.
I don't need to do that.
Don't need to apologize.
Number 27, set one gentle intention, not 10
aggressive demands.
Choose a single kind, focus for the week
ahead, like move with patience, or protect my
(25:52):
peace.
And let that guide your choices.
Number 28, ask what would make next week
5% kinder to me.
Do that.
You don't need a total overhaul.
You need a small shift.
One tiny kinder choice can change the tone
of the entire week.
(26:12):
I think that's something that's pretty amazing.
All right.
We don't need to move buildings.
Okay.
All we need to do is maybe open
a few windows or close a few doors.
Get my point?
Or maybe hang a picture.
Number 29, you did enough for who you
were this week.
(26:33):
With your energy, your circumstances, and what you
went through, you did what you could do.
Honor that truth instead of chasing an imaginary
perfect version of you.
The perfect version does not exist.
So let's think about that right now.
Okay.
Think about that right now.
(26:56):
Okay.
I hope that that means something to you.
Close the week with one deep breath.
Number 30.
I like to do the one I told
you about, which was the, you know, doing
the four, the four to six.
(27:20):
Inhale for four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six.
Do it again.
Inhale for four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six.
One more time.
Inhale for four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six.
(27:44):
This says I'm still here, guys.
I'm still trying.
And right now, take that breath with me
as I did.
Do it again.
In through the nose, as I said, and
out through the mouth like I did with
the count that I gave you.
Feel the pride in simply being here, still
willing to grow.
This has been the Sunday Reset and Reflect
(28:05):
on Inspirations for Your Life.
Be sure, ladies and gentlemen, to check out
BelieveMeAchieve.com for more of my motivational creations,
the show that helps you elevate your mindset,
unlock your purpose, and lead your life on
true intention, not by accident.
Have a great one, everyone.
I'll catch you real soon.
Be well, everyone.
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