November 23, 2025 • 37 mins
Elijah gets you caught up on his past weekend, talks about the importance of GIVING TUESDAY, & answers your email questions.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
You're listening to The Elijah Winfrey Show, a space for inspiration, impact,
and community connection. Each week, Elijah shares the latest on
his work in the community, answers listener questions, and reflects
on the week that was, from acts of kindness to
real conversations that matter. This is where purpose meets positivity.
(00:22):
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Here's your host,
Elijah Winfrey.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hello, folks, and welcome to the Elijah Winfrey Show. It
is good to be back with you this week. Last
week I was a bit under the weather. Not coal sick,
like I didn't have a coal or anything. I was
just physically and mentally worn out, and my body was
(00:56):
letting me know that I needed to take a break
last week, and I tried to do that and it
worked with a few things that I've been trying to
fix within myself, and the past week was productive. So
(01:21):
I am glad to be here today. We have a
great show lined up for you. We have some amazing
questions from some amazing listeners, some loyal listeners that we're
going to get to momentarily. I hope that your weekend
got off to a good start, and as we wind
down the weekend. I hope that you've done something to
(01:44):
create joy and happiness within yourself. I hope that everything
is good with you and wherever you are. I hope
that the weather is being kind. It is as I
look at the studio window, it is a bit drizzly
this morning here in the Pacific Northwest, but that is
to be expected. As I said, my past week was productive.
(02:10):
We got some things done. I'm trying to do a
lot of a lot of things because you know, I
am going to be stepping away from my nonprofit duties,
not full time, just I'll be doing it in spurts.
(02:32):
My wife is having hip replacement surgery here coming up
in December, so you know, I've done my best to
put things in place for our nonprofit rollout as we
collaborate with Restoration of the Arts. I'm so excited about
that collaboration where we're going to help families and kiddos
(02:57):
this holiday season. I am so excited about that. And
my fifth children's book, Little E Learns About Responsibility comes
out January sixth, that's on a Tuesday, and the promotion
for that starts the week of December first, so it
is going to be it's gonna seem like a lot.
(03:20):
It's gonna be throwing at all of you, and I
do hope that you all support my work. I'm excited
about this project. I work really hard on it. I
wrote this story during the summer and it definitely feels
my heart and you know, I I'm writing about core
(03:43):
values and life skills and I you know, and I'm
telling it through little E's eyes and his journey, and
it's so much fun to write. And I didn't think
that that wouldever be something that I would say, but
I'm enjoying it. And so we have the rollout for
(04:05):
that and real quickly. I want you to keep this
on your mind. Giving Tuesday is December second, and for
those of you who are new to Giving Tuesday, I
don't know a lot about Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is
a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity.
(04:30):
Giving Tuesday was created in twenty twelve as a simple
idea a day that encourages people to do good. Since then,
it's grown into a year round global movement that inspires
hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
I hope you all join this movement and give. Whether
(04:51):
it's your time or donation, or the power of your
voice in your local community. It is important that you
give on that day to local nonprofits around the world.
I hope that you support my organization, Team Winfrey. The
funds that we do receive during that day will help
(05:12):
us help families this holiday season. And remember, it's a
simple idea. Whether it's making someone smile, helping a neighbor
or a stranger out, showing up for an issue or
people we care about, or giving some of what we
have to help those in need. Every act of generosity
(05:36):
counts and everyone has something to contribute toward building the
better world we all want to live in. So keep
that on your mind. December second is Giving Tuesday. You
can visit Teamwinfrey dot org and donate any time before
that or on that day. Shout out to to my
local monthly donors who donate. The Team Winfrey really appreciate you,
(06:01):
We appreciate the support, and we welcome new donors as well.
I'm excited about that day, you know. I I love
giving back and this is a very important day, So
just keep that in mind. Family's doing well. As I said,
(06:25):
my wife is getting ready for hit replacement surgery, and
I am going to be the caretaker. I'm excited about that.
Here's the thing. You know, I bought a few nursing
outfits for myself, and you know, my wife and I
laugh about it, but I'm really excited. You know, this
is my opportunity once again to make sure that you know,
(06:47):
I'm taking care of her and you know, we're gonna
laugh while doing it, and her quality of life is
gonna be so much better. And this is something that
I've wanted for her for a while. Now. Those of
you who've seen my wife out, you know, shopping or whatnot,
you know she does have a noticeable limp. You wouldn't
(07:08):
know she's in pain because she just she doesn't. She
doesn't complain like I do. You know, I get a
little nick or or scratch. I'm I'm thinking it's the
end of the world, you know, But she doesn't do that.
But I'm excited because I know that her quality of
life moving forward is going to be really, really good.
So I am getting ready for that. We're doing well.
(07:31):
My kiddo didn't make the high school basketball team. I
know he was bummed about it. But here's the thing.
He came out of that gym and I saw a
ton of growth on the inside. I'm sure he was hurt,
but he was able to deal with it. He was
(07:51):
able to talk it out. He was okay. He told me, hey, Dad,
Michael Jordan got cut from his team, you know, but
he was happy to that. He tried, he gave it
a shot, and you know, I'm really proud of him
for persevering and having the reaction that he had. Doesn't
(08:12):
always go well for for any of us. You know,
it's how we respond in that moment, you know, always
tell him it's okay to feel the emotion, just don't
become it right, don't sit in it for too long.
And he was able to pivot, and you know, I
think Lisa and I were absolutely amazed. Right not that
(08:35):
it wouldn't happen that way, but you know, the maturity
that he's showing, you know, at his age right now,
is it means so much to us. So but he's
in good spirits, he's excited about the holidays, and you know,
all is well on that front physically and mentally for me,
(08:58):
you know, I'm still struggling with sleep, and you know,
I think you know, I've tried to see pat machine
and it just isn't quite beneficial for me, you know,
But I'm going to keep trying. But it's extremely difficult physically,
(09:22):
you know. I think I'm okay. You know. There are
days when I when I know I can't work out
because of the lack of sleep, so I don't. I
try to meditate, And then there are days like yesterday
and this morning where I feel well enough to work out.
So I'm going to work out after the show, head home,
jump on the peloton, and do a ride with some
(09:43):
amazing educators at my elementary school. So I'm getting better.
I'm progressing, feeling, you know, not as tired as last week.
For sure. Last week was a mess. I can go
on and on and ramble, but I would like to
(10:03):
pivot and get into the show today. Shout out my
amazing producer, Greg Nice, who always puts the show in
positions to succeed. We are listening to around the world.
Shout out to all the listeners who send in amazing
email questions or positive comments. We really appreciate it here
and a lot of the success is because of my
(10:24):
producer being able to put this show out and have
folks listen to it around the world, So thank you,
mister Greg Nice. All right, each week I have you
send in questions to me at Elijah dot Winfrey at
gmail dot com. My amazing producer does a great job
of grabbing a handful of questions. And we're going to
(10:46):
get started right now with this first question from Mark
and Denver, Colorado. Mark Wrights Eli, how do you how
do the holidays impact you emotionally and spiritually? Are they
a joyful time, a reflective time, or a mix of both. So, Mark,
(11:10):
that's a great question. So many years ago I talked
about this on the show. The holidays are a bit
of a struggle for me. My family is in Georgia.
You know, I don't really get to see them. You know,
I could hop on a plane, but you know, there's
(11:31):
a lot that goes into that, and I've just never
been outside of doing community work, which which brings me
joy over the holidays season. For me personally, it's always
been a struggle, you know. You know, I growing up,
we were never involved in any big family traditions and
(11:56):
and you know, I've been around from who have that
with their families, and I think it's great first and foremost,
let me say that, you know, it's just something that
I'm I'm not comfortable with, so I don't really embrace
the holidays from that standpoint. Personally, I love doing things
(12:16):
for people during the holiday season that brings me joy.
I think for the most part, I really try to
move forward with ideas or dreams or goals that I
want to set for myself in the new year. So
a lot of the holiday time that I spend is
probably downtime, you know. And you know, I've been okay
(12:42):
with that. I don't think it's a negative. I just
think it's it's who I am as a person. You know,
It's not it's not a it's not a disappointing time.
It's just something that i've never I've never been able
to get used to, if that makes sense, And you know,
it's okay, you know, I accept that. Next question is
(13:06):
from Jasmine in Atlanta, Georgia. Jasmine Rights, Hi, Eli, I'm
a longtime listener. My question is do you personally celebrate
the holiday season and if so, what does it look
like for you. I don't really Again, I don't really
I don't really celebrate it. I don't I have friends
(13:26):
who do, and I guess when when. When I say
I don't really celebrate it, what I'm saying is I don't.
I try not to hang out with friends who have
big families, who have these big traditions. I just fill
out of place, so I don't celebrate it from from
that standpoint. At home, I may watch a show or
(13:48):
two pertaining to the holidays, but I don't really, I
don't really celebrate it in the traditional way. I guess.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
You know.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
I love seeing you know, my wife celebrate it with
you know, her family. You know, that makes me feel good,
and then she celebrates it, you know, with us, of course.
But no, I don't really, I don't really sell I don't.
I don't celebrate it. Next question is from Sophia and Portland, Oregon. Sophia, rights, Elijah.
(14:23):
With everything you do in the community, how does the
holiday season affect your schedule and your energy? Do you
ever find time for yourself? Absolutely? I do. I find
time for myself. You know, I love the I think
I have more quiet moments because everybody's off with their
big groups of friends or family. You know, I'm able
(14:46):
to really decompress. You know, it's it's a time to
really reflect on the year and where I'm going. It
gives me time to work on my schedule moving forward.
As far as energy goes, you know, it's about the
same as it would be any other day. You know,
(15:10):
I do so many things that I really don't. I
really don't think about what my energy level is pertaining
to the holiday season. But I do find a lot
of time for myself, and I think that's one of
the best gifts that you know, I've I've given myself.
You know, during this time of year is too I
(15:32):
can pull back and shut down. I don't really like
going to parties. I love seeing the you know, the
holiday decorations, but you know, outside of that, I like
my alone time. Next question is from Lena and Dallas, Texas.
(15:55):
Lenna Wrights Eli. Do you ever feel extra pressure around
the holidays because of your work helping low income families?
How do you manage the emotional side of giving? So,
I don't. There's no pressure, there's excitement, there's responsibility. Uh,
(16:16):
there's purpose, you know, during this time of year and
helping low income families, right, a lot of us, you know,
we have it pretty good, you know, but I think
what I try to do, you know during this time
(16:37):
of year is think about those with the least and
figure out ways that I can help them, you know,
enjoy the holiday season. You know, a lot of a
lot of folks are living paycheck to paycheck. A lot
of folks are behind on their bills, you know, and
during this time it is extremely difficult to go out,
you know, with a list for your kids, uh and
(16:59):
and try to do some shopping knowing that you don't
really have it. And so, you know, I feel like
that's where I kind of step in, or my nonprofit
steps in, and you know, being able to help these
(17:20):
families it means everything. You know. That's the emotional side
of it. To me, It's the feeling I get when
when when we do stuff like this, you know, I
think that's the best gift that I've given to the team,
uh and to myself, you know, the spirit of giving
and thinking of others during this time of year. You know,
(17:42):
there have been so many years where you know, I've
thought about only myself and what I want and how
I'm gonna get it, you know, and what's on sale
and and that sort of thing. But I think since
becoming becoming an advocate and having a small business that helps,
you know, families in need. You know, I've been able
(18:04):
to really shift my thinking in the way I see
things during Christmas and in New Years and think about
those that don't have it as good as I or others.
And it's it's no extra pressure, it's it's wanted pressure.
I guess I could say it's something that I step
(18:26):
into and I just want to see the smiles. You know,
I'm not looking for anything in return. I just want
to see that that those smiles of happiness, you know,
when we deliver or able to deliver. And I think
a lot of this too, A lot of the credit
(18:47):
goes to to folks who donate to Team Winfree and
and folks who see my vision and see what I'm
trying to do in the community. I think, you know,
that's where the impact really hits. So that's a great question, Lennon,
Great question. Next question is from Cameron in Miami, Florida.
(19:12):
Cameron Rights longtime listener Elijah. My question is it important
to have a lot of friends around the holidays, But
do you believe a small circle true friends is enough?
I think to each his own. I really believe that
I've always felt like, because I've been this way most
(19:34):
of my life, that I've never needed an abundance of friends.
You know, I'm okay with not being with the crowd,
and so I think a small circle it's fine. Or
having a lot of people around you during the holiday
(19:54):
season is fine. Like some folks need that to cope,
I'm sure, and some just enjoy the company, and there's
nothing wrong with that either, I think for me, because
I've always had a small circle, I've always been fine
(20:15):
because I know how to disengage. I think one of
my biggest flexes is that I'm able to pull back
and I don't mind being by myself. So you know,
I think either way it's fine, Cameron, I really do.
Next question is from Brianna in Seattle. Brianna writes, Eli,
(20:39):
how do you personally tell the difference between real friends
and the people who might be waiting for you to fail?
Has that become clearer for you over the years. Mmm,
I think it's always been clear, Brianna. I've always been
(21:01):
a really good reader of people, you know, the body language,
what they say, what they don't say in the moment
that we're chatting or whatever. I think you always know
where you stay. I think, deep down right, you truly
(21:24):
know where you stand with people. You know who's a
friend and who isn't a friend. I've been able to
understand that my entire life and my intuition is never
lied to me. My energy is never lied to me.
(21:46):
You know, you know people that are around you that
want you to succeed, and you know those who don't.
You know, that's always been clear to me. I'm not
everybody's friend. I know that I'm not. I laugh with everybody,
I can talk with everybody, but I know I'm not
(22:08):
everyone's friend. When everything's going well, everybody's around you. When
you fall, people scatter and there are only maybe a
few people who stay there and help you up. So
I again, I think a real friend is there when
(22:29):
you when you're struggling. They're there to lend their ear,
offer support, and you know, contribute to helping you get
back on your feet or think clearer. You know, But
I've always known, you know, I I I'm around a
(22:53):
lot of people every day, and you know who rocks
with you, and you know who doesn't. You really do,
And I think sometimes we try to fool ourselves into
thinking that you know people. Some people are you know,
our friends when really they're not, They're not. Next question
(23:17):
is from Derek in Chicago, Illinois. Derek Wrights, Eli, You've
talked a lot about self reflection and peace. How does
it tie into the holiday season for you? So again,
I think during this time of years it's great for
(23:38):
me in a sense because I can detach myself from
festivities or or you know, the pageantry that is Christmas
and think about where I am in my life and
what needs to change, what needs to be fixed, and
what direction I'm going. And you know that conversation with
(24:02):
myself is always rooted in peace, right, That's the first
step for me, Like I have to get to my peace,
my center, and then I start to reflect on where
I am and what I need to do. Whether that
truly ties into the holiday season for me or not,
I don't really know, but I do a lot of
(24:26):
self reflection every day anyway. And you know, this time
of year just gives me more of an opportunity because
I'm around less people, you know, I'm I'm at home
a lot. It gives me that opportunity to really assess
where I am and what I should be doing moving forward.
So hope that answers your question. Next question is from
(24:51):
Alicia and Phoenix, Arizona. Alisha writes, Elijah, your next children's book,
Little E Learns about Responsibility, releases in January. How excited
are you for this and what do you hope kids
and families take away from the book. Oh, this is
a great question. So the book is about responsibility. So
(25:17):
I hope that teachers parents, kids, adults. I hope that
what you take from this book is the lesson of
saying it's okay to make a mistake and acknowledge it
(25:40):
and find ways to correct it right. We always say,
you know, when you make a mistake and you apologize
for it, sometimes the best apology is change behavior. Oh
(26:00):
I'm sorry I did that. Well, listen, the best response
is your change behavior moving forward. So I think sometimes
we forget about the responsibility to do right after making
a mistake, to owning it, to taking that responsibility and
(26:23):
saying yeah, I did that, I'm responsible for that. Now
I have to change the way I see that. I
have to correct that right. And I'm hoping that this
story shines a brighter light on that and it can
be a topic of discussion in classrooms. And again, I'm
(26:44):
not trying to reinvent anything around responsibility. I just I
just feel like we should talk about it more right,
We should lead more with core values and life skills,
and responsibility is a big one for all of us,
not just kids. It's it's it's for all of us.
(27:08):
We have to have the courage to take responsibility. And
so I hope that we talk about that, and I
believe we will. And I'm really excited about this project.
I'm really excited. I worked extremely hard on this, and
you know, I think in my heart, it's one of,
(27:31):
if not the best book I've written. I guess time
will tell you know what the readers think. But I
enjoy that process because it made me reflect on the
mistakes that I've made in my life and and you know,
taking responsibility for those things, I do it now. I
(27:54):
do it now. I think we have to remember that
none of us are above reproach. I can be talked
to if I make a mistake, if I make a mistake,
I made a few mistakes last week, and I took
responsibility for it that I think that's the first step.
(28:18):
And I had to change some things and I'm starting
to do that. Does it sting? Absolutely? It does. It's
supposed to. But when you change your behavior or you
correct it, that's the best apology, right, That's the best fix,
(28:40):
is to change behavior toward the issue, whatever it is.
And in this story, you're going to see little E
take responsibility and learn a valuable lesson. I can't wait
for you to read it. Next question is Jaden in
(29:00):
New York City. Jaden writes, Eli, does writing children's books
books change how you experience the holidays? Do story ideas
pop up from winter traditions? No, no traditions. It doesn't
change how I experience the holidays When I when I write,
(29:23):
the ideas all pop in my head. I may see
something and I may write it down, come back to
it later, and then try to find figure out how
I'm going to make a story out of it. Right,
I may think of something in my childhood that happened,
or I may be thinking about creating this you know,
fantasy story, you know about something I saw, you know, outside,
(29:48):
or something that happened to me, and I try to
write that way. I you know, I don't think well,
I know for a fact, none of my writing has
been about an experience that I've had during the holidays.
So my story ideas pop up, you know, from seeing
(30:09):
things outside or recalling some of my childhood, you know,
things that I've seen in my life, and I start writing.
You know, I I haven't started my sixth book yet,
so I don't know when that's gonna happen. But normally
what happens is either a thought pops into my head
(30:33):
or I'll see something and it'll trigger me to try
to write a story right or at least lay the
groundwork for, you know, or the outline for what I
want to write, or and then fill in the blanks later.
But yeah, nothing, nothing that I've experienced over the holidays,
(30:55):
you know, pops up in my head. Nothing. Let's take
a couple of more questions here before we wrap up
the show. This next question is from Meela and Charlotte,
North Carolina. Mela rights Eli. If Little E could spend
one perfect holiday, what would it look like. I think
(31:19):
Little E would love, you know, this time of year.
You know, I think he would. I think he would
thrive and in giving back and helping people while also
you know, visiting the toy store and thinking about items
that he would he would want for himself, uh, and
(31:40):
and for his family, you know, so I think this
time of year would be good for him.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
I do.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Last question, no, not last question, next to last question
from Samuel in Kansas City, Missouri. Samuel writes, if you
could only listen to one holiday song for all of December,
which one would you choose and why? So? My mom
(32:15):
would play holiday music around the house from oldest reading,
you know, music from the seventies, So I would say
probably something from oldest reading, you know, you know, Merry Christmas.
There are a few others that I can't think of
(32:35):
off the top of my head, but probably something from
you know, classic R and B and soul that my
mom would play. I'd probably listen to one or two
of those songs. Again, I don't think any song as well.
I won't get into that, but I don't think any
song is truly bad. I think it's you know, it's
(32:58):
the spirit. You know that means a lot. So I
would be fine with folks playing holiday music. It's not
like I can stop it or anything, all right. Last
question is from Toy in San Diego, California. Toy rights Elijah,
what's your go to holiday treat. Are you a cookies
(33:20):
and cocoa guy, or do you stay disciplined like a
true athlete. Well, first of all, I'm not disciplined as
a true athlete. I love working out, as many would say,
I have a dad bot, so I'm not working out
to be a fitness model or anything like that. So
(33:42):
I eat whatever I want to eat. As far as
you know my go to holiday treat, I don't. I
don't think I have one, you know, I don't. I
like cheesecake. I like those, you know. I like those
cookies with those like the red kind of sugary things
(34:06):
on top, like the Christmas tree cookies, and you know,
the ornament kind of things. I like those. But I
don't have a go to cocoa No, no thanks, I'm
not a cocoa guy at all. So you can keep that.
Give me water, give me water when I'm fine, A
(34:28):
glass of wine maybe, but I don't really have a
go to all right, those were some great questions, as always,
and I appreciate you all taking the time to send
these questions in. I really appreciate you all for being
(34:49):
part of this community, and I know that the holiday
season means a lot for everybody and including myself. You know,
I talk about not really celebrating it, but I do
love to see people happy and out and about and
shopping and holding hands and and you know, thinking of
one another and thinking of others in need. So I'm
(35:11):
grateful for that, and you know, and I'm also grateful
for the chance to talk about my journey during this
time of year. So continue to send questions in. We
will always do our best to get these questions on
and get them answered. As we come to the end
(35:31):
of the show again, I want you to remember that
Giving Tuesday is December second, and my organization, Team Winfree
is collaborating with Restoration of the Arts. We're going to
make the holiday seasons a really special one for families
in need, and we are excited about that. I can't
(35:53):
wait for that roll out to start in the next
few days. You can visit Teamwinfrey dot org and donate
today or on Giving Tuesday. We would really appreciate it.
Your donations go a long way into ensuring that families
have a very very special holiday season. As we get
(36:17):
ready for the upcoming week ahead, I want you to
do me a favor. Get out in your communities and
check in on your family and friends. All right, put
a smile on someone's face and remember it doesn't take
a lot of energy to do that at all. I
want to thank you for listening to The Elijah Winfrey Show.
(36:39):
Please be sure to download this show whatever you download
your favorite podcast. Until next week, Take care, God bless
Lord
Speaker 1 (37:18):
The
You're listening to The Elijah Winfrey Show, a space for inspiration, impact,
and community connection. Each week, Elijah shares the latest on
his work in the community, answers listener questions, and reflects
on the week that was, from acts of kindness to
real conversations that matter. This is where purpose meets positivity.
(00:22):
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Here's your host,
Elijah Winfrey.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hello, folks, and welcome to the Elijah Winfrey Show. It
is good to be back with you this week. Last
week I was a bit under the weather. Not coal sick,
like I didn't have a coal or anything. I was
just physically and mentally worn out, and my body was
(00:56):
letting me know that I needed to take a break
last week, and I tried to do that and it
worked with a few things that I've been trying to
fix within myself, and the past week was productive. So
(01:21):
I am glad to be here today. We have a
great show lined up for you. We have some amazing
questions from some amazing listeners, some loyal listeners that we're
going to get to momentarily. I hope that your weekend
got off to a good start, and as we wind
down the weekend. I hope that you've done something to
(01:44):
create joy and happiness within yourself. I hope that everything
is good with you and wherever you are. I hope
that the weather is being kind. It is as I
look at the studio window, it is a bit drizzly
this morning here in the Pacific Northwest, but that is
to be expected. As I said, my past week was productive.
(02:10):
We got some things done. I'm trying to do a
lot of a lot of things because you know, I
am going to be stepping away from my nonprofit duties,
not full time, just I'll be doing it in spurts.
(02:32):
My wife is having hip replacement surgery here coming up
in December, so you know, I've done my best to
put things in place for our nonprofit rollout as we
collaborate with Restoration of the Arts. I'm so excited about
that collaboration where we're going to help families and kiddos
(02:57):
this holiday season. I am so excited about that. And
my fifth children's book, Little E Learns About Responsibility comes
out January sixth, that's on a Tuesday, and the promotion
for that starts the week of December first, so it
is going to be it's gonna seem like a lot.
(03:20):
It's gonna be throwing at all of you, and I
do hope that you all support my work. I'm excited
about this project. I work really hard on it. I
wrote this story during the summer and it definitely feels
my heart and you know, I I'm writing about core
(03:43):
values and life skills and I you know, and I'm
telling it through little E's eyes and his journey, and
it's so much fun to write. And I didn't think
that that wouldever be something that I would say, but
I'm enjoying it. And so we have the rollout for
(04:05):
that and real quickly. I want you to keep this
on your mind. Giving Tuesday is December second, and for
those of you who are new to Giving Tuesday, I
don't know a lot about Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is
a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity.
(04:30):
Giving Tuesday was created in twenty twelve as a simple
idea a day that encourages people to do good. Since then,
it's grown into a year round global movement that inspires
hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
I hope you all join this movement and give. Whether
(04:51):
it's your time or donation, or the power of your
voice in your local community. It is important that you
give on that day to local nonprofits around the world.
I hope that you support my organization, Team Winfrey. The
funds that we do receive during that day will help
(05:12):
us help families this holiday season. And remember, it's a
simple idea. Whether it's making someone smile, helping a neighbor
or a stranger out, showing up for an issue or
people we care about, or giving some of what we
have to help those in need. Every act of generosity
(05:36):
counts and everyone has something to contribute toward building the
better world we all want to live in. So keep
that on your mind. December second is Giving Tuesday. You
can visit Teamwinfrey dot org and donate any time before
that or on that day. Shout out to to my
local monthly donors who donate. The Team Winfrey really appreciate you,
(06:01):
We appreciate the support, and we welcome new donors as well.
I'm excited about that day, you know. I I love
giving back and this is a very important day, So
just keep that in mind. Family's doing well. As I said,
(06:25):
my wife is getting ready for hit replacement surgery, and
I am going to be the caretaker. I'm excited about that.
Here's the thing. You know, I bought a few nursing
outfits for myself, and you know, my wife and I
laugh about it, but I'm really excited. You know, this
is my opportunity once again to make sure that you know,
(06:47):
I'm taking care of her and you know, we're gonna
laugh while doing it, and her quality of life is
gonna be so much better. And this is something that
I've wanted for her for a while. Now. Those of
you who've seen my wife out, you know, shopping or whatnot,
you know she does have a noticeable limp. You wouldn't
(07:08):
know she's in pain because she just she doesn't. She
doesn't complain like I do. You know, I get a
little nick or or scratch. I'm I'm thinking it's the
end of the world, you know, But she doesn't do that.
But I'm excited because I know that her quality of
life moving forward is going to be really, really good.
So I am getting ready for that. We're doing well.
(07:31):
My kiddo didn't make the high school basketball team. I
know he was bummed about it. But here's the thing.
He came out of that gym and I saw a
ton of growth on the inside. I'm sure he was hurt,
but he was able to deal with it. He was
(07:51):
able to talk it out. He was okay. He told me, hey, Dad,
Michael Jordan got cut from his team, you know, but
he was happy to that. He tried, he gave it
a shot, and you know, I'm really proud of him
for persevering and having the reaction that he had. Doesn't
(08:12):
always go well for for any of us. You know,
it's how we respond in that moment, you know, always
tell him it's okay to feel the emotion, just don't
become it right, don't sit in it for too long.
And he was able to pivot, and you know, I
think Lisa and I were absolutely amazed. Right not that
(08:35):
it wouldn't happen that way, but you know, the maturity
that he's showing, you know, at his age right now,
is it means so much to us. So but he's
in good spirits, he's excited about the holidays, and you know,
all is well on that front physically and mentally for me,
(08:58):
you know, I'm still struggling with sleep, and you know,
I think you know, I've tried to see pat machine
and it just isn't quite beneficial for me, you know,
But I'm going to keep trying. But it's extremely difficult physically,
(09:22):
you know. I think I'm okay. You know. There are
days when I when I know I can't work out
because of the lack of sleep, so I don't. I
try to meditate, And then there are days like yesterday
and this morning where I feel well enough to work out.
So I'm going to work out after the show, head home,
jump on the peloton, and do a ride with some
(09:43):
amazing educators at my elementary school. So I'm getting better.
I'm progressing, feeling, you know, not as tired as last week.
For sure. Last week was a mess. I can go
on and on and ramble, but I would like to
(10:03):
pivot and get into the show today. Shout out my
amazing producer, Greg Nice, who always puts the show in
positions to succeed. We are listening to around the world.
Shout out to all the listeners who send in amazing
email questions or positive comments. We really appreciate it here
and a lot of the success is because of my
(10:24):
producer being able to put this show out and have
folks listen to it around the world, So thank you,
mister Greg Nice. All right, each week I have you
send in questions to me at Elijah dot Winfrey at
gmail dot com. My amazing producer does a great job
of grabbing a handful of questions. And we're going to
(10:46):
get started right now with this first question from Mark
and Denver, Colorado. Mark Wrights Eli, how do you how
do the holidays impact you emotionally and spiritually? Are they
a joyful time, a reflective time, or a mix of both. So, Mark,
(11:10):
that's a great question. So many years ago I talked
about this on the show. The holidays are a bit
of a struggle for me. My family is in Georgia.
You know, I don't really get to see them. You know,
I could hop on a plane, but you know, there's
(11:31):
a lot that goes into that, and I've just never
been outside of doing community work, which which brings me
joy over the holidays season. For me personally, it's always
been a struggle, you know. You know, I growing up,
we were never involved in any big family traditions and
(11:56):
and you know, I've been around from who have that
with their families, and I think it's great first and foremost,
let me say that, you know, it's just something that
I'm I'm not comfortable with, so I don't really embrace
the holidays from that standpoint. Personally, I love doing things
(12:16):
for people during the holiday season that brings me joy.
I think for the most part, I really try to
move forward with ideas or dreams or goals that I
want to set for myself in the new year. So
a lot of the holiday time that I spend is
probably downtime, you know. And you know, I've been okay
(12:42):
with that. I don't think it's a negative. I just
think it's it's who I am as a person. You know,
It's not it's not a it's not a disappointing time.
It's just something that i've never I've never been able
to get used to, if that makes sense, And you know,
it's okay, you know, I accept that. Next question is
(13:06):
from Jasmine in Atlanta, Georgia. Jasmine Rights, Hi, Eli, I'm
a longtime listener. My question is do you personally celebrate
the holiday season and if so, what does it look
like for you. I don't really Again, I don't really
I don't really celebrate it. I don't I have friends
(13:26):
who do, and I guess when when. When I say
I don't really celebrate it, what I'm saying is I don't.
I try not to hang out with friends who have
big families, who have these big traditions. I just fill
out of place, so I don't celebrate it from from
that standpoint. At home, I may watch a show or
(13:48):
two pertaining to the holidays, but I don't really, I
don't really celebrate it in the traditional way. I guess.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
You know.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
I love seeing you know, my wife celebrate it with
you know, her family. You know, that makes me feel good,
and then she celebrates it, you know, with us, of course.
But no, I don't really, I don't really sell I don't.
I don't celebrate it. Next question is from Sophia and Portland, Oregon. Sophia, rights, Elijah.
(14:23):
With everything you do in the community, how does the
holiday season affect your schedule and your energy? Do you
ever find time for yourself? Absolutely? I do. I find
time for myself. You know, I love the I think
I have more quiet moments because everybody's off with their
big groups of friends or family. You know, I'm able
(14:46):
to really decompress. You know, it's it's a time to
really reflect on the year and where I'm going. It
gives me time to work on my schedule moving forward.
As far as energy goes, you know, it's about the
same as it would be any other day. You know,
(15:10):
I do so many things that I really don't. I
really don't think about what my energy level is pertaining
to the holiday season. But I do find a lot
of time for myself, and I think that's one of
the best gifts that you know, I've I've given myself.
You know, during this time of year is too I
(15:32):
can pull back and shut down. I don't really like
going to parties. I love seeing the you know, the
holiday decorations, but you know, outside of that, I like
my alone time. Next question is from Lena and Dallas, Texas.
(15:55):
Lenna Wrights Eli. Do you ever feel extra pressure around
the holidays because of your work helping low income families?
How do you manage the emotional side of giving? So,
I don't. There's no pressure, there's excitement, there's responsibility. Uh,
(16:16):
there's purpose, you know, during this time of year and
helping low income families, right, a lot of us, you know,
we have it pretty good, you know, but I think
what I try to do, you know during this time
(16:37):
of year is think about those with the least and
figure out ways that I can help them, you know,
enjoy the holiday season. You know, a lot of a
lot of folks are living paycheck to paycheck. A lot
of folks are behind on their bills, you know, and
during this time it is extremely difficult to go out,
you know, with a list for your kids, uh and
(16:59):
and try to do some shopping knowing that you don't
really have it. And so, you know, I feel like
that's where I kind of step in, or my nonprofit
steps in, and you know, being able to help these
(17:20):
families it means everything. You know. That's the emotional side
of it. To me, It's the feeling I get when
when when we do stuff like this, you know, I
think that's the best gift that I've given to the team,
uh and to myself, you know, the spirit of giving
and thinking of others during this time of year. You know,
(17:42):
there have been so many years where you know, I've
thought about only myself and what I want and how
I'm gonna get it, you know, and what's on sale
and and that sort of thing. But I think since
becoming becoming an advocate and having a small business that helps,
you know, families in need. You know, I've been able
(18:04):
to really shift my thinking in the way I see
things during Christmas and in New Years and think about
those that don't have it as good as I or others.
And it's it's no extra pressure, it's it's wanted pressure.
I guess I could say it's something that I step
(18:26):
into and I just want to see the smiles. You know,
I'm not looking for anything in return. I just want
to see that that those smiles of happiness, you know,
when we deliver or able to deliver. And I think
a lot of this too, A lot of the credit
(18:47):
goes to to folks who donate to Team Winfree and
and folks who see my vision and see what I'm
trying to do in the community. I think, you know,
that's where the impact really hits. So that's a great question, Lennon,
Great question. Next question is from Cameron in Miami, Florida.
(19:12):
Cameron Rights longtime listener Elijah. My question is it important
to have a lot of friends around the holidays, But
do you believe a small circle true friends is enough?
I think to each his own. I really believe that
I've always felt like, because I've been this way most
(19:34):
of my life, that I've never needed an abundance of friends.
You know, I'm okay with not being with the crowd,
and so I think a small circle it's fine. Or
having a lot of people around you during the holiday
(19:54):
season is fine. Like some folks need that to cope,
I'm sure, and some just enjoy the company, and there's
nothing wrong with that either, I think for me, because
I've always had a small circle, I've always been fine
(20:15):
because I know how to disengage. I think one of
my biggest flexes is that I'm able to pull back
and I don't mind being by myself. So you know,
I think either way it's fine, Cameron, I really do.
Next question is from Brianna in Seattle. Brianna writes, Eli,
(20:39):
how do you personally tell the difference between real friends
and the people who might be waiting for you to fail?
Has that become clearer for you over the years. Mmm,
I think it's always been clear, Brianna. I've always been
(21:01):
a really good reader of people, you know, the body language,
what they say, what they don't say in the moment
that we're chatting or whatever. I think you always know
where you stay. I think, deep down right, you truly
(21:24):
know where you stand with people. You know who's a
friend and who isn't a friend. I've been able to
understand that my entire life and my intuition is never
lied to me. My energy is never lied to me.
(21:46):
You know, you know people that are around you that
want you to succeed, and you know those who don't.
You know, that's always been clear to me. I'm not
everybody's friend. I know that I'm not. I laugh with everybody,
I can talk with everybody, but I know I'm not
(22:08):
everyone's friend. When everything's going well, everybody's around you. When
you fall, people scatter and there are only maybe a
few people who stay there and help you up. So
I again, I think a real friend is there when
(22:29):
you when you're struggling. They're there to lend their ear,
offer support, and you know, contribute to helping you get
back on your feet or think clearer. You know, But
I've always known, you know, I I I'm around a
(22:53):
lot of people every day, and you know who rocks
with you, and you know who doesn't. You really do,
And I think sometimes we try to fool ourselves into
thinking that you know people. Some people are you know,
our friends when really they're not, They're not. Next question
(23:17):
is from Derek in Chicago, Illinois. Derek Wrights, Eli, You've
talked a lot about self reflection and peace. How does
it tie into the holiday season for you? So again,
I think during this time of years it's great for
(23:38):
me in a sense because I can detach myself from
festivities or or you know, the pageantry that is Christmas
and think about where I am in my life and
what needs to change, what needs to be fixed, and
what direction I'm going. And you know that conversation with
(24:02):
myself is always rooted in peace, right, That's the first
step for me, Like I have to get to my peace,
my center, and then I start to reflect on where
I am and what I need to do. Whether that
truly ties into the holiday season for me or not,
I don't really know, but I do a lot of
(24:26):
self reflection every day anyway. And you know, this time
of year just gives me more of an opportunity because
I'm around less people, you know, I'm I'm at home
a lot. It gives me that opportunity to really assess
where I am and what I should be doing moving forward.
So hope that answers your question. Next question is from
(24:51):
Alicia and Phoenix, Arizona. Alisha writes, Elijah, your next children's book,
Little E Learns about Responsibility, releases in January. How excited
are you for this and what do you hope kids
and families take away from the book. Oh, this is
a great question. So the book is about responsibility. So
(25:17):
I hope that teachers parents, kids, adults. I hope that
what you take from this book is the lesson of
saying it's okay to make a mistake and acknowledge it
(25:40):
and find ways to correct it right. We always say,
you know, when you make a mistake and you apologize
for it, sometimes the best apology is change behavior. Oh
(26:00):
I'm sorry I did that. Well, listen, the best response
is your change behavior moving forward. So I think sometimes
we forget about the responsibility to do right after making
a mistake, to owning it, to taking that responsibility and
(26:23):
saying yeah, I did that, I'm responsible for that. Now
I have to change the way I see that. I
have to correct that right. And I'm hoping that this
story shines a brighter light on that and it can
be a topic of discussion in classrooms. And again, I'm
(26:44):
not trying to reinvent anything around responsibility. I just I
just feel like we should talk about it more right,
We should lead more with core values and life skills,
and responsibility is a big one for all of us,
not just kids. It's it's it's for all of us.
(27:08):
We have to have the courage to take responsibility. And
so I hope that we talk about that, and I
believe we will. And I'm really excited about this project.
I'm really excited. I worked extremely hard on this, and
you know, I think in my heart, it's one of,
(27:31):
if not the best book I've written. I guess time
will tell you know what the readers think. But I
enjoy that process because it made me reflect on the
mistakes that I've made in my life and and you know,
taking responsibility for those things, I do it now. I
(27:54):
do it now. I think we have to remember that
none of us are above reproach. I can be talked
to if I make a mistake, if I make a mistake,
I made a few mistakes last week, and I took
responsibility for it that I think that's the first step.
(28:18):
And I had to change some things and I'm starting
to do that. Does it sting? Absolutely? It does. It's
supposed to. But when you change your behavior or you
correct it, that's the best apology, right, That's the best fix,
(28:40):
is to change behavior toward the issue, whatever it is.
And in this story, you're going to see little E
take responsibility and learn a valuable lesson. I can't wait
for you to read it. Next question is Jaden in
(29:00):
New York City. Jaden writes, Eli, does writing children's books
books change how you experience the holidays? Do story ideas
pop up from winter traditions? No, no traditions. It doesn't
change how I experience the holidays When I when I write,
(29:23):
the ideas all pop in my head. I may see
something and I may write it down, come back to
it later, and then try to find figure out how
I'm going to make a story out of it. Right,
I may think of something in my childhood that happened,
or I may be thinking about creating this you know,
fantasy story, you know about something I saw, you know, outside,
(29:48):
or something that happened to me, and I try to
write that way. I you know, I don't think well,
I know for a fact, none of my writing has
been about an experience that I've had during the holidays.
So my story ideas pop up, you know, from seeing
(30:09):
things outside or recalling some of my childhood, you know,
things that I've seen in my life, and I start writing.
You know, I I haven't started my sixth book yet,
so I don't know when that's gonna happen. But normally
what happens is either a thought pops into my head
(30:33):
or I'll see something and it'll trigger me to try
to write a story right or at least lay the
groundwork for, you know, or the outline for what I
want to write, or and then fill in the blanks later.
But yeah, nothing, nothing that I've experienced over the holidays,
(30:55):
you know, pops up in my head. Nothing. Let's take
a couple of more questions here before we wrap up
the show. This next question is from Meela and Charlotte,
North Carolina. Mela rights Eli. If Little E could spend
one perfect holiday, what would it look like. I think
(31:19):
Little E would love, you know, this time of year.
You know, I think he would. I think he would
thrive and in giving back and helping people while also
you know, visiting the toy store and thinking about items
that he would he would want for himself, uh, and
(31:40):
and for his family, you know, so I think this
time of year would be good for him.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
I do.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Last question, no, not last question, next to last question
from Samuel in Kansas City, Missouri. Samuel writes, if you
could only listen to one holiday song for all of December,
which one would you choose and why? So? My mom
(32:15):
would play holiday music around the house from oldest reading,
you know, music from the seventies, So I would say
probably something from oldest reading, you know, you know, Merry Christmas.
There are a few others that I can't think of
(32:35):
off the top of my head, but probably something from
you know, classic R and B and soul that my
mom would play. I'd probably listen to one or two
of those songs. Again, I don't think any song as well.
I won't get into that, but I don't think any
song is truly bad. I think it's you know, it's
(32:58):
the spirit. You know that means a lot. So I
would be fine with folks playing holiday music. It's not
like I can stop it or anything, all right. Last
question is from Toy in San Diego, California. Toy rights Elijah,
what's your go to holiday treat. Are you a cookies
(33:20):
and cocoa guy, or do you stay disciplined like a
true athlete. Well, first of all, I'm not disciplined as
a true athlete. I love working out, as many would say,
I have a dad bot, so I'm not working out
to be a fitness model or anything like that. So
(33:42):
I eat whatever I want to eat. As far as
you know my go to holiday treat, I don't. I
don't think I have one, you know, I don't. I
like cheesecake. I like those, you know. I like those
cookies with those like the red kind of sugary things
(34:06):
on top, like the Christmas tree cookies, and you know,
the ornament kind of things. I like those. But I
don't have a go to cocoa No, no thanks, I'm
not a cocoa guy at all. So you can keep that.
Give me water, give me water when I'm fine, A
(34:28):
glass of wine maybe, but I don't really have a
go to all right, those were some great questions, as always,
and I appreciate you all taking the time to send
these questions in. I really appreciate you all for being
(34:49):
part of this community, and I know that the holiday
season means a lot for everybody and including myself. You know,
I talk about not really celebrating it, but I do
love to see people happy and out and about and
shopping and holding hands and and you know, thinking of
one another and thinking of others in need. So I'm
(35:11):
grateful for that, and you know, and I'm also grateful
for the chance to talk about my journey during this
time of year. So continue to send questions in. We
will always do our best to get these questions on
and get them answered. As we come to the end
(35:31):
of the show again, I want you to remember that
Giving Tuesday is December second, and my organization, Team Winfree
is collaborating with Restoration of the Arts. We're going to
make the holiday seasons a really special one for families
in need, and we are excited about that. I can't
(35:53):
wait for that roll out to start in the next
few days. You can visit Teamwinfrey dot org and donate
today or on Giving Tuesday. We would really appreciate it.
Your donations go a long way into ensuring that families
have a very very special holiday season. As we get
(36:17):
ready for the upcoming week ahead, I want you to
do me a favor. Get out in your communities and
check in on your family and friends. All right, put
a smile on someone's face and remember it doesn't take
a lot of energy to do that at all. I
want to thank you for listening to The Elijah Winfrey Show.
(36:39):
Please be sure to download this show whatever you download
your favorite podcast. Until next week, Take care, God bless
Lord
Speaker 1 (37:18):
The
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