Well, hello, my friends, and welcome to the Live Inspired podcast Monday morning moments with John O'Leary.

I'm going to begin this episode with a question.

You ready for it?

Do you ever have bad days? Do you ever have bad days? All right, here we go. Let's roll.

While speaking with a group of college interns for a large insurance agency last week, I was asked

that question, do you ever have bad days? My answer surprised them. And sharing it

with you on this Monday morning, I hope it offers some encouragement for you not only on this day,

but throughout this week and beyond. Let me explain. So it is an honor to be invited into the

lives of others as a presenter. our writing and our books, podcast, blogs, and via our podcast like the one you're listening to right now.

Regardless of the way that the message is communicated, the goal is to remind others of the dignity of their lives and the daily opportunity to

positively change the world one life at a time, starting with their own.

It turns out, though, that even those who uplift others occasionally need their own buckets

filled.

The day I was speaking with the interns began, as so many days do, with numerous challenges.

Without unpacking each difficulty in playing the violin for you right now, we all have struggles

that we face, don't we? We've all endured moments that test our patience, heard whispers that suggest were not

enough, and felt beat down by the difficulties of life. And listen to me right here, my friends.

I am no exception to this reality. I deal with the same struggles as everybody else.

Carrying these burdens into my day last week, though I arrived at work

feeling drained and discouraged before the day even began. In a feeble attempt to avoid actual work,

I cleaned my office. I tossed out a few old things. I straightened my desk, desperately needed it, I wiped it down, and I even opened up

some mail that had been gradually stacking in front of me. Bill. Bill. Junk mail. Bill. And then finally,

...