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Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

Start with One Thing (Monday Moment ep. 879)

Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

John O'Leary

Self-improvement, Relationships, Society & Culture, Education

4.8695 Ratings

🗓️ 11 May 2026

⏱️ 6 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

At a recent speaking engagement, I asked the audience to turn to a neighbor and share what they were grateful for in the moment.

On this morning, hundreds of new friends turned away from me and toward the person seated nearest them. Voices elevated, tears fell and smiles returned. It was awesome to observe this from stage.

But off to the side stood one woman. Alone.

I came down from the stage, walked over, knelt beside her, and said, "I love you…and there's nothing you can do about it! Now, tell me, what are you grateful for?"

She looked back and said, "Nothing."

Let me explain what happened next.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

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

0:18.9

Over the past several weeks, I've had the honor of speaking, get ready for it, in

0:23.0

Dallas, Los Angeles, Boston, Little Rock, Las Vegas, Orlando, Laguna Beach, Kansas City,

0:31.9

Raleigh, Durham, Des Moines, Denver, and Nashville.

0:36.4

Yes, that's been the last couple weeks of my life. It's been a

0:39.9

wild ride. I'm grateful, obviously, for the work. And I'm extremely grateful also to be back

0:46.7

home today recording this message for you also, to be spending a little bit of time with my family.

0:53.9

In one of these speaking events, I asked the audience to turn to a neighbor and to share what they were most grateful for right now in this moment.

1:02.1

Years of speaking have taught me that the most important work I do on stage is to use some of that time,

1:08.3

not speaking and sharing my story, but empowering the audience to use

1:13.1

their voice and share theirs.

1:15.8

On this morning, hundreds of new friends turned away from me, away from PowerPoint,

1:20.3

away from the screen, away from work, and they turned to the person seated nearest them.

1:25.3

They probably mentioned something to the effect of I love you and

1:28.2

there's nothing you can do about it. Look at me when I'm talking to you. Voices were elevated,

1:32.7

tears fell, smiles returned. And as someone on stage watching over this, it was awesome. But off to the

1:41.1

side of the stage sat one woman alone in the front row.

1:47.2

I came down to this lady, off the stage, walked over, and knelt beside her.

1:52.2

I said to her, you know, I love you and there's nothing you can do about it.

1:56.0

You've heard what I'm grateful for.

1:57.7

Now tell me what you're grateful for today.

2:02.7

She looked away, then she stared it back at me, and there was a momentary pause, and then she said, nothing. I paused. I thought

...

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