Growing Your Business With a Sense of Gratitude-David George Brooke

That Gratitude Guy

[00:00:00] David Brooke: They said, stand guard at the door of your mind. And I love that was such a great line. Like, you decide what you're going to let in your mind, what you're going to open the door and let into and not.

[00:00:11] Welcome to Sales Made Easy, a podcast for business and personal growth. Join Harry Spaight, as he hosts sales experts and business owners who share their journeys of personal growth and business success now, here's your host, Harry.

[00:00:28] Harry: David George Brook, that gratitude guy is joining me on this podcast. We're going to have a conversation focused and centered around the gratitude word. So David has quite a history, former Nordstrom store manager, and he knows a thing or two about customer service. Things about business.

[00:00:51] Harry: He's a well known speaker. He's got a great YouTube following, and I will put all of his links in the show notes. But David, welcome to the Sales Made Easy [00:01:00] podcast. What's the

[00:01:01] David Brooke: good word, sir? Harry, thank you. Thank you so much. Always happy to be here. Thank you so much for inviting me. Happy to spread the word about gratitude.

[00:01:10] David Brooke: And as I'd mentioned offline, It doesn't matter what the subject is. I'm going to tie it into gratitude because being grateful. In fact, one of my favorite sayings is gratitude turns what you have into enough. And I might say that several more times, but it just does help you focus on maybe the 1 of the oldest sayings in the book.

[00:01:28] David Brooke: The glass is half full versus half empty. And it's such a great mindset. I've often quoted in talks, you know, two people go into a hospital with the same disease, the positive attitude lives and negative attitude dies. So it's just, it's a, just a great mindset and I'm always happy to talk about it. Yeah, I love it.

[00:01:45] Harry: You know, I was thinking about gratitude. I wasn't really raised with a gratitude word, more about appreciation. I spent time in the ministry and. Being great, not being grateful so much as being thankful and [00:02:00] appreciative. Gratitude is a relatively new word in my vocabulary over the last I don't know. Half dozen to 10 years or so.

[00:02:10] Harry: When did you start picking up on the word gratitude?

[00:02:13] David Brooke: Well, it's a thanks for that question because it's kind of the origin story. And first of all, I would say, I would add that gratitude, appreciation, thankfulness, they're all kind of synonymous. So they're just different ways of saying the same thing, which is in some ways, counting your blessings and focusing on your blessings in abundance.

[00:02:31] David Brooke: But I had, I'd wanted to be a speaker when I was younger and it took me 45 years to get the courage to. Quit my retail jobs. You mentioned Nordstrom. I also managed stores for Lowe's and I finally quit to become a speaker. But what had happened is I had a number of unfortunate things happen. My parents died separately when I was younger.

[00:02:50] David Brooke: One was suicide and one was cancer. And then later my wife and I had two kids and she died. And there was a lot of things, but I'd always wanted to be a speaker. But I was [00:03:00] talking to a friend who always reminds me, did you say my name and your talk when he asked me when I tell him about this part?

[00:03:07] David Brooke: Because I said, his name is Bob. My friend Bob said, you need to get a gratitude journal. And so I go, yes, I mentioned your name yesterday. And so, but I said, what is that? Well, that's a journal that you write in. I mean, literally, I didn't know. And it's a journal you write in which you're grateful for every single day.

[00:03:23] David Brooke: So I ordered one on Amazon and like a lot of people, I started out kind of slow and I'd write a couple of words, a couple of sentences, and then it kind of caught on. And then I started filling out the entire journal. Which is about in my gratitude journal is about 5 minutes total time and it's kind of got a template and how you fill it out, but I just within a week or so, I just noticed an entire shift and is I'd always wanted to be a speaker.

[00:03:48] David Brooke: I never knew what my topic was going to be. And I thought. Wow, I might be on to something here. This gratitude thinks it really helped me. And one of the most important litmus tests for me is I could tell every time I went [00:04:00] to give a speech, no matter what mood I was in, whenever I walked off the stage or walked away from the podium, I was always in a better mood.

[00:04:07] David Brooke: So I don't know who the talk was better for the grouper for me, because it reminded me of how if you count your blessings and focus on what you're grateful for, how different Your mindset is, and I called an attitude of gratitude or gratitude mindset. And so it just, that became my topic. And then one day I was selling some books and I had another is called the Brooker was a nickname, the Brooker's gratitude journal.

[00:04:29] David Brooke: And a guy came up to me and goes, I've heard of you before. You're that gratitude guy. And I went, Oh, wait a second. I like that. I bet I better write that down. That could be, that could be good. So I ended up getting that as my label. I trademarked it, that gratitude guy. And. Registered it and all that kind of thing, but, but that was really the Genesis and it was just, it's been so helpful ever since because honestly, Harry with as much as I like to joke and kid around, there is not a week that doesn't [00:05:00] go by that.

[00:05:00] David Brooke: I'm told by. Two or three people, videos, emails, text notes, cards in the mail that I changed somebody's life. Wow. And it's just, it's just awe inspiring to me because when you realize you're changing the trajectory of somebody else's life, that's, that's pretty, it's pretty cool. And to know you've had that impact.

[00:05:19] David Brooke: And, and as I said, I mean, I've got almost 2000 videos, as you mentioned on YouTube. And so I do one or two every single day and just the different ways, plus the talks. Plus the email outreach and so forth. So it's really fun to impact people that way.

[00:05:33] Harry: My goodness, 2000 videos. So if you were to do one a day, that's somewhere around five years plus.

[00:05:40] Harry: Yeah. Have you been doing this for that long?

[00:05:43] David Brooke: Okay. It's well, it's no, it's funny because I would have said I've been doing this about 10 years. And this just speaks to how fast time goes by because I recently earlier in 2023 became a YouTube partner, which means you're monetized, which means you make money.

[00:05:58] David Brooke: Off your videos with the ads [00:06:00] and so forth. And so it takes, there's a lot of criteria, so many videos, so many subscribers, so many watch time minutes and all this kind of thing. And so I got a little certificate that said, you're now a partner. And it said, first video, 2007. Oh, my God. That was 16 years ago.

[00:06:16] David Brooke: I didn't realize I've been doing videos. I mean, it wasn't to the degree that I do now, but so it looks a little difference over 16, 17 years and things. You overnight success. You, of course, of course it took me 16 years to become an overnight success. So it worked well, but, but it's fun because it's such a great way to reach people.

[00:06:35] David Brooke: And I know you and I have talked about this before the power of video. And then the fact that the shorter they become to get, I'm doing all these 15 second videos now. Sure. I'm even more popular on YouTube so forth, but it's just the way you can reach people and. Consumable content. So much of audio and video, I think, has taken a lot of the place of the articles and blog posts and things like this, because I don't know if people don't have [00:07:00] the time or patience to read it, but they do.

[00:07:01] David Brooke: They certainly can listen to it or see it on their phone with their AirPods or whatever. Yeah, great stuff.

[00:07:07] Harry: Just thinking about this gratitude. How do you think it helps people who are running a small business to practice the gratitude in their lives?

[00:07:19] David Brooke: Well, I think to me, the small business person. Is 1 of the most remarkable characters of all having been a small business owner myself, and then having worked for a big corporation when everything rides on your shoulders, it can be pretty daunting.

[00:07:33] David Brooke: And I don't think people realize it. And I know that, you know, that statistics will tell you that 90 percent of the people in this country, or some 95, some huge number work for somebody else. So, to me, the actual small business owner is a lot smaller than you think, and is a percentage to the working person.

[00:07:49] David Brooke: Class people of the of the country. And so there's so much pressure. And I think that having done that a number of times in my life and it's sales and marketing and H. R. and [00:08:00] employees and benefits and, and production and, and taxes and, you know, all the things you do as a small business owner. So to me, the thing that's so neat about gratitude is it can be in a gratitude journals.

[00:08:10] David Brooke: I keep coming back to the gratitude journal because you're actually writing it. And even though I mentioned it earlier offline. Here's this example, that gratitude guys, daily gratitude journal. Well, there's a little saying on the second page that says, if you think about it, it's like a dream. If you talk about it, it inspires you, but if you write about it, it empowers you.

[00:08:30] David Brooke: And there's something about this thing called a pen and a piece of paper. I am so grateful to podcast today. December 27th, 23 or whatever that plants it in your brain better. And even the typing on the laptop is fine. It's better than just saying it or thinking it, but writing it down. And then one of the things I've noticed, you can go back and refer to it later, but so for the small business owner, there's so much pressure.

[00:08:56] David Brooke: There's again, all those different forms of, of, [00:09:00] Input that you have to digest and you have to wear all these hats, you know, and you can't just be the production person. You got to be sales and marketing, as I mentioned, and, and you got to be part time HR and know how to handle people and et cetera. And so operations manager.

[00:09:12] David Brooke: So, I see it as so much pressure and therefore. What the gratitude piece does is it brings you back to the basics of focusing on the things that you can control and being happy about the things you can't and not worrying about the things that you can't control. And that's why when I talk about this most memorable events exercise, I mentioned to you offline.

[00:09:33] David Brooke: It's so important to focus on all your blessings and abundance and not worry about what other people are doing or thinking. In fact, as a matter of fact, let me just read something really fast because I really like this. This, whether this is a small business owner or anybody else, I think it applies, but there's a lot of studies and a lot of research around gratitude.

[00:09:54] David Brooke: So it's not woo woo science. It's not something from the, you know, one of these places with a strange name and [00:10:00] strange people with incense coming out of the office or something. But. They said, this is the research in the studies appreciating what we have measurably improves, improves our relationships, our life satisfaction, our health, our sleep, and it improves our physical health, leading to fewer aches and pains, lower blood pressure, and less depression, which is huge considering where depression, anxiety, and suicide are in this day and age after the pandemic.

[00:10:24] David Brooke: Grateful people are more likely to take care of their health, exercise more often, and schedule regular checkups. I thought this was really key. Gratitude reduces toxic emotions like envy, resentment, frustration, anger, and aggression, and enhances positive emotions like empathy, caring, and sympathy. So there's so many things that we can, we can look to it, whether it's the business owner or in their personal or professional life, that just, it just brings you back.

[00:10:51] David Brooke: It's the same thing I mentioned about after a talk that I always feel better after a talk and it's for the group, but it makes me feel good too because I'm reminding myself every [00:11:00] talk of all this benefit of focusing on your blessings and all the things you have in your life. And again, the glass half full versus half empty.

[00:11:07] David Brooke: And, and it's funny too, I, just because the fruit doesn't always fall from the tree. I had a very negative father and I'm very positive and that's my whole message is one of positivity. And I'd say to my dad, good morning. And he'd go, what's good about it. Right. And I just, I never understood that concept or it's, it's a, it's a beautiful day out.

[00:11:25] David Brooke: The sun's out. It's going to rain tomorrow. And I just, I don't, who thinks that way

[00:11:30] Harry: from the Northeast? That sounds like my

[00:11:32] David Brooke: family. I think they knew each other. So, so it can be, as I said, it can cut across virtually every socio economic status, high, low, high level income, middle income, low income. It doesn't matter what it is.

[00:11:48] David Brooke: Just to focus on everything you have can make such a big difference.

[00:11:52] Harry: So true. I mean, the, when you're speaking, it's just all these memories are going through my mind and I'm really trying to be present. [00:12:00] That's another word, right? I'm trying to be present, but you bring, you're stirring up memories. And the funny, just a funny sidebar on the, it's going to rain tomorrow.

[00:12:11] Harry: I come from the Northeast and the U S and people always talked about the weather. It's like the weather is never good. And if it was good for five minutes, it's not going to last. Yeah. And so I actually moved out of the area. And I found that people were much happier outside of New England because they didn't talk about the weather all the time.

[00:12:33] Harry: Oh, interesting. It's amazing how much the weather, the negative, the clouds for two weeks, you know, getting dark at four o'clock in the afternoon in mid December. Exactly. All of this stuff was just a daily conversation. It's just what I grew up around. It's just like God, I got to get out of this place and forget about the weather.

[00:12:55] Harry: So anyway, I can relate to what your dad was saying. But this thing about [00:13:00] gratitude, I think also, I mean, the things that you described, I'm thinking right off the top of my head, you said about this, the emotions. Something about it helps you to have better emotional, whatever, wherewithal, but you think about the animosity that's in the world today, right?

[00:13:18] Harry: And I read something about gratitude is like, you cannot have gratitude and anger together. Maybe you said that, right? Something along

[00:13:29] David Brooke: those lines. I may have, but that's, but that's true. I know that's true. So it's,

[00:13:33] Harry: it's. Like if you're ever feeling like depressed that the world's coming to an end or everyone's a hater that nothing goes right, just reflect and say, man, it's so cool.

[00:13:48] Harry: I've got 10 working fingers.

[00:13:50] David Brooke: Exactly. But it's so true. And it brings you back to the basics. And I don't know who said that, but that's, I've heard that, which you just said earlier, it kind of reminds me of like, you can't yell at somebody and [00:14:00] be smiling. It doesn't work very well. I can't stand you. You're such a,

[00:14:06] Harry: I'm

[00:14:06] David Brooke: serious.

[00:14:08] David Brooke: It doesn't seem to work, but, but I think that so many times it's what you just said. I've got 10 fingers is such a perfect example of bringing it back to the basics. And I mentioned already the hot shower and the roof over our head and the warm bed, sleeping food in the refrigerator, all those things.

[00:14:24] David Brooke: But I mean, think about just, I have a car, like most people have a car and I can just drive wherever I want, whenever I want, go wherever I wanted, whatever I could literally get in my car and drive and see Harry. On the east coast from the west coast to be a long drive, but I could get there and and and figure out how we're let's go have some coffee.

[00:14:40] David Brooke: Now we're here in person. You know, those are all freedoms. And I think that's 1 of the biggest things and I don't want to necessarily touch on a negative, but all you have to do is watch the 1st, 1st, 5 minutes of the news. And it's Israel, Hamas, and it's Ukraine and Russia and stuff. And if you can keep a smile on your face, it's very difficult when you [00:15:00] think what these people are being put through, have no say in this whole thing.

[00:15:03] David Brooke: And here we're concerned because our steak wasn't quite medium rare enough, you know? And so, yeah, that's, you overcooked a little bit. Can you take it back to the kitchen? Right,

[00:15:12] Harry: right. Yeah. Let me yell that to server first off.

[00:15:14] David Brooke: Exactly. Tell them what an idiot they are. And I think it's so important. And, you know, it kind of reminds me of something else, too, that came up about again, the gratitude.

[00:15:24] David Brooke: I call this sort of the silver linings of life. And I think about here's because you're on the East Coast, I'm on the West Coast. So we're three hour time difference and how many probably 3000 miles apart. And yet it feels like you're right in my dining room at my dining room table. I've got my latte and my laptop and it feels like because of zoom, but look what zoom has done for us has put us all in contact with this.

[00:15:45] David Brooke: I would go up to the grocery store or Costco or one of those things and get my food. It's three or four hours and crashing carts and waiting in line and all this kind of stuff. Or I have a little knock on the door like this once a week. Here's Amazon [00:16:00] Fresh. There's the bags. They're right by the door.

[00:16:03] David Brooke: They get everything I want. It's I don't even have to leave the condo. No car, no insurance, no gas, you know, whatever. And even with the technology, again, back to zoom, think about the time savings of where I would drive an hour to see my friend, my videographer, who'd videotapes my talks hour coffee and an hour back.

[00:16:23] David Brooke: Now we have an hour talk and I've saved two hours of driving to and from. Right. And traffic and gas and nightmares. So, but, but that's where I think that. Kind of back to the positive negative and the positive lives and the negative dies in the hospital and even like my dad is I've gotten older. I have just really become much more empathetic.

[00:16:42] David Brooke: I guess if I want to say that because I feel sorry for people that have that attitude because life is very challenging. We're all born. We all die at some point. And so that's that's a not the best ending for everybody, but that's how it works. So, but you get to choose whether you get to enjoy it or not.

[00:16:58] David Brooke: Right. Yeah. And this helps you [00:17:00] enjoy it.

[00:17:00] Harry: Yes. I think it's good to know. And then you can kind of live your life to the full and, you know, try to, you know, see the value in every day because they don't last forever. Right. But the Yeah, you're cracking me up on this stuff, by the way, you're taking me way off where I was thinking I was going to go in this conversation, but this this idea of like, there's so much negativity in the world, if we stop and think about all of the good that's going on in the world.

[00:17:33] Harry: And the data actually shows that there have been studies that show this, how much safer the world is. There's a lot of lunacy, but it's always explodes, six o'clock news or whatever the news station is that we're watching on the internet. But if you think of like my grandmother was born, in 1896.

[00:17:58] Harry: Wow. Okay.[00:18:00] So she lived through world. I mean, they live with places without running water. First of all, right. Okay. Our houses and wells that you had to pump to get water. So my mother was born in 1918, the tail end of world war one. So her mom watched world war one. Which was the Great War, went through the Spanish flu, 20 million people or so died, went through the Great Depression, then this other little war, World War II, where like 50 million people died, then the Korean War, Vietnam, atomic weapons, nuclear weapons, I mean, just the world changed so much in the last century.

[00:18:42] Harry: Yeah, sure. It was pollution. We talked about, you know, global warming, global cooling, everything. Right. And if people probably my grandmother's age said, you know, what the world is a dangerous place of world war one, I'm not going to have kids. Yeah. She had 12. And from that [00:19:00] 12, another 40 people or so were born.

[00:19:03] Harry: And from that number, another, whatever, 80 to a hundred people were born. And it's just. If you think about what's bad in the world, you can focus on it, but you can just look at what's good in the world, like what you just did just without even thinking, then you can say, man, this is really pretty good. Why not appreciate it?

[00:19:25] Harry: And I know I'm way off on this tangent, but you brought me here.

[00:19:30] David Brooke: Well, you know, you remind me of something too. I forget the speaker who it was, but they said, stand guard at the door of your mind. And I love that was such a great line. Like, you decide what you're going to let in your mind, what you're going to open the door and let into and not.

[00:19:45] David Brooke: And I, I heard something on the news that I've heard this statement a million times. So they just hit me the other day. It was like, I'm watching the local news. Well, there was a car accident so and so and the two cars hit and the passenger was hurt. Stay tuned. We'll give you further details as they [00:20:00] become available.

[00:20:00] David Brooke: And I said to myself out loud, sitting here by myself, why do I need to know further details about this? This doesn't help me. It doesn't involve me. Why do I? Oh, now he's been transported to the hospital. It's got, I mean, I just, and I just, it's so silly because remember the old line, if it bleeds, it leads.

[00:20:17] David Brooke: And so that's the way news is. And I think for the people that advocate a news diet. And then that's what I talk about filling your brain with gratitude and all the things you're grateful for. It doesn't mean you ignore what's around you because one of the best things you can do to help yourself is to help other people and if you're having a tough time and it's in the Christmas as we're in the midst of is one of the biggest depression, anxiety, Suicide types of the time of the year, and yet it's go to the food bank, go to the shelter, go to the hospital, go to the church, help out with the food drive, what are the toy drive, whatever it might be, and you'll feel better.

[00:20:52] David Brooke: So it doesn't mean we ignore people that are around us, but so much of it is just if you just stop for a second and count your [00:21:00] blessings, and that's why I like that 100 most memorable events of your life because it's just such an important exercise to think about everything you have. And I mentioned it earlier, but the big reason.

[00:21:10] David Brooke: Why I started that exercise is because I was looking at a world map and I was looking at all the places I hadn't been. I haven't been to Greece. My son's been there twice. I haven't been to France. My other son's been there twice, you know, and then I started thinking, buddy, you're, you're looking at the wrong thing.

[00:21:24] David Brooke: Why don't you focus on everything you've done? Right? And then I started going through learning how to fly and I had my own airplane and I was a national champion, hydroplane driver, skydive, scuba diver, hot air balloons, gliders, hang gliders, you know, and I just go in. Yeah. I've done so many things. And so when you, but once again, it's back to the glass half full versus half empty.

[00:21:43] David Brooke: And it's just a choice. And for the people, honestly, Harry, for the people that can't make that choice, anybody who starts a sentence with, you don't understand, forget it. Don't even tell them to finish the sentence, you know, because you know, an excuse is coming, but it's so enjoyable to me to really focus on those things.

[00:21:59] David Brooke: And it really puts a [00:22:00] smile on your face when you think about everything you've done. Yeah,

[00:22:02] Harry: 100%. In business, I'm going to just transition slightly here. We're talking about this and I can think of like over the years in sales, I would, there's this expression, fake it till you make it. Right. There's a much better way of doing this, which is have gratitude, be in gratitude.

[00:22:26] Harry: And that way you don't have to fake it. Right. Cause you're already happy. You're already showing appreciation, but like in, in the selling side of the world, People who are needy, people who feel like they don't have enough will show that they're really needy in selling. My suggestion is get into this understanding of gratitude And you won't come across as needy.

[00:22:53] Harry: It's sort of like this sort of having the gratitude and anger can't do both at the same time. If you're have [00:23:00] gratitude and you're grateful for everything you have in life. How can you be needy? Exactly. Right. So I think that's a great tool. If you're ever in a point where you're starting to feel really stressed about your business, is this ever going to work out?

[00:23:14] Harry: Or this is a slow spot or it's a slump, whatever, probably going to survive. I mean, if, if you've made it this long and if you feel like you're going to fail, then so what? It's not the world. You're not going to live in a box underneath the overpass,

[00:23:31] David Brooke: right? Just, and I, and I think that that ties into another thing.

[00:23:34] David Brooke: Just hearing you say that made me think of gratitude does a great job with your self esteem because to me, one of the things that I've almost become OCD about is how much people talk about themselves and don't hear anything you say. And they're, they're, you're talking and they go like this, okay, what I wanted to tell you is social.

[00:23:55] David Brooke: And then wait, stop, stop, stop. What did I just say? And then sorry, Harry, I wasn't listening [00:24:00] to my next thought. And so, but when you're grateful and I had an experience recently, about a month ago where I met a bunch of people that were extremely we. Wealthy, extremely successful, far beyond what I had thought. And in, in thinking about the couple of days I spent with him and so forth, you know, what brought me back to reality was my gratitude journal again, because what am I focusing on again?

[00:24:25] David Brooke: All my blessings and abundance and all the things that I have. And, and to your point, I love your point about, I have 10 fingers. I mean, that sounds silly, but it's so true. What about 10 fingers, 10 toes? What about that? I have two kids and some people have no kids and that, you know, at my age, I know I should knock on wood, but I'm healthy and health.

[00:24:42] David Brooke: There's nothing more important than health. And when I, when I coach people on writing in the gratitude journal, I kind of tell them, I want you to kind of do it on your own, but I will give you a little primer here, a primer primer. And that is. Probably your health should be number one your children, your family, your spouse, [00:25:00] your friends, that should be number two, your relationships.

[00:25:02] David Brooke: And then maybe you can get into the fact that you have a nice house and a job and, you know, whatever you have, but it's mostly health, family and friends because without health, you have nothing without family. It's pretty tough to do because we're a people that depends on community and connection and so on.

[00:25:17] David Brooke: So it's just. It's interesting because it just is this constant reminder and even as that gratitude guy, there are days that I rely on that gratitude journal more than other days. For some reason, I just woke up and I know a little bit on the transparent side here, but I know I'm going to have a little bit of a hangover literally, figuratively, I should say in about 2 or 3 days when my son goes back to San Diego.

[00:25:41] David Brooke: Because I miss him and I'm so close to him. I'm close to both my boys, but he's 1300 miles away. And so thank God we have FaceTime and zoom, but I'm just so spoiled for this 10 day stretch where he's here. And now his fiance's here with him and so forth. And so you just, you, it gives you that sort of, like, I always use this example [00:26:00] of, I think of a gratitude journal.

[00:26:01] David Brooke: Like if somebody punches you in the stomach, if they catch you unawares, they can knock your wind out of you. But if I tell you I'm going to do it, you could tighten up your stomach muscles. Not have it knock the wind out of you. And that's what a gratitude journal can do can really help with that. So just to prepare you for that.

[00:26:15] David Brooke: Yeah. Great

[00:26:15] Harry: points. Do you ever think of moving closer to your kids?

[00:26:18] David Brooke: Actually the thing that's funny is that's comes up quite a bit, especially the work that I'm doing now. And not to mention San Diego has this yellow thing in the sky, quite a bit more than Seattle. And so they want me to, but then my older son is here with my two grandchildren up here.

[00:26:33] David Brooke: So we're thinking about something you know, too much information, I suppose, but we're thinking about buying a condo down in San Diego. So I can kind of be in both places, which would be, you know, kind of the version, I guess, of snowbirds or something like that, which would be kind of cool.

[00:26:48] Harry: That would be.

[00:26:49] Harry: I mean, come on now. We only live once in this life anyway, right? So no regrets.

[00:26:54] David Brooke: No regrets. That's true. That's true.

[00:26:57] Harry: This is this is really, really good. I really [00:27:00] love this conversation. What do you suggest for people going into? The 2024, maybe they haven't really reflected on gratitude in their life. What kind of suggestion do you have for them, David?

[00:27:14] David Brooke: Well, the, the easy answer to me is a gratitude journal. And as I've showed you a couple of times, I've got mine, that gratitude guys, daily gratitude journaling, and get it on Amazon. But, but sometimes I tell people, well, hold on, let's not try to take, you know, on the big gratitude journal. It's five minutes every day, but.

[00:27:31] David Brooke: As we start the new year, which we're just a handful of days away from, try an exercise for a week and see if it makes a difference. And the first exercise is just write down one thing you're grateful for every day, just every day. Write down for seven days, 10 days, whatever. And then if you do that and get consistent with it, just like brushing your teeth.

[00:27:49] David Brooke: And then the next day, the next week, try writing down a sentence. And see how that impacts you and then try that for a week and then if you start to see an impact in your attitude. 'cause nobody [00:28:00] knows ourselves better than we do. We know our attitudes and why are, why we're in a good mood some days. And a bad mood some days is, is hard to figure out, but you can trace it back to certain things that happen that affect your mood and then work your way up to a gratitude journal.

[00:28:14] David Brooke: And I've timed this. A million times a million. That's a bit extensive. A lot of time. And but here's here's a standard journal entry where there's the template. They have your special occasion or events or you don't need a diary. And then you have 2 or 3 things you're grateful for. There's the highlight of your day down here.

[00:28:34] David Brooke: There's a gratitude quote. And then there's gratitude for tomorrow here takes five minutes, maybe six, and it'll be the most valuable. I'm always in a better mood after I write in that gratitude journal. So I would say the best thought I would have for 2024 is try that because there again, I said it before, but I'm gonna repeat myself.

[00:28:54] David Brooke: There's something about this instrument called. And [00:29:00] if I just say, thanks, Harry, you know, I appreciate being on podcast. That's fine. But when I write in, in the gratitude journal, tomorrow is the highlight of my day, which will be from today. It's more meaningful. So I just, I just urge people to try it.

[00:29:15] David Brooke: And, you know, 1 of the things that I say is that on my website, it says you and only you choose your attitude. And then the next line says you can choose an attitude of gratitude today. And then the third line says it'll make you happier, healthier and lighter. And so that's what it'll do for you. And so when anybody tells me, that's why when I say it sarcastically, but you don't understand, or here's the reason I can't do that.

[00:29:40] David Brooke: I just. Reject that because we all have free will, we all do what we want. And here's something that's going to help you. You know, and I always, I'm fond of saying I'm the coach. I know you have to do the pushups. I'm telling you to do the pushups, but you have to do them. But in my favorite line is I'll be your training wheels, but I'm not going to peddle your bike.

[00:29:57] David Brooke: You know, so

[00:29:58] Harry: well, the world needs more [00:30:00] of your training wheels. So it's been a blast. Having you and one last thought, where is the best place for people to find more of David George Brook? That Gratitude

[00:30:09] David Brooke: Guide. Thank you, Harry Spate. The easiest way is thatgratitudeguide. com. All one, all three words together, thatgratitudeguide.

[00:30:18] David Brooke: com. If you're interested, excuse me, my YouTube channel. I have three or 4, 000 subscribers, and as I say, almost 2, 000 videos. You just go to YouTube and go to David George Brooke, and you can subscribe, and there's a new video every single day. And those are the easiest ways to get me. And then there's a number of other things on my website too about coaching and other books that you can buy as well.

[00:30:41] David Brooke: But that's the easiest place to go. That gratitude guy. com. Awesome.

[00:30:44] Harry: Thanks again,

[00:30:45] David Brooke: David. It's been a blast. Sounds good. Thank you so much, Harry, for having me.

[00:30:49] Thank you for listening to Sales Made Easy. If you found value in our conversations, please [00:31:00] subscribe and leave a review. Our goal is to provide practical strategies for growing your business while staying true to your values. Remember, six. Success in sales is about serving your clients. Serve first and the selling will follow.

[00:31:15] We'll be back soon with more insights and inspiration. Until then, keep serving and providing value to others. Good things will happen.