Welcome to The Daily Quote—a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I’m your host, Andrew McGivern, for January 8th.

Did you know today is National JoyGerm Day? It’s a day dedicated to spreading joy and positivity like a contagious, feel-good epidemic.

The best part? No hand sanitizer needed. JoyGerms thrive on smiles, laughter, and the little acts of kindness that make life brighter.

Unlike actual germs, JoyGerms are something you want to catch—and spread. Trust me, these won’t make you sick; they’ll just make you smile.

To celebrate, I’ve chosen a quote from Mother Teresa:

who once said...

It’s a simple idea but a challenging one, isn’t it? Think about how often we rush through our days, caught up in our own to-do lists or the latest inconvenience, barely noticing the people we interact with. Mother Teresa’s words remind us that every encounter, no matter how brief, is an opportunity to leave someone a little better than we found them.

It doesn’t take grand gestures. A genuine smile, a kind word, or even holding the door for someone can change the course of their day. And here’s the secret: when you do these small acts of kindness, you often feel the joy, too. It’s like a buy-one-get-one-free deal for the soul.

On National JoyGerm Day, let’s make it a mission to sprinkle joy like confetti. Compliment a stranger’s outfit, share a funny story, or simply listen without distractions when someone needs to talk.

Mother Teresa’s quote isn’t just about creating happiness; it’s about creating connections. In a world that sometimes feels divisive, joy has the power to bring us back together. So, let’s take this day as a challenge: wherever you go today, leave a trail of happiness in your wake. Be the kind of person people remember not because you demanded attention, but because you gave it.

That’s it for today’s episode of The Daily Quote. I'm Andrew McGivern, signing off for today. Thank you for spending a few moments of your day with me. Go out there and let those JoyGerms loose like balloons at a party—colorful, uplifting, and impossible to ignore. I'll be back tomorrow... same pod time, same pod station, for another Daily Quote.

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Welcome to The Daily Quote—a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, for January 7th.

Did you know that today is I Am a Mentor Day? It’s a day to celebrate the role mentors play in shaping lives. Whether it’s guiding someone in their career, offering life advice, or simply being a role model, mentoring is all about making a positive impact.

And don’t think you’re off the hook if you haven’t officially been named a mentor. Everyone has something to offer—wisdom, perspective, or just a listening ear. You’re probably mentoring someone already, even if you don’t realize it.

That brings me to today’s quote, from Oprah Winfrey:

Isn’t that powerful? A great mentor doesn’t just teach skills or share knowledge—they help you believe in your potential.

And if you believe you can do it then you are half way there.

This reminds me of Frank Shamrock’s idea of the "Plus, Minus, Equals" system. Shamrock, a legendary mixed martial artist, taught that to grow in any area of life, you need three types of people:

A plus: someone better than you to learn from (your mentor).

A minus: someone who’s still learning from you (your mentee).

An equal: someone on your level to push you and keep you accountable.

It’s a great way to think about life. You’re never done learning, teaching, or competing. The magic of mentoring is that it’s a two-way street. While you’re helping someone see the hope inside themselves, you’re learning how to see it more clearly in yourself too.

So, today, think about who your “plus, minus, and equals” are. If you don’t have all three, consider reaching out to someone you can guide—or someone who can guide you. And remember Oprah’s words: mentoring is about unlocking hope, for yourself and others.

So, speaking of hope... I was hoping to be crowned King again yesterday for the Epiphany Galette des Rois (King's Cake). If you listened to yesterdays episode you know that I had the fève in my slice so I was the king and I picked my daughter to be Queen. Well... I didn't get the fève this time, my other daughter Maeva got it and she chose - her brother to join her on the thrown for the day.

Oh well... there is always next year!

I'm Andrew McGivern, signing off for today but I'll be back tomorrow, same pod time, same pod station for another Daily Quote.

The Daily Quote podcast page

The Great News Podcast page

The Great News Letter

Voicemail feedback line – 1-877-636-1474

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Welcome to The Daily Quote—a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I’m your host, Andrew McGivern, for January 6th.

Let’s talk about Mondays. Specifically, today’s holiday: Thank God It’s Monday Day. Yes, today is about turning the tide on Mondays, a day that’s earned a reputation as the worst of the week. But before we dig into how to reverse that narrative, let me hit you with some sobering stats.

Research shows that:

Heart attacks are 20% more likely to occur on Mondays than any other day.

Car accidents peak on Monday mornings due to stress and distracted driving.

Workplace productivity? It’s at its lowest of the week.

Ouch. Mondays, it seems, are in desperate need of a rebrand. That’s why today’s quote comes from Maya Angelou:

Think about that for a second. You might not be able to erase Mondays from existence—believe me, I’ve given it some thought and that would just make Tuesday the bad guy— so if you can't change Monday then you can change how you approach them.

Why do Mondays hit us so hard? It’s not just the early alarm or the looming to-do list. It’s our mindset. We’ve trained ourselves to dread Mondays before they even arrive. But Maya Angelou’s wisdom offers a way out: if the day itself won’t change, then it’s on us to change how we see it.

And that’s exactly what Thank God It’s Monday Day is all about—flipping the narrative. Instead of stress and dread, what if you approached Monday as a day to recalibrate, refocus, and restart?

Now, I get it—you’re not going to love Mondays overnight. But maybe today, you can take one small step:

Plan a lunch break you actually look forward to.

Set one goal for the week that excites you.

Or simply remind yourself that every Monday survived brings you closer to Friday.

Or as Seth Godin says... maybe pick a career that you look forward to doing. Then no escape will be necessary.

And if that still feels like too much effort, you can always celebrate the little things, like coffee. Statistically speaking, Monday is the busiest day for coffee shops. Coincidence? I think not. Coffee: 1. Monday: 0.

Let’s make a pact to reverse those grim Monday stats. Less stress, fewer accidents, and a healthier start to the week—because Maya Angelou was right. Changing your attitude isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.

Who needs easy anyway... but everyone wants worth it.

Thank you for joining me today on The Daily Quote. Today do your part make Monday a great day. It starts with all of us individually. I'm Andrew McGivern, signing off for today... but I'll be back tomorrow, same pod time, same pod station for another Daily Quote.