Stuff I Learned Yesterday
About Stuff I Learned Yesterday
Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a podcast that aims to encourage, inspire, challenge, motivate, and improve the lives of those who listen to it. Stuff I Learned Yesterday is released each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Each episode ranges from 5-15 minutes long and contain short stories based on real events and lessons learned by the hosts. Friday episodes are called the Friday Forum and are filled with inspirational and motivational thoughts submitted by Stuff I Learned Yesterday listeners. Submit your story for a Friday Forum episode by calling 304-837-2278, visiting our feedback page, or click on the Send a Voice Message button on the left hand side of this page.
SILY Episode 562 – Backside of a Sunrise
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When I was in high school I would occasionally go camping with my friends Van and Jason. It was always a lot of fun just hanging out with my friends and goofing off. We’d find a good spot on one of the hundreds of acres owned by Van’s parents, and make camp for the night. We’d build a campfire, stretch out our sleeping bags, and eventually we’d go to sleep right there under the stars. No RV. Not even a tent. Read More…
SILY Episode 561 – Final Forum
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Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Angela, Therissa, Andrew, Jess, and No One Special. Read More…
SILY Episode 560 – Choosing Joy
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My last story here on Stuff I Learned Yesterday occurred nearly 13 years ago. I’ve told this story a couple times over the last couple weeks, drawing out different applications each time I tell it. In hindsight, some experiences become more meaningful the older I get. At the time they’re awkward and hard, but time eases the pain of their acute sting and I draw more insight about who I was then because of who I am now.
I want to set the stage for you a little bit before I tell you the story. Read more…
SILY Episode 559 – Transition Well
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Today I talk about the next steps. You see sometimes taking sabbaticals or even vacations are not enough. Sometimes we have give things up or step back. But there are right ways and wrong ways to transition.
I know things happen for a reason. A lot of these transitions started earlier in the year. So when I sat down in August to write a SILY episode, transitioning well was fresh on my mind. I had no clue that the very podcast I was writing for would be transitioning away. But I’m thankful for the lessons in transitioning well. Read more…
SILY Episode 558 – Before We Say Goodbye
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Here we are. We’ve arrived at what will be the final week, the final 5 episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Before I say goodbye on Friday, I want to spend some time today and reflect back on the stories that comprise this podcast. In taking a look at the stories of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, it’s clear that the stories are nothing without the people who willingly shared them. So I want to take a moment and thank every single person who shared a piece of their story with the Stuff I Learned Yesterday audience. Read More…
SILY Episode 557 – Friday Forum
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Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Jason. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More…
SILY Episode 556- The Gift of Giving
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When I was five years old, I asked Santa for a car. It’s all I wanted. A convertible to be exact. Under my Christmas tree Christmas morning was a cream-colored Rolls Royce convertible with tan interior. It was the coolest Power Wheels I’d ever seen. Santa came through! That was the last Christmas gift I ever got from Santa. After that, all my Christmas gifts came from my family, and I knew about nearly every one of them in advance because I went to the store to pick them out. I don’t actually remember my mom breaking the news to me that Santa wasn’t a real person. I’m pretty sure i just figured it out on my own—seeing as how all the gifts from “Santa” were gifts I’d just seen my mom buy at the toy store. I actually remember believing in the tooth fairy until I was about 8, but Santa. No go on the jolly man in the red suit. My mom is a people pleaser, and she loves giving gifts. She hates giving the wrong gifts, so she always wants to know exactly what I ( and the rest of the family) wants so she can get the right thing. This isn’t bad, but as a child, it kind of killed Christmas for me. I even wrapped my own presents once Mom realized I was a great gift wrapper. Read More…
SILY Episode 555 – SILY Host Roundtable
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For me, SILY has given me the opportunity to look at life differently. Especially now that I’m a co-host I look and analyze the experiences of my life for teachable moments. I don’t think I did that very well before. It has been great sharing SILY with my family and friends and I know for certain that there are new folks in the facebook group that are there because I introduced the podcast to them. So, I want to say thank you to Darrell for giving me the opportunity to share in this amazing community. I hope you look back on this labor of love as just that, because it has brought so much to so many.Read More…
SILY Episode 554 – Stand Up For Your Beliefs
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“We don’t need to pay those invoices. We bought that inventory as a favor to your Chief Financial Officer to help him make his year end numbers, and we’re going to send it back.”
What did he just say?
I had been employed by my publically traded company for 8 months, and was already troubled by some of the business and financial practices I had seen. I was visiting one of our out-of-state customers and we were reviewing over $1 million dollars of old invoices that they had not paid. I had also been asked to generally review their business practices, as my company was considering acquiring this customer. Read more…
SILY Episode 553- Christmas Memories
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The year was 1986. All I wanted for Christmas was a Hot Wheels toy called Dynamite Crossing. I told every member of my family that Dynamite Crossing was what I wanted and I probably told them each 10 times or more. It looked like one of the coolest toys I’d ever seen and I couldn’t imagine life being any better than if I had one to play with. When our family gathered for Christmas that year, my uncle Johnny showed up with a large, flat box wrapped in white paper. Fortunately for me, I could see through the paper and read that box said Dynamite Crossing on it. I played it cool as if I didn’t notice, and let out my excitement once the package was officially opened. It was a great Christmas. Read More…