My guest today is David George Brook. David – That Gratitude Guy, has been a speaker, coach, and best-selling author for over 25 years. He is a former Nordstrom store manager and managed in the corporate world for over 30 years. His published works include “That Gratitude Guy’s Daily Gratitude Journal”, “Monday Morning Minutes: 100 Messages of Gratitude”, “Six-Word Lessons to Embrace Gratitude” and a number of other books on gratitude. He was recently featured in Forbes and Costco Connection magazines, and travels nationally and internationally to deliver this important message.
“My Story: How I Became “That Gratitude Guy”
My entire life has been one of overcoming tragedies and traumas. What had been a relatively idyllic childhood, started to unravel at the age of 16 when my parents got divorced and I was forced to testify against my father. My mother had struggled with depression and was diagnosed as having a manic-depressive disorder.
My father took his life, my mother died of cancer, and I lost many other family members and friends. I unfortunately inherited some of my mother’s manic-depressive disorder and have continually struggled to manage my state.
On September 29, 1998, my wife Dana, died of a prescription pill overdose at the age of 38 years old. I found her on the floor early that morning. My son Connor was four and my older son Kyle was 14. I had watched Dana struggle over the past four years with three trips to rehab, countless relapses, and a trip to jail for prescription fraud. Prior to her death, she drained our entire savings account to pay for her addiction. Later that day, I came to understand very clearly why people take their life. I decided right then, I never would. Connor and Kyle had already lost one parent. I needed to raise them.
In the aftermath of her death, I was forced to close my business and we lost our home to foreclosure. I had no money and was close to a bankruptcy. Most days I could only manage to stare at the ceiling. That lasted for the better part of 2 years. My support group, that I attended weekly, helped a great deal. But I still needed something to help me. After jumping from one job to another, I slowly started to rebuild my life. I took additional jobs and spent very little. Connor and I lived in a small apartment and shared the one bedroom.
So, I decided in December 2013, to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a motivational speaker, teacher, and coach. I discovered the amazing power of gratitude. I proceeded to find out everything about this powerful mindset, and how it could transform your life. I have never looked back and feel so blessed to hear every week how much I have changed someone’s life. Always follow your passion, and it will most likely become your purpose in life.”
Website: https://thatgratitudeguy.com
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