In the middle of a busy week, my body decided I needed to rest. I don't like to stop, I want to stay active and productive, but I couldn't argue with the cold that kindly greeted me early Thursday morning. For four days, I slept, read books, and watched movies. I couldn't believe all the fascinating things I started thinking about: the role of influences in creativity, why being a giver matters, love, boldness, risk, relentless optimism, The Beach Boys, and of course, Ted Lasso. May you find encouragement and inspiration in today's monologue.