1 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: tip is to plant an invitation for an engaging activity. 4 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: This tip comes from author and gatherings expert Pria Parker. 5 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: In a recent piece, she described how everyone enjoys time 6 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: at her friend Heidie's house. As Parker put it, Heidie 7 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: leaves tiny, non verbal invitations all over her house for 8 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: her guests to discover. There might be a backgamon board 9 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: out of the case placed on a coffee table, a 10 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: pile of books to flip through stacked in a window nook, 11 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 1: a kid sized table with a cup of markers and 12 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: two pieces of white paper left out, a big jump 13 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: rope in the backyard. Parker continues, each is a pro 14 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: social nudge to connect and engage, often in smaller pairs, 15 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: in ways that tend to lead people through side doors 16 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: into unexpected conversations. Doesn't that sound nice? There is delight 17 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: in spotting a possible activity, like an easter egg, waiting 18 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: for you to find it. As Parker notes, invitations like 19 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: these may be especially appreciated by introverts, who may prefer 20 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: what she calls small play over small talk. Planting invitations 21 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: is great for parties, but there are lots of other 22 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: times when an activity invitation could be welcome too. Lately, 23 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,839 Speaker 1: I have been thinking a lot about evenings, my own 24 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: and other peoples. This time can feel lost or like 25 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: a slog, but with a little intentionality, you can transform 26 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: the time to become golden hours. Planting invitations may be 27 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: one gentle way to make evenings more rewarding. If you 28 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: are trying to nudge yourself or your household toward more 29 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: meaningful evenings, consider planting supplies for evening activities. You could 30 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: buy a deck of cards like those from table Topics, 31 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: with conversation starters like what movie made you laugh until 32 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: you cried? Or what's the nicest thing anyone ever said 33 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: to you? Or you could go to the nonprofit Story 34 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: Corps website search great questions and print out a list. 35 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: These might take your dinner conversations up a notch. You 36 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: won't be surprised to hear that. I also recommend puzzles 37 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: and legos as invitations for evening activities. Crans, pencils or 38 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: markers in drawing paper could be great too, so could Plato. 39 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: Just set the items on the table or in a 40 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 1: high traffic area and they will pull people in. Or 41 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: maybe you leave a book of jokes for kids on 42 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: the coffee table. Even for adult jokes pitched as being 43 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: for kids can be great because they tend to be 44 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: sunnier than humor pitched for adults. Reading jokes out loud 45 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: can add levity to the evening. You could leave out 46 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: a photo album and inevitably someone will start flipping through 47 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: the pages and recalling memories that you hadn't thought about 48 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: for years. If your family is musical, set out a 49 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: guitar or a ukulele, or put sheet music on the 50 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 1: piano for songs people might enjoy singing along to, like 51 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: show tunes, Disney songs, or around the holidays Christmas carols. 52 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: Or maybe you will find yourself walking through the house 53 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: tidying and feel the pull to sit down at the 54 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: piano and play for a while. That is a much 55 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: more satisfying way to spend your golden hours than housework. 56 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: If you want your evenings to be more meaningful, you 57 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: don't have to directly ask or encourage your partner, kids, 58 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: or roommates to do something besides screens. You don't have 59 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: to put better evenings on the list. As one more 60 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: self improvement goal you want to pursue, you can simply 61 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: plant an invitation with an object you leave out and 62 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: let the activity unfold. In the meantime, this is Laura. 63 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 64 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've 65 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 1: got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at 66 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a 67 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit 68 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,599 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 69 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.