WEBVTT - Recast an unpleasant task

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of my Heart Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's tip is to recast an unpleasant task. If you

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<v Speaker 1>can figure out something good that you are getting out

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<v Speaker 1>of something you have to do, you will feel far

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<v Speaker 1>better about it and maybe won't even find it so

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<v Speaker 1>unpleasant after all. So I recently went through the annual

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<v Speaker 1>ritual of sending all my text information to my accountant.

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<v Speaker 1>While the usual deadline is spring, we always have some

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<v Speaker 1>forms that come late, so we file an extension to

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<v Speaker 1>the fall. Since I am recording this in late, that

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<v Speaker 1>means I was dealing with my finances from I log

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<v Speaker 1>all my income as it comes in, but I use

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<v Speaker 1>a credit card for all my business expenses. Then when

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<v Speaker 1>it's time to do my taxes, I look at the

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<v Speaker 1>statements to add up allowed deductions. I am sure there

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<v Speaker 1>is a more efficient system, but for my one person business,

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<v Speaker 1>this has mostly worked. That said, I never enjoy going

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<v Speaker 1>through all my credit card receipts from twenty two to

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<v Speaker 1>ten months prior. I put this off every year, and

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<v Speaker 1>I often have to promise myself vast rewards for doing it.

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<v Speaker 1>But then when I was procrastinating and bemoaning this issue,

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<v Speaker 1>I had a revelation. I actually had a choice in

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<v Speaker 1>the matter. I could simply report my income. I didn't

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<v Speaker 1>have to add up my expenses. I just wouldn't be

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<v Speaker 1>able to detect them. Then I could theoretically do my

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<v Speaker 1>taxes in five seconds. Of course, that would be stu

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<v Speaker 1>pid because I would miss out on many deductions and

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<v Speaker 1>thus pay far more in taxes than I needed to.

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<v Speaker 1>But this mindset shift changed everything. When I recast the

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<v Speaker 1>task of adding up my expenses as doing an optional

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<v Speaker 1>activity that was earning me a very high per hour rate,

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<v Speaker 1>I felt different about the whole thing. I was kind

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<v Speaker 1>of excited. This was good money. The task was the same,

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<v Speaker 1>but doing it felt far more rewarding. In any case,

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<v Speaker 1>if you have some sort of unpleasant task you are facing,

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<v Speaker 1>see if you can recast it as something more pleasant.

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<v Speaker 1>If you are stuck on a call you do not

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<v Speaker 1>wish to be stuck on, maybe you can go for

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<v Speaker 1>a walk outside while you're listening. If you are waiting somewhere,

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<v Speaker 1>make sure you have a good book, hopefully one that's

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<v Speaker 1>good enough that you don't mind the delay. Save a

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<v Speaker 1>favorite podcast or audiobook for a long drive. Now. Of course,

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<v Speaker 1>sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to find

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<v Speaker 1>the recasting angle. Maybe a certain aunt expects everyone's attendance

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<v Speaker 1>at a holiday dinner where the food is let's just say, challenging.

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<v Speaker 1>Rather than focus on the unpleasant food, or even more

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<v Speaker 1>challenge in getting your kids not to complain about the

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<v Speaker 1>unpleasant food, you can recast this task as a chance

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<v Speaker 1>to ask three older relatives about their favorite stories from childhood.

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<v Speaker 1>The event is a success when you get those stories.

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<v Speaker 1>You can always take your part of the clan out

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<v Speaker 1>for pizza afterwards or even before. While unpleasant tasks are

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<v Speaker 1>part of life, suffering is optional. So think about how

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<v Speaker 1>you can recast an unpleasant task to be less unpleasant.

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<v Speaker 1>You will probably find yourself feeling a lot happier about

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<v Speaker 1>life in general. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks

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<v Speaker 1>for listening, and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>I'd love to hear from you. You can send me

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<v Speaker 1>your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with

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<v Speaker 1>me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at before Breakfast pod

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<v Speaker 1>that's b E the number four then Breakfast p o D.

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<v Speaker 1>You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast

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<v Speaker 1>podcast at i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast

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<v Speaker 1>is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much,

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<v Speaker 1>I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is

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<v Speaker 1>a production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from

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<v Speaker 1>I heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

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<v Speaker 1>or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.