1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: tip is that when you find yourself complaining, either on 4 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: your own or in a group, get in the habit 5 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: of asking what do you think we can do about that? 6 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: Focusing on solutions instead of grievances is a much more 7 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 1: productive way to go through life. So, I know, complaining 8 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: is one of the simplest human pleasures. We all do it. 9 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: I certainly do it a lot. It could be a 10 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: way for people to bond or blow off steam, particularly 11 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: in situations where people feel relatively powerless. I get that, 12 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: but I'm also guessing that if you're the sort of 13 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: person listening to this podcast, there are not that many 14 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 1: situations in life where you are truly powerless. You have 15 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: a lot of resources at your disposal should you choose 16 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: to call upon them. So, when you find something that 17 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 1: isn't working and you start complaining about it to yourself 18 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: or in a group, train yourself to ask what do 19 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: you think we can do about that? On your own 20 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: or with others, you might be able to find a 21 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: solution or at least make some part of a bad 22 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: situation a little better. So, rather than complain about that 23 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: meeting that always runs late, could you brainstorm solutions? Asking 24 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: what do I think I can do about that? Leads 25 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: to one obvious idea, which is treating what your manager 26 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: calls a sixty minute meeting as an ninety minute one 27 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: for your calendar purposes, just don't schedule anything immediately afterwards. 28 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: Or if you always spend ten minutes talking about who 29 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: will be on vacation, when you might offer to create 30 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: a spreadsheet of this ahead of time, just to take 31 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: it off your boss's plate. You might not make the 32 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: meeting shorter, but you might. Or rather than complain about 33 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: how your kids don't do chores, maybe you can tell 34 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: them in your spouse that you are feeling overwhelmed and 35 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: ask what do you think we can do about that? 36 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: I'm sure you have some ideas, but give their ideas 37 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: to listen to. Who knows what they will come up with. 38 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 1: If some of their ideas seem workable, they might be 39 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:52,519 Speaker 1: more invested in the solution. I know this is all 40 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: easier said than done, and sometimes there aren't obvious solutions, 41 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: but there's no harm in just learning to always ask 42 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: this question. You can be part of the group. Griping 43 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: and express your own frustration, but then asking what do 44 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: you think we can do about that at least suggests 45 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: that the conversation can move on to something else. Dwelling 46 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: on problems without at least considering solutions tends not to 47 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: be helpful. Maybe there isn't anything to be done, but 48 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: maybe there is, and making something a little better can 49 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: make a big difference in the meantime. This is Laura, 50 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 51 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've 52 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at 53 00:03:55,080 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a production 54 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the 55 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 56 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 1: favorite shows.