WEBVTT - What do you think we can do about that?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,

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<v Speaker 1>This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip is that when you find yourself complaining, either on

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<v Speaker 1>your own or in a group, get in the habit

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<v Speaker 1>of asking what do you think we can do about that?

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<v Speaker 1>Focusing on solutions instead of grievances is a much more

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<v Speaker 1>productive way to go through life. So, I know, complaining

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<v Speaker 1>is one of the simplest human pleasures. We all do it.

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<v Speaker 1>I certainly do it a lot. It could be a

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<v Speaker 1>way for people to bond or blow off steam, particularly

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<v Speaker 1>in situations where people feel relatively powerless. I get that,

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<v Speaker 1>but I'm also guessing that if you're the sort of

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<v Speaker 1>person listening to this podcast, there are not that many

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<v Speaker 1>situations in life where you are truly powerless. You have

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of resources at your disposal should you choose

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<v Speaker 1>to call upon them. So, when you find something that

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<v Speaker 1>isn't working and you start complaining about it to yourself

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<v Speaker 1>or in a group, train yourself to ask what do

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<v Speaker 1>you think we can do about that? On your own

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<v Speaker 1>or with others, you might be able to find a

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<v Speaker 1>solution or at least make some part of a bad

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<v Speaker 1>situation a little better. So, rather than complain about that

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<v Speaker 1>meeting that always runs late, could you brainstorm solutions? Asking

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<v Speaker 1>what do I think I can do about that? Leads

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<v Speaker 1>to one obvious idea, which is treating what your manager

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<v Speaker 1>calls a sixty minute meeting as an ninety minute one

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<v Speaker 1>for your calendar purposes, just don't schedule anything immediately afterwards.

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<v Speaker 1>Or if you always spend ten minutes talking about who

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<v Speaker 1>will be on vacation, when you might offer to create

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<v Speaker 1>a spreadsheet of this ahead of time, just to take

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<v Speaker 1>it off your boss's plate. You might not make the

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<v Speaker 1>meeting shorter, but you might. Or rather than complain about

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<v Speaker 1>how your kids don't do chores, maybe you can tell

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<v Speaker 1>them in your spouse that you are feeling overwhelmed and

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<v Speaker 1>ask what do you think we can do about that?

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sure you have some ideas, but give their ideas

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<v Speaker 1>to listen to. Who knows what they will come up with.

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<v Speaker 1>If some of their ideas seem workable, they might be

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<v Speaker 1>more invested in the solution. I know this is all

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<v Speaker 1>easier said than done, and sometimes there aren't obvious solutions,

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<v Speaker 1>but there's no harm in just learning to always ask

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<v Speaker 1>this question. You can be part of the group. Griping

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<v Speaker 1>and express your own frustration, but then asking what do

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<v Speaker 1>you think we can do about that at least suggests

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<v Speaker 1>that the conversation can move on to something else. Dwelling

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<v Speaker 1>on problems without at least considering solutions tends not to

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<v Speaker 1>be helpful. Maybe there isn't anything to be done, but

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<v Speaker 1>maybe there is, and making something a little better can

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<v Speaker 1>make a big difference in the meantime. This is Laura,

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of

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<v Speaker 1>our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've

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<v Speaker 1>got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at

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<v Speaker 1>at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a production

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<v Speaker 1>of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the

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<v Speaker 1>iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your

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<v Speaker 1>favorite shows.