WEBVTT - Second Cup: If you do nothing else

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

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<v Speaker 2>Good Morning.

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<v Speaker 3>This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 3>tip is about one upside of daily habits that are

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<v Speaker 3>truly daily. You know that even if you do nothing

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<v Speaker 3>else on any particular day, you will have done your

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<v Speaker 3>daily habits. If you choose these habits well, that can

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<v Speaker 3>make for a reasonably productive day. So, like everyone, I

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<v Speaker 3>have days that feel frustrating. Sometimes this is because I

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<v Speaker 3>lack energy to do anything of consequence. Sometimes it's because

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<v Speaker 3>of other circumstances. There was one particular day recently that

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<v Speaker 3>prompted this episode when I had a number of important

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<v Speaker 3>conversations scheduled and all of them got canceled or didn't

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<v Speaker 3>feature everyone. They should have to make a decision because

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<v Speaker 3>of various illnesses and such things going around. Like I said, frustrating,

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<v Speaker 3>But I do have a few things I do every

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<v Speaker 3>single day as steps toward long term goals. I read

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<v Speaker 3>a little bit in my year long reading project this year.

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<v Speaker 2>It's all the works of Jane Austen, and I write

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<v Speaker 2>a little bit in my year long writing project this year.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm writing two lines of a sonnet each day, so

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<v Speaker 2>I will have fifty two sonnets by New Year's So

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<v Speaker 2>even on a day when nothing else has happened, I

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<v Speaker 2>know I will have read ten pages of Jane Austen

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<v Speaker 2>and written one seventh of a sonnet. It's not much,

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<v Speaker 2>but it isn't nothing. I have made some progress on

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<v Speaker 2>long term things. The day is a total loss, and

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<v Speaker 2>much of life is mental anyway, whether you are productive

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<v Speaker 2>or not is mostly a matter of whether you feel

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<v Speaker 2>productive or not. In the grand scheme of things, it

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<v Speaker 2>probably doesn't matter what any of us do. But when

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<v Speaker 2>you feel a day hasn't been a total loss, you

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<v Speaker 2>might be more inclined to make a little more progress

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<v Speaker 2>on lots of things, or at least be in a

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<v Speaker 2>more cheerful mood. So with that in mind, perhaps you'd

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<v Speaker 2>like to start some sort of daily habit that could

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<v Speaker 2>give you a baseline sense of accomplishment. For something to

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<v Speaker 2>become a successful daily habit, it needs to be pretty doable.

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<v Speaker 2>It can't take much time, ideally just a few minutes.

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<v Speaker 2>It has to be something you find reasonably enjoyable, and

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<v Speaker 2>it can't be logistically complex, or you won't do it

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<v Speaker 2>while you're traveling or on weekends or any other time.

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<v Speaker 2>When you might not be around your normal tools and

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<v Speaker 2>environment or have your usual schedule. But if you write

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<v Speaker 2>a thank you note to someone every single day, you

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<v Speaker 2>know that even on a day that feels terrible, at

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<v Speaker 2>least you wrote a thank you note. If you listen

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<v Speaker 2>to ten minutes of box music every day, then even

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<v Speaker 2>on a terrible day, you will have listened to ten

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<v Speaker 2>minutes of great music. And if you have listened to

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<v Speaker 2>something amazing, how terrible can the day really be? So

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<v Speaker 2>figure out what you could do as an everyday habit,

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<v Speaker 2>and you will be able to find a bright side

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<v Speaker 2>of even a dismal day. Now, obviously, if the day

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<v Speaker 2>is truly horrendous in certain ways, you might not be

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<v Speaker 2>able to do your daily habit, But for most run

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<v Speaker 2>of the mill bad days, you will, and then maybe

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<v Speaker 2>the day won't seems so bad. In the meantime, This

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<v Speaker 2>is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the

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<v Speaker 2>most of our text.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. You can

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<v Speaker 1>send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just

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<v Speaker 1>connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at before

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<v Speaker 1>Breakfast Pod that's b E the number four then breakfast Pod.

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

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<v Speaker 1>podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled

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<v Speaker 1>out with all the letters, thanks so much. Should I

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

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<v Speaker 1>production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the

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<v Speaker 1>iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

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<v Speaker 1>M HM.