1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to make function fun. When you are 4 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: choosing a functional object, whether for yourself or as a gift, 5 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: let it be a source of joy and delight if 6 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: you can. Today's tip is inspired by Ingrid Fatil Lee's 7 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: book Joyful, The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to create 8 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: Extraordinary Happiness. In the book, Lee, a designer, enumerates ten 9 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: factors contributing to joy, things like abundance, play, surprise, transcendence, 10 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: and celebration, and she gives specific examples of items that 11 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: reflect each. For instance, Lee points out that confetti, polka dots, stripes, 12 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: strings of Christmas tree lights, even skittles tap into the 13 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: joy that comes from abundance. She says, balls, hula hoops, 14 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: googly eyes, and other round shapes evoke the joy of play. 15 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: The pop of a champagne cork, an inflatable tube beIN 16 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,320 Speaker 1: like the ones you see it used. Car dealerships lead 17 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: the mind towards celebration. The Joyful book has lots of 18 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: ideas for injecting more fun and joy into your life. 19 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: Some of these ideas are about pure delight, like keeping 20 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: a drawer full of confetti, as a person described in 21 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: the book does. However, if you are aiming to acquire 22 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: less stuff, you might most practically aim to incorporate some 23 00:01:53,560 --> 00:02:00,080 Speaker 1: joyful aspects into everyday objects in essence you make function on. 24 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: Let's start with office supplies. For instance, why not keep 25 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: a container of felt tipped pins in a rainbow of 26 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 1: colors on your kitchen counter. There's no reason your grocery 27 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: list needs to be in blue ballpoint, inc When a 28 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: pin jar full of different colored pins can bring the 29 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: joy of abundance. I know someone with a bright lime 30 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: green stapler. Yes, it means she can identify it if 31 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: someone has walked off with it, but how fun to 32 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: see something in bright colors on a rainy day. Fun 33 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: coffee mugs and water bottles can be another source of joy. 34 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 1: Whimsical dish towels and cooking utensils can be delightful, and 35 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: whisks and cooking spoons designed to evoke people, animals or 36 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: plants always make me smile. There's no need to home 37 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: edit your whole house or apartment and put your entire 38 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: life into clear containers in rainbow order. But it can 39 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 1: be fun to use clear containers for brightly colored things 40 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: you already have, like apples, oranges, and bananas on your counter. 41 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: If your kids have marbles, maybe those go in a 42 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: glass jar, or you get a clear container so you 43 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: can see all of your colorful spools of thread displayed. 44 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: An umbrella is another great place to bring in some joy, 45 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: which is especially welcome on a dreary, rainy day. Go 46 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: for bright colors and fun patterns, or the traditional black 47 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: umbrella on the outside with a surprising and delightful blue 48 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: sky and clouds printed underneath. Especially in the winter when 49 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: you are wearing boots, have some fun with your socks. 50 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: Wool socks come in plenty of colors and patterns, so 51 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: why stick with solid black or gray. Consider adding some 52 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: pizzazz to your workout wardrobe. Two. The gym or the 53 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: running trail is a place where you are free from 54 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: any constraints of looking serious or professional, so aim to 55 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: dress in a way that makes you smile. The next 56 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: time you need to buy a functional item for yourself 57 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: or as a gift for someone else, choose something that 58 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: marries fun and function In little but meaningful ways. You 59 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 1: can add joy to your daily life and the lives 60 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: of those around you in the meantime. This is Laura. 61 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 62 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 63 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 64 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 65 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast pot that's b E the number four, then 66 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me an 67 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:03,359 Speaker 1: email at before for Breakfast podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com 68 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 69 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch. 70 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I heart Radio. For 71 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i heart 72 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 73 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: favorite shows.