Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2: Good Morning.
Speaker 3: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
Speaker 3: tip is to keep track of big days in the
Speaker 3: lives of.
Speaker 2: People you care about.
Speaker 4: I am not just talking birthdays, though it is good
Speaker 4: to remember birthdays. I am talking about other momentous occasions
Speaker 4: as well, like when someone is dropping their first kid
Speaker 4: off at college or giving a major presentation at work.
Speaker 2: You want to be aware of when the people you
Speaker 2: care about might appreciate a little extra care. Noting these
Speaker 2: days is a great way to show that you well care.
Speaker 2: So as I go through life, I realize that some
Speaker 2: people are naturally emotionally attuned to others. They automatically devote
Speaker 2: time and energy to understanding what is important to other people.
Speaker 2: Some of us are just not so naturally skilled in
Speaker 2: these areas, But like anything, friendship skills and interpersonal skills
Speaker 2: can be learned and practiced. Keeping track of important dates
Speaker 2: is one such skill. The key realization here is that
Speaker 2: everyone has various events in their lives that will be
Speaker 2: front of mind for them. When other people acknowledge those events,
Speaker 2: they feel seen as most of us aren't very good
Speaker 2: at remembering other people's events, we need a good system
Speaker 2: to keep track of them. Fortunately, this is not that difficult.
Speaker 2: If you can schedule a meeting with your sales team
Speaker 2: for next Friday, then you are equally capable of noting
Speaker 2: on your calendar that your neighbor will be dropping her
Speaker 2: child off at overnight camp for the first time on
Speaker 2: July ninth, So you can then text your neighbor on
Speaker 2: the ninth with Hey, big day for you guys, hoping
Speaker 2: it all goes well. I am sure Henry will love
Speaker 2: this adventure. If you can note on your calendar that
Speaker 2: you have a dentist appointment next Wednesday, then you can
Speaker 2: also pay attention when your running buddy tells you that
Speaker 2: next Wednesday she's going to meet with her boss and
Speaker 2: ask for a raise. You can then text her next
Speaker 2: Wednesday morning to say encouraging things and offer to be
Speaker 2: a sounding board for anything she wants to process afterwards.
Speaker 2: This isn't difficult, but it requires listening when other people
Speaker 2: mention things that matter to them, and then having some
Speaker 2: system for noting the date when some support would be nice.
Speaker 2: One easy way to do this is just to email yourself.
Speaker 2: You probably have your phone with you all the time,
Speaker 2: so just email a note like h camp drop off
Speaker 2: seven to nine. I'm guessing the majority of people listening
Speaker 2: to this have some system for processing their primary inbox
Speaker 2: to completion, So when you are sitting down to do
Speaker 2: that processing, you will get the note about your neighbor's
Speaker 2: kid at a time when you probably have your calendar
Speaker 2: available and you are in the mode of getting stuff
Speaker 2: on there. Then you just need to remember to look
Speaker 2: at your calendar regularly. But again, if you do this
Speaker 2: when you check when you are meeting with that sales
Speaker 2: team or have your dentist appointment, then you will see
Speaker 2: any messages about other people's important dates as well. Now,
Speaker 2: I suspect that some people listening to this probably think
Speaker 2: this whole episode is strange. I mean, doesn't everyone do
Speaker 2: things like remember the date that their best friend's mother
Speaker 2: passed away. Doesn't everyone make sure to be extra supportive
Speaker 2: of their friend on that grief anniversary? And you know what,
Speaker 2: It would be nice if everyone was this emotionally intelligent
Speaker 2: and organized, but unfortunately that isn't always the case. For
Speaker 2: those who are not so naturally attuned, keeping track of
Speaker 2: other people's important dates is a smart way to be
Speaker 2: kinder and more supportive of those around us. Maybe it
Speaker 2: feels forced, but so what. Your friend would rather you
Speaker 2: send her an encouraging note on the day she asks
Speaker 2: for that raise than you not sending an encouraging note.
Speaker 2: Even if she finds the entry on your calendar funny
Speaker 2: should she ever see.
Speaker 1: It, so do it.
Speaker 2: You will probably be glad you did.
Speaker 1: In the meantime.
Speaker 2: This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the.
Speaker 1: Most of our times. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear
Speaker 1: from you. You can send me your tips, your questions,
Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook,
Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the
Speaker 1: number four then Breakfast pod. You can also shoot me
Speaker 1: an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com.
Speaker 1: That before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters.
Speaker 1: Thanks so much. Should I look forward to staying in touch.
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