1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about a simple morning ritual that can 4 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: change your entire day. I'm taking this tip from my 5 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:26,119 Speaker 1: friend Neil Pasricha's new book You Are Awesome. How to 6 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: Navigate Change, Wrestle with failure, and live an intentional life. 7 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: His two minute ritual involves writing three sentences, each of 8 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: which involves a different aspect of a positive mindset. The 9 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 1: first sentence, he writes interestingly enough, gets its heft from 10 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: the power of confession. Religious listeners might be familiar with 11 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: this concept in its more sacramental form. You go tell 12 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: the priest your sins and express your contrition for them. 13 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: He tells you that you are forgiven. The saying is 14 00:00:57,120 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: that confession is good for the soul, and that's probably true. 15 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: Fears and anger and regrets weigh us down. Confession doesn't 16 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: change what has happened, and if you've hurt someone, confession 17 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: doesn't get you out of taking responsibility for that, but 18 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 1: mentally it gives us the freedom to move forward. Past 19 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: Rica notes that you don't actually have to be religious 20 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: to experience some of the power of mental release. So 21 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: he begins his mornings by writing out this sentence, I 22 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: will let go of fill in the blank. And this 23 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: is where he confesses an anxiety, a feeling like jealousy, 24 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: or anything else weighing him down. He vows to move 25 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: forward from this negativity the second sentence, I am grateful 26 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: for fill in the blank. Lots of studies have attempted 27 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: to quantify the health effects of a gratitude practice, and 28 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: I think some of this research is overblown, but it 29 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: makes intuitive sense that focusing on the good helps you 30 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: see more of the good. Past Richa recommends writing down 31 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: very specific things you're grateful for. We can always be 32 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: grateful for family, friends, and health. It's more effective for 33 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: framing purposes to notice something like the good WiFi at 34 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:16,119 Speaker 1: a coffee shop, or the excellent dessert that was included 35 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: with your kid's meal at a restaurant and that you 36 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: got to consume because your kid is humorously picky. Finally, 37 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 1: this sentence, I will focus on fill in the blank. 38 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: He writes down three intentions for the day. What small 39 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: goals are most worth accomplishing in the next twenty four hours. 40 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: By choosing these items and keeping the list very short, 41 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 1: he massively increases the chances that they actually get done, 42 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: and progress is motivational. Filling in the blanks on these 43 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: three sentences, I will let go of, I am grateful for, 44 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: and I will focus on takes very little time. Two 45 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 1: minutes isn't much, but as Neil notes, were awake for 46 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,239 Speaker 1: about a thousand minutes a day, it's humbling to think 47 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 1: that two minutes can affect the other. But if you 48 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: try this two minute ritual, I'm guessing that you'll start 49 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: the day with a different outlook too. In the meantime, 50 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 51 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 52 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 53 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 54 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the 55 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can also 56 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at i 57 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: heeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled out 58 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward 59 00:03:54,800 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of 60 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, 61 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: visit the I heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever 62 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.