1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to be the eye of the storm. 4 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: When there's chaos or anxiety around you, remember that you 5 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,159 Speaker 1: don't have to participate in it. You can serve the 6 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: people around you by intentionally being a calming force. This 7 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: tip comes from Richard Carlson's book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. 8 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: He advises that we imagine we are, as he puts it, 9 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: the eye of a human storm. I think this is 10 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: a useful image. Every year during hurricane season, I am 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 1: reminded how amazing it is that you can have a 12 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: storm that is hundreds of miles in diameter, with powerful 13 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: winds and heavy rains, and yet at its middle is 14 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: a spot that is completely calm and out of course, 15 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: when you're in the eye of a real hurricane, the 16 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: truth is you're about to get hit by the other 17 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: side of it. But with our human storm, we can 18 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: picture ourselves moving in this eye and keeping the calm going. 19 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: I'm sure we can all recall movements when we felt 20 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: like we were in the middle of a storm. Maybe 21 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: you were visiting a relative whose kids were fighting or 22 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: melting down, or maybe it was your own kids who 23 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: are doing this and you felt helpless to calm them. 24 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: Workplaces can feature lots of drama and tension. I've put 25 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: in plenty of time in airports when flight delays or 26 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: cancelations have left seemingly normal people acting out of control. Lately, 27 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: the world has felt like it is all storm. Hospitals 28 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: lack supplies, grocery stores lack toilet paper, or unexpectedly yeast 29 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: jobless numbers have soared by unprecedented amounts. Conference calls feature 30 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: a soundtrack of toilets flushing, dogs barking, and kids crying, 31 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: And of course, homeschooling can be a storm of its 32 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,639 Speaker 1: own distinct variety. When we imagine ourselves, in Carlson's words, 33 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: as the eye of a human storm, we are reminded that, yes, 34 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: the fury exists, but we don't have to be drawn 35 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: into it. There is a lot of illness, stress, uncertainty, 36 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: and loss right now. That is real, and we have 37 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:27,959 Speaker 1: to acknowledge it. But we don't have to let the 38 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: stressful situation define every moment. We can still be calm 39 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: even at this difficult time. There is little to be 40 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:41,799 Speaker 1: gained by frenzy, and much gained by simply taking each 41 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: day as it comes. I think it's especially helpful now 42 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: to picture our homes as the eye of a storm, 43 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: places of calm, peace and safety. My goal is that 44 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: my kids will remember this time as an adventure rather 45 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: than a does aster. I don't always achieve this goal, 46 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: but I'm trying. We gather for our family meals, We 47 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: order new book series and puzzles. To feel slower days, 48 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: I let my four school aged children play multi hour 49 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,359 Speaker 1: group Minecraft sessions, which I am betting will be their 50 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: top memory of this time. Can you picture yourself in 51 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,959 Speaker 1: your home as the eye of a human storm when 52 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 1: nothing is actually wrong in your immediate world at the moment, 53 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: It can be helpful to notice this, to see that 54 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: the kids are still sleeping peacefully, and you can have 55 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: that brilliant morning cup of coffee. The winds may be howling, 56 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: but not for you, not right now. In the meantime, 57 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 58 00:03:51,880 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 59 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 60 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, 61 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod that's b E the 62 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can also 63 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast. At i 64 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: heeart media dot com that before Breakfast is spelled out 65 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward 66 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of 67 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: I heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, 68 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 69 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:43,160 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.