1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: tip is to figure out what has given you joy, 4 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: are been meaningful recently, and then build more of that 5 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: into the coming week or month. Today's tip comes from 6 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: a New York Times article where writer Laurie Leibovich explained 7 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: that every year she reflects on what made her feel 8 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: good the previous year. If she feels stuck, she said 9 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: she looked through photos on her phone to trigger her memory. 10 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,639 Speaker 1: Live performances, traveling, walking with friends, and running a ten 11 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: k were some of the things that enriched the last 12 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: year for her, so she wrote she was aiming to 13 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: get more of that on the calendar for this year too. 14 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: I love that approach for a couple of reasons. First 15 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: of all, she's focused on what made the previous year good. 16 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: So many people look ahead to a new year and 17 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: then loaded up with obligations and rules, things I won't 18 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: be doing, things I can't do. Things like that. I 19 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: like the idea of focusing on the positive, on joy, growth, connection, peace. 20 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: I also think it's wise that she is looking to 21 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 1: her own past for ideas on how to get those 22 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: positive experiences. I mean, sure, novelty is amazing, but if 23 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: you want a surefire way to find joy, you may 24 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 1: be more successful looking back at what actually gave you 25 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: joy recently, rather than googling things to enjoy this weekend. 26 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: Of course, New Year's planning time is long in the past, 27 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: as this episode is airing. But if you are like 28 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: a lot of Before Breakfast listeners, you are always thinking 29 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: about how to make your life better. Reflecting on what 30 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: has made our past good is a reasonable way to 31 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: design the future. There is no reason to wait until 32 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: next January to build in more of what you have enjoyed. 33 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: So if you find you have always loved going to 34 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,359 Speaker 1: live theater, decide to do it more often. Maybe you 35 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: could even get season tickets to a local theater. If 36 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: hosting dinner parties always fills you with joy, why not 37 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: set a routine of hosting a dinner party every other Saturday, 38 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 1: or at least the first Saturday of the month. If 39 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: taking a few zumba classes with a friend last December 40 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: was fun for you and left you energized, try taking 41 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: a class every week. I think you could also take 42 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: the same approach in a more frequent iterative way. For 43 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: shorter timeframes like a week or a month, you could 44 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: reflect on a weekly basis about sources of joy and 45 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: growth in the previous week, maybe bundled with your weekly 46 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: planning session. If we had a meaningful visit to an 47 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: art exhibit on a lunch break last week, it's likely 48 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: that seeing a different exhibit this week could be meaningful too. 49 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed a poetry reading last week, sign up 50 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 1: for the e blast from a local bookstore so you'll 51 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 1: hear about future readings. If your family enjoyed watching a 52 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: movie together last Friday, maybe a movie and popcorn would 53 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: be fun this Friday too. Pay attention to what makes 54 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 1: you feel good and what contributes to your growth, and 55 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: build that into next week and the week after that. 56 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: What made our past good can teach us a lot 57 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: about what would make our future good as well. In 58 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's 59 00:03:53,840 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. Thanks for listening 60 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, 61 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 1: you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 62 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts 63 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 64 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.