1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: tip is that if you find yourself feeling like your 4 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: world has gotten smaller, there are practical ways to broaden 5 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: your horizons. No matter the season, it is possible to 6 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:36,520 Speaker 1: choose a bigger life. During and after the COVID pandemic, 7 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: many people lamented that their world seemed to have shrunk. 8 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: The universe of people they saw plummeted, they spent more 9 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: time at home, they lost variety in their activities, but 10 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 1: of course it doesn't take a pandemic for people to 11 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: feel that way. Sometimes a lot of people tell me 12 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: that their worlds shrink During the early years of parenting. 13 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: It can be hard to go out with babies or toddlers, 14 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: so people find themselves staying home. I hear from remote 15 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: workers who love the flexibility and independence of working from home, 16 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: but struggle to see people other than on zoom, or 17 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 1: even to leave the house some days, and all of 18 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: us in winter can find our worlds feeling smaller. Bundling 19 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: up and driving in bad weather is unpleasant. It is 20 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:33,919 Speaker 1: just easier not to, but after a while of living 21 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: in a constricted world, you may start too long for 22 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: something else. So how can you broaden your world? How 23 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,199 Speaker 1: can you make life feel a little bigger. The good 24 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: news is that you probably don't have to change much. 25 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: There are practical things you can do to broaden your 26 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: horizons within daily life. One simple idea is to consider 27 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: finding a third space somewhere besides home and work where 28 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: you can hang out. Your third space could be a 29 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: coffee shop, a library, a park, or some other spot 30 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 1: where you are likely to cross paths with people who 31 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: become familiar. You can use your third space for recreation 32 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: like reading, and if you work remotely, you can also 33 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: work from your third space, sometimes instead of from your home. 34 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: Even if you have to overcome someonnersia to get there, 35 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: you may feel better with a change of scenery. Another 36 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: simple way to expand your world is to join an 37 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: activity based group. Something like a choir, a book club, 38 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: young friends of the art museum, a tennis team, or 39 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: so forth will give you a recurring commitment to get 40 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: you out of the house and introduce you to a 41 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: new circle of people. If your schedule and budget allow it, 42 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: you could consider a weekend trip. There's a lot you 43 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: could do in forty eight hours or even thirty six. 44 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: You could visit a friend, go see an art exhibit 45 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: in another city, or simply explore a new place you 46 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: have been curious about. Just a little time away can 47 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 1: change your perspective. If you can't go for a weekend, 48 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: go somewhere for a day. There are no doubt many 49 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: adventures to be had within an hour or two radius 50 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: of your house. Personally, I love to broaden my horizons 51 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: by taking in culture. You can read great literature, go 52 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: to the theater, go to a museum, see a musical performance. 53 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: Seeing something new will make your world feel bigger. You 54 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: can even make your world feel bigger from the comfort 55 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: of your house. When you think of a friend or 56 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: relative or colleague, reach out. Even just a text will 57 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: make you feel more connected and less isolated. And who knows, 58 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: a quick text or email may lead to a zoom 59 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: or in person meet up. Even when retreating seems easier, 60 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: it is worthwhile to aim for a bigger life. The 61 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: world is vast and wonderful. You don't want to miss 62 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: out on what it has to offer. In the meantime, 63 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: this is Laura, Thanks for listening, and here's to making 64 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. 65 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach 66 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:42,799 Speaker 1: me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast 67 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, 68 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 69 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.