1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: Today's tip is that things will look better in the morning. Well, 4 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: it is easy to become frustrated as the day goes 5 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: on and to find things untenable toward bedtime. A good 6 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: night's sleep can change everything. If you can remind yourself 7 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: of this, you might be less inclined to do anything rash, 8 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: or at least you'll feel better about life. My family 9 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: recently took a trip to Upstate New York for my 10 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 1: brother's wedding. The weekend was mostly lovely, but we arrived 11 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: late Friday night, after three and a half hours in 12 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: the car with five not entirely happy children. My baby 13 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: hadn't slept in the car, so I thought he would 14 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: crash as soon as we got there, but he did not. 15 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: He fought sleep for an hour, and since we were 16 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: staying in a guesthouse where there were other people living 17 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 1: on the other side, that meant I couldn't have him 18 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: making noise. I wound up rocking him the entire time. Now. 19 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: I know we are supposed to treasure these moments, but 20 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: not at ten thirty PM, not when I'm tired, and 21 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: not when I have strongly suspecting that my husband has 22 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: not started putting the older children to bed, and so 23 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: that is waiting for me. On the other side of 24 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:46,960 Speaker 1: all this rocking, I was pretty miserable. So I did 25 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: what I always do in these circumstances. I pictured myself 26 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,559 Speaker 1: on the other side. While it was possible I would 27 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: still be rocking the baby in thirty minutes, I would 28 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: not will be rocking him in eight hours. Eventually I 29 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: would go to bed. Eventually it would be morning, and 30 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: we would be able to look out at the lovely 31 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 1: fall scenery and enjoy some coffee and farm fresh eggs. 32 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: And sure enough, eventually he did sleep. Eventually I did too, 33 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: and the crisp fall morning was lovely. As we went 34 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: hiking around Lake Minnewaska, and went to my brothers outdo 35 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: our wedding. Things look better in the morning. I know 36 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: the research on ego depletion is muddled, but in general 37 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 1: it makes sense that as we go through the day, 38 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: our supply of willpower gets used up. We focus at work, 39 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: we deal with difficult people, we battle traffic, we heard 40 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:57,239 Speaker 1: children to bed. It is hard to be excited about life. 41 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: Late at night, when the day has been long, we 42 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: can indulge in all sorts of narratives of unhappiness. But 43 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 1: as the old hymn goes morning by morning, new mercies 44 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: I see. The sun comes up, that first cup of 45 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:23,399 Speaker 1: coffee kicks in, and suddenly what felt terrible the night 46 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: before feels doable. With a new day, solutions appear, things 47 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: seem less extreme. The trick for a better existence is 48 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: to remind yourself of that truth at night. Though things 49 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: feel terrible in the moment, they will look different in 50 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: the morning, so just hold tight and go to bed. 51 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: It will be okay. A good night's sleep can change 52 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: just about anything. And yes, I know not everybody as 53 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: a morning person, but studies of energy and focus show 54 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: that most people do better on these dimensions in the 55 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: early hours. Not everybody, but most people. So let your 56 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 1: night self off the hook. He or she won't be 57 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 1: able to deal with your toughest problems, but everything will 58 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: look different in the morning, So just picture yourself then 59 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: and you will feel better about just about everything. In 60 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: the meantime. This is Laura, Thanks for listening, and here's 61 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd 62 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: love to hear from you. You can send me your tips, 63 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, 64 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E 65 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: the number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can 66 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at 67 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled 68 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look 69 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 70 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 1: of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, 71 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,919 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 72 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.