1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to be prepared for low moments. When 4 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: we pay attention to our lives, we can often foresee 5 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: spots where life will feel rough. When you know that's 6 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: going to happen, though, you can prepare and that can 7 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: make low moments feel more doable. Some time ago, my 8 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: family took a vacation in Florida in August. Now, Florida 9 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: is a lovely place at times, but generally not during August, 10 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: when every day was muggy and ninety degrees. Since we 11 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: were doing the amusement park thing, we were standing in 12 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: long lines in the boiling sun. Most of the time 13 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: it was fine. We had a lot of fun together, 14 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:13,320 Speaker 1: but every day around three o'clock, the younger kids would 15 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: start melting down. This led to some unhappiness, but once 16 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: we realized the pattern, we were more prepared to deal 17 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: with it. You know what's great at three o'clock ice cream, 18 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 1: especially if you can buy ice cream or some other 19 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: treat and eat it in an air conditioned restaurant. We 20 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 1: would eat slowly, lingering in the air conditioning and then 21 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: emerge fortified and into waning heat. The evenings in Florida 22 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: can be lovely, even in August. I try to remind 23 00:01:54,320 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: myself of this discovery. With little kids, late afternoon can 24 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: often be a witching hour, whatever the weather. On the 25 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: days I am caring for my small kids solo, it 26 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: can be tempting to not plan anything in the post 27 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: nap spot. Three thirty PM isn't that long until dinner 28 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: and bedtime and so forth. But then what happens if 29 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: you don't do anything at three thirty is that by 30 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 1: four thirty people are melting down and fighting, and you 31 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: are desperately trying to figure out what to do. Knowing 32 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: people are going to add hunger to boredom soon enough, 33 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: best to have a plan for that after nap spot, 34 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: a playground trip, a post nap plate, a quick trip 35 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 1: to the zoo or museum that doesn't close until five 36 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: or five thirty, some pool time in the summer, zip 37 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: out there, and four PM passes with you doing something 38 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,119 Speaker 1: the board meltdowns won't happen until after dinner, at which 39 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: point it's time to get the little ones bathed and 40 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: into bed. Anyway, Interestingly, if you lead work teams or 41 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: teams of volunteers, you might notice some similarities to long 42 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: days with little kids. Every project goes through a valley 43 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: of despair. Someone misses a deadline, something you thought was 44 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 1: going to work doesn't during the rehearsal one week before 45 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: the concert. People completely flub two of the major songs. 46 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: These events feel miserable. They are also entirely predictable, and 47 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: so wise leaders plan projects with these valleys of despair 48 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: in mind. You use the bad rehearsal as a nudge 49 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: to get people to meet in small groups to practice 50 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: their parts. You make yourself available for an extra rehearsal 51 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: to help motivate people to work together. And then, rather 52 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: than being overconfident for the concert, you are rushing toward peak. 53 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 1: Right before perfect timing, you knew the low moment was coming, 54 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: and you were prepared. You even made the most of it. 55 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: As you think about your life, think about where the 56 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 1: predictable low moments might happen. The academic year might feel 57 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: really rough in November and February. Maybe you run an 58 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: accounting office where a cold, rainy week in March always 59 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: feels like the end of the world. So be prepared 60 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: save the fancy catered lunches for that week, or bring 61 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: in a group that gives ten minute neck and shoulder 62 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,679 Speaker 1: massages to people at their desks. You get the idea. 63 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:08,039 Speaker 1: Think about where things will feel intolerable. You know these 64 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: moments do pass. You've been through them before. In the moment, 65 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: it can feel like they are interminable, but they probably aren't. 66 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: It won't be three o'clock in the muggy Florida sun forever. 67 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 1: Tax deadlines will pass. Your job is to figure out 68 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 1: where the low moments are and prepare for them so 69 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: they don't feel quite so low. If you do that, 70 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: life will feel a lot better in the meantime. This 71 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 1: is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the 72 00:05:52,080 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 1: most of our time. Hey everybody, I'd love to hear 73 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 74 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 75 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:13,599 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the 76 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 1: number four, then breakfast p O D. You can also 77 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcast at i 78 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: heeart media dot com That Before Breakfast is spelled out 79 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much. I look forward 80 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: to staying in touch Before Breakfast is a production of 81 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: I heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, 82 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 83 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.