Bring joy to the world

Any day can be a celebration with acts of kindness

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.
Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tip is about little ways that you can bring
more joy to the world. This episode is first airing
on Christmas Day, and for those who celebrate the holiday,

(00:25):
it's supposed to be one of the most joyful days
of the year, and hopefully for anyone listening to this podcast,
that is the case. But happiness in general is a
funny thing. Well, we certainly appreciate moments of big joy,
our moods and life satisfaction tend to be more affected
by small, repeated pleasures and wonders. So what would it
take to make every day? Mary? We can choose to

(00:48):
bring little joys to the world, both to ourselves, those
we love, and to the people we meet in general.
I've been brainstorming a list of these little joys, and
I invite you to share one's dream up with me
as well. One fun one. If you're the first rising
member of your family, wake the others a minute or
so before their alarms would go off with a kiss

(01:10):
or a hug. If you're on your own, wait to
inspirational music rather than a soulless beap. Get a programmable
coffee maker that can be set the night before so
everyone wakes to a hot cup, or if you're the
first riser, make it for everyone else. Don't start your
day reading depressing headlines or demanding emails. There's time enough

(01:33):
for that later. Make the first thing you read something beautiful,
like poetry or a sacred text. If you read something
that makes you think of a friend or family member,
find a way to share it with that person. By
email is fine, but an actual phone call can really
spark joy. When you get to your office, smile and

(01:53):
say hello to your coworkers. Ask how they're doing. Listen
with your full attention as they respond. Be generous with praise.
Send a note of appreciation. You never know when it
will make someone's day. Okay, scratch that, you can actually
be quite confident that it will make someone's day. Most

(02:15):
of us don't exactly sit around reaping praise notes daily,
so this is an easy way to spread joy. If
you have a good experience at a restaurant or hotel
or store, right the manager and name the person who
helped you. These are the sorts of things that tend
to go up on the wall in the employee break
room and can make everyone feel better about life. Put

(02:36):
your change in the tip jar. Those quarters cause more
joy there than they do in your pocket. And if
those quarters do, land in your pocket. And put a
little extra change in your parking meter so someone else
can park for free after you. People give and get
lots of gifts on Christmas, and that can be fun.
But gifts can bring more joy when they're given just because.

(02:57):
Buy your spouse a five dollar bouquet of flowers at
the grocery store simply because it's Tuesday. Bring home something
whimsical from a business trip, or maybe you don't even
need to bring something home. You can start an inside
joke with a teenage child. Every time either of you
sees a snow globe or a pet sweater in a store,
you text a picture to each other. If you see

(03:21):
litter somewhere and you can safely pick it up, do so.
Check in on older neighbors, occasionally, print up some of
the photos you take and mail copies to the people
who are in them. Sharing little bits of joy with
the world doesn't need to take a whole lot of time.
But if you go through your days consciously looking for
ways to make the world better. Well, you will make

(03:42):
it better and that can make every day I feel
like Christmas. I'd love to hear how you bring joy
to the world. You can email me at Before Breakfast
podcast at iHeart media dot com. In the meantime, this
is Laura. Thanks for listening and here's to making the
most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear

(04:09):
from you. You can send me your tips, your questions,
or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook
and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod that's B the number four,
then Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me
an email at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media

(04:29):
dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled out with all
the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to staying
in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio.
For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the I
Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to

(04:50):
your favorite shows. This