Second Cup: What are you looking forward to?

Positive anticipation can change your outlook on life

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is to ask each week what you are looking
forward to. If you don't see anything on your schedule

(00:23):
that sparks genuine excitement, then something needs to change right away.
Longtime listeners know that I am always telling people to
plan their weeks on Fridays. It's one of my favorite
time management rules. While the Friday part most intrigues people,

(00:45):
and we've talked about that in other episodes, the most
important takeaway is that you need to plan your life
in weeks. A week is the repeating pattern of life
as we live it, big enough to be holeissick, small
enough to be feasible. On Friday, you can look ahead

(01:06):
to the upcoming week and figure some things out. First
of all, most people figure out the things they need
to do. They also hopefully figure out steps toward long
term goals and where those can go. But after looking
at those two matters, you are not done. As you

(01:27):
look over the next seven days, ask yourself if there
is anything you are genuinely looking forward to. Is there
anything on your calendar that makes you think, Hey, I
can't wait to do that. Is there anything that will
make you excited when you get out of bed on
that morning. I am not talking about vaguely fun things

(01:50):
we do for other people. Sure, going to an amusement
park can be fun, but if you are mostly going
to bring your kids, and you are mostly going to
be responsible for carrying around their half eaten snacks while
they decide what to do, then this might not spark
genuine excitement. I want you to look for something you

(02:12):
don't have to talk yourself into. If it is there, awesome,
But I am guessing that for a reasonable number of people,
and for a reasonable proportion of weeks, there may not
be anything on your calendar that makes you a little
giddy with anticipation. So here is your nudge to change that.

(02:36):
Life can feature want to dos alongside the have to dos.
Figure out what you would love to do. It doesn't
have to be expensive. I love a weekend getaway as
much as the next person. But it could be lunch
with a friend who energizes you. It could be drinks

(02:56):
with friends, or a long run on an amazing trail
that you keep meaning to try. If you've got a
gift certificate for a massage for Christmas. Go ahead and
schedule that in you want something that makes you smile
when you see the calendar entry, because positive anticipation can

(03:17):
change our entire mindset, even during bleak days. Knowing something
good is coming up can let us feel some of
the pleasure of the good thing long before it happens.
That means the happiness can last a lot longer. So

(03:38):
what are you looking forward to. I've got a few
phone calls with people I enjoy, and drinks with a
friend and a new singing group meeting up. What will
you plan in? Maybe something little during the work week,
something genuinely fun this weekend. Those little bits of joy

(03:59):
may make these last bleak weeks of winter feel a
little more like spring. 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 from you.

(04:24):
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 E the number four then
Breakfast Pod. You can also shoot me an email at
Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com that Before Breakfast

(04:45):
is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much,
should I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast
is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeart Radio,
visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen
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