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I'm Bowen Yang.
And I'm Matt Rogers.
During this season of the Two Guys, Five Rings podcast, in the lead up to the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends.
Hi Bowen, hi Matt.
Hey Elmo.
Hey Matt, hey Bowen.
Hi Cookie.
Hi.
Hi.
Now the Winter Olympic Games are underway and we are in Italy to give you experiences from our hearts to your ears.
Listen to Two Guys Five Rings on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio.
Good morning.
This is Laura.
Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tip is to make your own magic.
If there is something special you would like to see happen in your life, you don't have to wait around hoping it will happen.
You can make it happen yourself.
Today's tip comes from Kate Strickler, author of the book.
I Just Wish I Had a and other lies I think will make me happy.
Kate was a guest on my other podcast, Best of Both Worlds, and she talked with my co-host, Sarah Hart Unger, about how to avoid comparing yourself to others in ways that are highly likely to make you miserable.
Sometimes people feel discouraged because they think that others have more active social lives or more satisfying friendships than they do.
And you know what?
They might.
But if you want to spend more time socializing and connecting, you are best off not viewing these activities as magical things that simply appear in people's lives.
You don't have to wait for others to invite you to do things.
Instead, Kate advises, make your own magic.
As in, you can invite people to do whatever you are hoping others will invite you to do.
If you want to go out for brunch with friends, pick a date, pick a restaurant and text a handful of people you would enjoy spending time with.
Hopefully you will be able to rally a few folks to join.
Or maybe you've always thought it would be fun to be in a book club.
You don't have to plan a year-long curriculum and schedule gatherings for every fourth Wednesday from now to the end of time.
Though if that is your style, feel free to go for it.
For a lot of us it would be easiest just to ask a few book-loving friends if they would like to come over in a few weeks to discuss good people with you.
Then see what unfolds from there.
If you've got an old friend that you don't see, often suggest meeting up for a drink one night after work.
Suggest three nights or so in the next few weeks and hopefully one will work for your friend.
If not, my guess is that your invitation will spark something in your friend's brain.
Chances are he or she will suggest a different get-together in the next few weeks.
It kind of is like magic that way.
Do you wish your partner would send you flowers?
If it's flowers you want, buy some for yourself.
And if it is the act of your partner sending you flowers, then let your partner know that is your desire.
If you are dreaming of a fabulous anniversary dinner, make a reservation.
You can also make your own magic at work.
Maybe you wish your team socialized more.
Guess what?
You have the power to make this happen.
Stick your head in your colleagues' offices when you're headed to the break room to eat your lunch.
Invite them to join you.
After a department meeting, you might ask if anyone would be up for a happy hour that night.
Invite new or younger colleagues out to coffee to share tips on how the office works.
Many of these people will turn into friends.
If you want to travel, but don't have a ready travel companion, travel solo.
You can also participate in a group trip, like with your college alumni association or various commercial companies.
If you have got the time and the money, don't let other people's willingness to go be the limiting factor.
You can make your own magic.
With all sorts of things in life, if you want something special, you can plan it in yourself.
I mean, you can hope that someone else will plan it.
But if so, you might be waiting for a while.
Whereas if you make your own magic, the magic will happen.
And I think that is a better outcome.
In the meantime, this is Laura.
Thanks for listening.
And here's to making the most of our time.
Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast.
If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at laura at lauravanderkam.com.
Before Breakfast is a production of iHeart Media.
For more podcasts from iHeart Media, please visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
I'm Bowen Yang.
And I'm Matt Rogers.
During this season of the Two Guys, Five Rings podcast, in the lead up to the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends.
Hi Bowen, hi Matt.
Hey Elmo.
Hey Matt, hey Bowen.
Hi Cookie.
Hi.
Now the winter Olympic games are underway and we are in Italy to give you experiences from our hearts to your ears.
Listen to two guys five rings on the I heart radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
This is special agent Regal, special agent Bradley Hall.
In 2018, The FBI took down a ring of spies working for China's Ministry of State Security, one of the most mysterious intelligence agencies in the world.
The Sixth Bureau podcast is a story of the inner workings of the MSS and how one man's ambition and mistakes opened its vault of secrets.
Listen to The Sixth Bureau on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
This is an iHeart Podcast.
Guaranteed human.