Tag Archive for making changes

The Value of Playing to Your Strengths

September 23, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

banner supports strengths

The Value of Playing to Your Strengths

Stuck in a job that doesn’t exactly ignite your sweet spot? That doesn’t mean you can’t find happiness.

A lot of us put in the hours, earn a good wage and reap the rewards that help support our families. It’s entirely possible to appreciate what you have while still longing for something more fulfilling

But does that mean you should be complacent? Does that mean you have to give up on branching out to find where your real skills and enthusiasm lie?

The answer is no, and GenuLines is going to show how you can make changes by playing to your real strengths.

What Happens When You Play to Your Strengths?

Most of us have at least a few things that we’re good at. And for most of us, those are the things we love. We spend more time practicing them and we love them because we’re so good at them.

man demonstrates strengths

 

So, when we work on that ability or strength, everything about our demeanor changes.

For starters, we become much more focused on what we’re doing.
Our brains produce dopamine and catecholamine hormones to keep us fixated.

This is what some circles refer to as ‘flow states’.

 

You’re much happier and more confident when you’re doing what you love. You’re motivated and you become much less likely to take breaks.

All this of course helps you perform at your very best. At the same time, you’re more focused, happier, and you’re more motivated since you’re in flow.

It means that you’re now going to produce better work that gets you noticed and that gets you promoted. You’ll earn more and perform better because you’re doing what you love.

Signs You’re Playing to Your Strengths

All these are the benefits of playing to your strengths. They’re also a tip-off that you’re doing what you love.

Ask yourself: when was the last time you felt completely focused on a project and found it rewarding? That you worked so hard you ended up holding your need to go to the toilet?

Yeah… you should start doing a lot more of that!

JohnK 9-23-2024
chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about strengths Overheard:  “One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity”

~Albert Schweitzer
 

 

disclaimer for strengths

Why Do We Avoid Certain Tasks?

October 11, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

There’s no getting around some tasks. You can dodge them all you want and yet there they are. 

It’s a challenge that GenuLines is happy to take on with a look at why they happen. 

Why Do We Avoid Certain Tasks?

List of tasks to do
 
 
Do you find yourself dreading a particular task in your life every time you have to complete it? Do you often wonder why you avoid that task?
 
There are several reasons humans avoid completing specific tasks. These can vary from person to person.
 
 
 
 
 
 
You Don’t Think You’ll Have Fun
One of the main reasons people avoid certain tasks is that they don’t believe that they’ll enjoy them. Or it could be that they’ve performed the task before and didn’t have fun.
 
Humans generally want to avoid doing things that lead to unhappiness. This is especially true when they see the task at hand may be especially difficult or complex.
 
Fatigue
When you’re tired, you’ll generally avoid certain tasks. Even if you usually have fun doing them.
 
This is because you’re tired and need to get some rest.
 
If you find yourself avoiding a task because you feel exhausted, then it’s time to get some rest. Try to do it later. It’s tough to focus when fatigue sets in.
 
It could lead you to become distracted as an avoidance tactic for certain tasks.
 
You Don’t Think You’ll Do Well
Fear of failure is another big reason that people will avoid certain tasks. Often, they’re afraid of looking bad.
 
Or they want to avoid the embarrassment they might feel. This fear of failure is quite common but it’s one of the easier fears to overcome.
 
The remedy usually is the result of working on self-confidence and self-acceptance.
 
Medical Conditions
Several conditions such as anxiety and depression can lead you to avoid what you want to do. Although this may sound bad, treatment of the underlying condition is possible.
 
And this can help you find your motivation to follow through.
 
The reasons on this list may vary, but they all boil down to a shortage of motivation. If this is the case with you then start by realizing that you lack motivation.
 
Once you do, you can start paving your road to the future with real motivation.
 
JohnK 10-11-2021
 
Stick figure hears about tasksOverheard: “The hardest task needs the lightest hand or else its completion will not lead to freedom but to a tyranny much worse than the one it replaces”
                             ~Socrates
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer about tasks
 
 
 

You Can Teach Your Children How to Eat Healthier

September 27, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Children tend to have eating habits that are all over the place. They eat what delights the eyes, but their stomachs often pay the price. 

Take a look at these GenuLines tips designed to get the kids on board with healthy eating. 

You Can Teach Your Children How to Eat Healthier

vegetable for childrenOne of the leading causes of childhood obesity is poor food choices. Offer kids either vegetables or a cookie and most will choose the cookie.
 
Admit it, sometimes even adults do the same thing!  But, with a few strategic lessons good role modeling, you can teach your children to put health first.
 
Here are some ideas:
 
 
 
 
 
 
* Help them learn to like healthy foods
Forcing kids to eat vegetables and whole grains gets met with resistance. Instead of preparing a plate of lima beans and telling your children to eat it all, give them a choice. 
 
Prepare a variety of vegetables, side dishes, and whole-grain options.  Encourage your children to try new things.
 
Children generally have to try something several times before they begin to like it.  You will have to be patient.  Reward them with verbal praise when they try new healthy foods.
 
If they say they don’t like it, nod your head and praise them for trying it.  Let them know that taste buds change and they might like it better next time or as they get a bit older.
 
* Make sugar a treat
Many children have become so accustomed to sweet foods. A lot of them feel that anything that doesn’t have sugar just tastes bad. 
 
If your kids eat a lot of sweets, scale back on the amount they have available to them.  Start with one treat a day and at some point consider reducing it to one treat a week.
 
Yet, make sure that food doesn’t become a reward for behavior.  And don’t forget to check things like cereal which can be high in sugar.
 
Your children’s desire for sweets will decrease. And they’ll begin enjoying a variety of other healthy foods.

* Involve them in meal planning and preparation

Children who help you prepare a meal, are going to be much more excited about eating it.  Invite yours to help you choose meals, help with the grocery shopping, and then prepare the foods.
 
While in the produce area, ask them to find and pick out the various vegetables and fruits you need for the meal.  They’ll learn about their veggies, and they’ll be more excited to try them.
 
Consider putting them in charge of the meal choices for one evening each week.  You can provide them with a list of choices.  You can also browse cookbooks together.

* Be a good role model

You can’t expect your children to make healthy choices if you don’t. Take good care of your health. 
 
Exercise and eat well.  Show the kids that taking care of themselves and making good food choices is important.
 
* Embrace other cultures
A great way to help your children appreciate food is to help them learn about what other cultures eat.  You can embrace one country each month and make a meal. 
 
You can call it “cultural night.”  Combine it with family game night, and make trying new foods something to which you can look forwards.

* Teach your children the “why” behind food choices

If your children don’t know why they should make healthy choices, they won’t care. Talk to them about how some foods work.
 
Some provide lasting energy, while others burn out quickly and make us feel tired and cranky. 
 
Adjust the conversation depending on your children’s ages.
 
Finally, just enjoy food, because it’s so easy to get caught in the trap of being too rigid about food.  This can cause a backlash. 
 
It can motivate children to hide food and to feel ashamed.  Make sure children know that it’s about moderation, not restriction and deprivation. 
 
This will lead to a happy relationship with food that they can take into their adult years.
 
JohnK 9-27-2021
 
Overheard: “Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.”stick figure hears about children
                            ~Hippocrates
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer about children
 
 

Be Relentless In Your Pursuit Of Change

August 16, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

You need to make a change in your life. You know you do, but it just seems so damn hard to do. 

Let GenuLines put some fuel into your intention to follow through toward that much-needed change 

 

Be Relentless in Your Pursuit of Change

For many people, change is a difficult thing. There’s so much to it that can make you uncomfortable.

 So you might start to give up on it, even if the end goal is a positive one.
 
You don’t want to spend that time being uncomfortable. You’d rather live with the mediocrity and stay where they’re used to being.
 
This kind of mindset is not one built for success.
 
picture of change
 
Even if it’s hard for you to process, you still need to be relentless when going through change. Go into it knowing that it won’t be easy, but it’s something that you have to do.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Without change, you’re not going to make the switch from a mediocre life to a successful one. If you don’t do enough to stick with the changes you’re making, you’re going to spin your wheels.
 
You might stay stuck in the same place for years to come.
 

Tough Love

Sometimes, this mindset requires you to be strict with yourself and others. If you want to see that change, you can’t let those who don’t want you to succeed hold you back.
 
There will always be life obstacles you need to overcome.
Input from toxic family members who don’t agree with your life choices.
 
Or your current employer would try to steer you away from quitting. Especially if you’re a vital part of the company.
 
By being firm with your dedication to change, you’ll be able to remove these roadblocks.
 
You can’t let people talk you out of what you want to do. Only you know what’s best.
 
You need to limit contact with those who try to steer you away from your goals. Remind yourself that no matter what anyone else tells you, the goals you want to achieve are possible.
 
Don’t let someone talk you out of your pursuit of success and change. If you do you’re not ready to become successful.
 
You have to be adamant about fulfilling your dreams and not let anyone or anything limit you.
 
JohnK 8-16-2021
 
stick figure hears about change
 
Overheard:  “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
                          ~Leo Tolstoy
 
 
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disclaimer for change
 
 

Stick To Your Fitness Resolution

May 24, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Every New Year fitness is high on the list of resolutions. You tell yourself that you’re going to hit the gym with a vengeance.

But by midyear that resolution is a mere memory. If this sounds familiar let this GenuLines reminder get you back on track.

Stick To Your Fitness Resolution

runner aims for fitness
 
The majority of New Year’s resolutions fail. Getting fit is one of those frequent failures.
 
If you’ve ever spent much time in a gym, you know the routine. For the entire month of January, there’s often a line at every piece of equipment in the building.
 
The local fitness facility begins to resemble Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Yet the crowds thin out weeks later. .
 
 
 
 
 
Today we offer a few tips that can bring you closer to your fitness goals for the New Year.
 

Keep Things Simple

When you set out on a new fitness journey, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.
 
What workout routine is best? What foods should you eat?
 
Fitness, as well as life in general, is best kept simple.
The best workout routine is the one you’ll stick to.  And your nutrition shouldn’t be rocket science.
 
You know what foods are good for you and what’s junk. The biggest factor in your fitness success is consistency.

Set Reasonable Goals

Advertising does a great job of making drastic body transformations seem like a snap. Even more comical are the timeframes reported by these ads.
 
How many times have you heard, “In just 15 minutes per day, 3 times per week, you’ll finally have those six-pack abs?”
 
This is all nonsense, as physical changes to your physique don’t work this way.
Fitness is about the long game.
 
While you WILL see progress, it doesn’t happen overnight.
 
So instead of going to the gym 7 days a week and eating nothing but celery, set goals that you can stick to. Start small.
 
Hold yourself accountable to 3 workouts per week. And avoiding your favorite late-night junk food.

Develop A Strong “Why”

As we’ve already discussed, fitness is about consistency. The incredible sense of motivation and enthusiasm you feel at the start WILL come and go.
 
If your only inspiration to work out is to “look better,” know there will be a lot of days in which that’s just not enough. Make your “why” unique to you.
 
Find it and use it to push through the hard days!
 
JohnK 5-24-2021
 
Stick figure hears about fitnessOverheard: Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.
                                        ~John F. Kennedy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for fitness

5 Reasons To Be Grateful For Struggle

May 17, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Life’s struggles usually don’t move us to feeling grateful that we have them. But GenuLines iinvites you to re-examine this idea.

You may be surprised at the results!

5 Reasons To Be Grateful For Struggle

Have you ever asked yourself why you always want more? You want to make yourself better.
 
Get that promotion. Earn more money.
 
man needs to be grateful
 
Win the lottery, a new car, a bigger house, another pet, to travel more often. It’s natural to pine for new things and to aim your sights higher.
 
But…
But there’s a problem here. We often take our eye off the ball.
 
And instead of living in the present, we become obsessed with the future. We figure everything will be better there.
 
But you can’t make everything better there without first putting in the work here.
The struggles that we face now do serve a purpose.
 
It isn’t something we enjoy or look forward to, but we may be able to find reasons to be grateful for those struggles.
 
Here’s why:
 
1. It Could Be Worse
This might not sound like a reason to be grateful for struggle, but… do you have the food you need to survive and a roof over your head? You have the basics down and while that isn’t everything, for right now it is.
 
Sometimes coming back to that thought is enough to remind you of your life achievements. You’re building the strength to handle what you’re facing now.
 
2. You Can See Through People
When you’re struggling, you learn who your real friends are. Friends can offer a great shoulder to lean on. But false friends can make their way into your life. They’re the first ones to run for the hills when things get tough.
 
3. You Rediscover Who You Are
You might wonder how this could be true, but it is. Think about the darkest days you’ve ever experienced. Now realize that you’re still here and you’re still standing. This speaks to your ability to be strong..
 
4. You Learn To Appreciate The Little Things
Sometimes we take these things for granted. Pause to savor your morning cup of coffee.
 
Carry this attitude with you through the day. Share your good energy with other people.
 
An act of kindness can change your day – and help others to change theirs.  
 
5. Struggle is Building You Up
It might feel like your struggles are trying to tear you down. But like working a muscle they’re building you back up.
 
It’s difficult to think of struggles as being a blessing. But the blessing comes from your response to those struggles.
 
What’s the most difficult type of struggle to cope with? One that you have no control over.
 
You learn to cope and when you know how to cope, you learn how to succeed.
 
 
 
JohnK 5-17-2021
 
stick man being gratefulOverheard: “If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
                             ~Meister Eckhart
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for being grateful

4 Solid Ways To Stop Procrastination

September 7, 2020 John Uncategorized No comments

Procrastination.

I do it.

You do it.

The fact is, we do it more often than we like to admit.

So GenuLines urges you to get moving on some ways to stop procrastinating.

(You can listen to this article by clicking HERE)

4 Solid Ways To Stop Procrastination

Procrastination is more than turning in school or work projects late.
It can also include putting off important life decisions.

Like whether to ask your boss for the raise promised you last month. Or whether you should join a gym, or end a relationship, or have a baby.man shows procrastination

The list of possibilities is endless.

The effect of not dealing with this can be life-long. Your relationships, career, and health might all take a hit.

 

 

But the tendency is to put things off until later. There’s always tomorrow, right?

It won’t be easy but try to identify the stress factor behind your procrastination. It could be fear of failure, fear of confrontation, fear of not being perfect.

You are your own worst critic.

Follow these tips to help you avoid procrastination once and for all.

1. Turn burdensome tasks into habits

We all have enough willpower to get about 3 or 4 tasks done each day. Turn yours into habits rather than mundane tasks.

You’ll give it less thought, and rely less on willpower. You won’t fall into the procrastination rut.

Why not turn healthy eating, daily exercise, or turning in reports ahead of time into daily habits, too? Procrastination is all about taking that dreaded first step.

So why not ease into it knowing that in time, or once you’ve finished X, you can watch videos or head outdoors.

2. Break work tasks into chunks

Instead of cleaning out the entire garage, do the right side first. Take a break.

Then do the left side. Take a break, and then finish off the rest.

At work, big tasks may seem daunting when you look at them as a whole. The answer?

Break them down into smaller tasks. Make an outline of the entire project, and then divide it into smaller tasks.

Working in 30-minute increments also helps break down tasks into smaller chunks. Those are manageable and not so intimidating.

After the 30 minutes, take a break and assess your work. Seeing how much you’ve accomplished will give you that boost of confidence you need to keep at it.

3. Remove distractions

Checking your email every 5 minutes isn’t doing you any good. So, once you’ve committed to doing the job, limit distractions by putting your away.

You can find apps that help you stay on track, but some will say that’s completely missing the point.

The important thing is that you set up a certain time for checking emails or your social media. Once you’ve started your task, you avoid the urge to take a sneak peak.

Another serious distraction is multi-tasking. Even though it may seem that you’re being productive, the truth is it wastes time and energy.

Yes you’re working more. But your end results will be below average.

4. Work during your peak hours

We all have certain times during the day when we’re most alert. Some of us are morning people, some are night owls, and some have more energy during the afternoon hours.

Find out what your peak hours are and tackle your most difficult tasks then. You’ll be more of a powerhouse then with your brain working at its highest capacity.

Procrastination is different than laziness. When you procrastinate, you delay one task for a more pleasurable activity.

So why not turn that mundane task you’re dreading into something more fun and enjoyable? Then you’ll put the brakes on procrastination.

JohnK 9-7-2020
chiforyourself.com home

stick figure man hears about procrastinationOverheard: “Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin”
                                      ~ Victor Kiam

 

 

 

 

Article image by Sam Solomon on Unsplash

 

disclaimer for procrastination

Powerful Goals Are Yours If They’re S.M.A.R.T.

May 20, 2020 John Uncategorized No comments
The lockdown gives you time to make plans and set goals. When it’s over you’ll want to resume your life with a full head of steam.
 
GenuLines offers a list of steps to make sure your goals are powerful- and genuine!
 
 
microphone for speaking about goals

 

 

 

 

Powerful Goals Are Yours If They’re S.M.A.R.T.

There are smart goals and then there are S.M.A.R.T. goals. The acronym S.M.A.R.T. can help you set better goals.
 
The letters stand for Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Reasonable, and Timely. Let.s take a look at each one.
 
Rubik's Cube toward goals

 

S

Stands for specific. Be precise.

Use language that spells out what the goal is. 

Why you want to reach it. And how you will get there.
 
Detail is important here. Take the time to do this part right.

M

Stands for measurable. For example, you want to add 100 dollars a week to your income. So you decide to write 5 articles a week for buyers that will pay you for them,

A 

“A” can stand for several things, like actionable, assignable, or achievable. Actionable goals give you daily activity to get you closer to them.
 
Goals should also be achievable or you will only get frustrated. Be accurate about the time it takes to reach a goal, and what actions it takes to get there.
 
Also, know who will be responsible for doing it.

R 

This can stand for realistic or relevant, and either or both are important and are true. If you want your goal to succeed, it should be something that is realistic or you’ll fail.
 
It should also be relevant to your life’s vision and match with your values.

T

Various authors refer to the “T” in the S.M.A.R.T. acronym as time-bound, timely or trackable. These are all important parts of the goal creating and setting process.
 
If you don’t set a time limit and you can’t track what’s happening, your goal will be hard to count as achieved.
 
There are plenty of words you can use to help you craft your goals. The important thing is that you need to have a process to help you set smart goals.
 
The ones you know you’ll follow through on and know when you’ve met them.
 
JohnK 5-18-2020
 
Stick figure hears about goalsOverheard: “A goal properly set is halfway reached”
                                       ~Zig Ziglar
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for goals

Should You Take a Chance On Finding a New Career?

February 26, 2020 John Uncategorized No comments

Your career takes up a big slice of your life. It informs many of the decisions you make along your path. 

Today GenuLines helps you consider whether it’s time for a change of direction.

(you can listen to the article by clicking on the player below or scroll down to read it)

 


 

banner to help find one's career

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Should You Take a Chance On Finding a New Career?

When I was a kid we looked for jobs right out of high school or college. And we usually stayed with that same job for as long as we could.
 
Finding work automatically meant we were doing the right work.
 
Those of us who questioned what we were doing got an earful. Criticism came from friends, neighbors, and especially family.
 
You might be in a similar situation and disillusioned with your career. It just doesn’t seem to be what you thought it would be.
 
Change gonna come
You’ve thought about changing careers, but that sounds a lot like starting over.
It’s scary, especially if you’ve been in a certain career for several years, or you’re older.
 
Hey, you’re earning a decent salary and you’re even climbing the “corporate ladder.” Leaving means you’ll have to work for less money and no seniority!
 
You think to yourself “what if this affects the people in my life?”
Breaking it down
Sometimes, getting out of a bad situation is enough to overcome a salary hit. You can make money online, either by selling or working for others.
 
Being at a physical location is no longer necessary if you’re looking to make extra money.
 
The second factor with a lack of experience is the newness of it all. This can be exciting as well as scary.
 
Think back to when you first started in your original career. Any new achievement put you on top of the world.
 
The third factor concerns the lack of seniority. Remind yourself that you’ve got job and life experience that you bring to the table.
 
Any management experience that you have can work in your favor, too. And your age brings wisdom you can draw on in adverse situations.
 
Staying in a career that you’ve grown tired of can make you bitter and take years off your life. If you’ve thought about taking a chance on starting a new career, remember that many others have done it.
 
And they’ve made it work.
 
JohnK 2-26-2020
chiforyourself.com home
 
stick figure man looks for a careerOverheard: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle”
                                                      ~Steve Jobs
 
 
 
 
Article photo by kate.sade on Unsplash

 

 

 

disclaimer about your career

A Good Morning Routine Can Change Your Life (re-sending)

January 21, 2020 John Uncategorized No comments

Your morning routine is on automatic pilot for the most part. You don’t give it much thought.

But what if you tweaked your routine a bit? It could help send you on your way to more success in life.

GenuLines explains how that works.

(You can listen to this article by clicking on the player below)


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banner to help morning routine

A Good Morning Routine Can Change Your Life

How would it feel to start your day motivated and organized? It would be great, wouldn’t it?
 
You’d know what you were doing, and that everything was sorted out. You’d feel brilliant.
 

two people's morning routineIt wouldn’t take much to get a great start to your day every day. The key is to create a morning routine that motivates and organizes you for success; every day.

One of the secrets of success for the very successful is a morning routine. It doesn’t need to be complex nor does it have to be time-consuming to create or follow.
 
 
First, you’ll need to commit to planning it. Then practice it daily until it becomes a habit.
 
Now let’s look at the morning routine of motivated and organized people:
 

Early Start

Forget about long lie-ins and putting the alarm on snooze every 5 minutes. Set your alarm for an hour (or even two) earlier than normal and see your productivity soar.
 
The early start may be tough at first. But if you go to bed earlier and get enough sleep you’ll soon notice a positive difference.
 

Positive Visualization and Affirmations

Set the tone of your day with a positive charge. Visualize your success from the get-go.
 
Use positive affirmations. To boost their efficacy display those affirmations where you can see them often.
 
Do this step within the first 20 minutes of waking. The affirmations will reach your subconscious before your conscious mind takes over.
 
Exercise
Do some form of exercise. It will get your blood flowing, send oxygen through your body, and generally wake up your entire system.
 
You don’t need to go for a 5-mile run every day. Your regimen could consist of morning stretching, yoga or Tai Chi.
 
These will help calm and ground you as well as provide time for inner contemplation.
Hydration
Make sure you keep your body hydrated. Many people start their day with a glass of water and lemon.
 
Herbal tea or green juice are also good choices for an early morning drink to get your day started the right way.
 
Planning
When you know what needs to be done you increase your chances of having a successful day. Have a to-do list ready and identify the order of priority.
 
Make sure the list isn’t too long, 10 items or fewer is an ideal length.
 
Nutrition
A healthy breakfast fuels your body for the day ahead. You’ll feel more alert.
 
And you’ll be better able to concentrate on what needs to get done.
 
Reading
Take some time to read. A few minutes of inspiring material will help you be positive and motivated.
 
Even 10 minutes can be enough to get your mind working and your motivation kick-started.
 
The list of possible reading material is endless. From biographies to self-help the writers can inspire you and even act as role models.
 
Money Tasks
Somewhere during your day, you want to do something that will either make you money or keep you from spending it. Pay your bills so that you don’t get overdue notices and charges.
 
Kitchen Patrol
Prep the day’s meals so that you don’t feel tempted to get take out when you’re feeling tired at the end of the day. Load the dishwasher.
 
Clear (and clean) the kitchen counters.
 
If you want to have a successful day, start it in a positive way. Having a morning routine will ensure that you’re organized for success.
 
And you’ll feel motivated from the start.
 
JohnK 1-22-2020
 
stick figure talking about plant morning routineOverheard: “The sun is new each day”
                            ~Heraclitus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer about morning routine
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