Photo by IvicaNS – fotolia
A “hard out” is a term we use in media when you go off the air. It may be at the end of a segment, at the end of a show, or a transition to breaking news. But at a hard out, you must stop talking. If you are still talking when your hard out hits, you will get cut off. The commercial will roll or the network will take over. A hard out means you’re done.
A friend of mine needs a hard out. She’s had a rough go and I feel bad for her, but it’s time to be done. She lost her job, a good friend of hers is very sick, and she’s afraid of what’s next in her life. She’s been feeling crappy for way too long and it’s not going to stop until she makes it stop. She needs to go to commercial.
I plan to tell her this, although I must admit I’m nervous to say it out loud. I want to tell her that February 1st is her hard out. She then no longer gets to complain or be depressed (she’s not clinically) or not be productive during the day. We need to change her frequency.
This probably isn’t information she wants to hear, but I care about her and I truly believe if she stops thinking about the job that didn’t work out, or the unfairness of illness, or the fear of the unknown, she will be able to move forward. Losing your job still sucks, being sick is awful, and fear is debilitating, but allowing those things to paralyze you is wrong and unnecessary.
Recently, I had a guest on my show Dr. Michael Roizen who wrote This Is Your Do-Over. He said in 30-60 days, no matter how you’ve polluted your body with food, alcohol, smoke, or lack of exercise, your body gets a do over (if you make changes). My friend is getting a do over; I’m going to summon the courage to give her a hard out. I hope she lets me stay for the commercial because I really love her and want to see her next show.
This week I wish you the strength to give your struggles a hard out and a smooth lead in to your next adventure.
