When you have the opportunity to ask some of the most interesting people in the world about their lives, sometimes the most fascinating answers come from the simplest questions. The Thrive Questionnaire is an ongoing series that gives an intimate look inside the lives of some of the world’s most successful people.
Thrive Global: What’s the first thing you do when you get out of bed?
Alexis Christoforous: The first thing I do when I get out of bed in the morning is use the restroom, take my vitamins with a glass of water and make lunches for my children before they go to school.
TG: What gives you energy?
AC: Staying hydrated, exercising, and laughing give me energy.
TG: What’s your secret life hack?
AC: My secret life hack is making my own luck. It means being prepared, doing the work, making the connections, and putting the pieces in place to give myself the best opportunity for success.
TG: Name a book that changed your life.
AC: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery is a book that changed my life. This little book taught me big lessons; that happiness is not about possessions, but comes from within and that true happiness is loving and caring for someone or something outside of yourself.
TG: Tell us about your relationship with your phone. Does it sleep with you?
AC: I check my phone shortly before going to bed to make sure there is nothing pressing going on, either personally or professionally. I then shut my phone off and place it on the nightstand next to my bed. Even though it’s turned off, I suppose I feel better knowing my phone is nearby.
TG: How do you deal with email?
AC: The influx of emails in a day can be overwhelming so I do my best to stay on top of them. I check email throughout the day continuously on either my smart phone or computer. I try to address an email right away, but if it requires more than a quick response, I’ll flag the email as a reminder, and so that it doesn’t fall into the great “email abyss.”
TG: You unexpectedly find 15 minutes in your day, what do you do with it?
AC: I wish I could say I meditate, but the truth is I organize, either tidying up my office or home, or updating my ongoing “To Do” list. In some ways, this IS my meditation because I feel I’m doing something for me to improve my peace of mind.
TG: Share a quote that you love and that gives you strength or peace.
AC: “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” — Babe Ruth. I love this quote because it reminds me to move through the fear and do it anyway. Just imagine all the things that would never have been if someone didn’t have the courage to take that swing.
Alexis Christoforous is an award-winning broadcast journalist at Yahoo Finance, mother of three, lover of the arts, and native New Yorker.
Originally published at medium.com