A Tiny Shift In Behaviour Can Change Your Life

The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.

Albert Einstein

Hello, Lovelies!

The beautiful Lilly Belle Rose posted this yesterday in our private facebook group. Her comment is based on the image below, and the quote about giving as much energy to your dreams as to your fears. Lilly is one of those people I fiercely admire for her courage in self-reflection, and in actually doing the work which brings about change. She’s an active contributor who enriches everyone around her with her thoughtfulness, and she’s a very valued member of our community. Here’s what she said:

Nicole had this advice on this day five years ago. I really needed the reminder this morning. Have been thinking about how much I ” practice ” my bad habits and what in my life would be different if I put that same amount of time and focus into my growth and progress ..
The energy today feels different after a couple days of rain and storms , October vibes are here and I like them.
Sending you all a big hug, a warm chocolate chip cookie and some unexpected belly laughter.
Xxxx

It got me to thinking about habits, and how so often we think that overhauling our life is going to take massive effort. But there are so many studies which prove that few people who make massive changes stick to those changes over time. And the damage we do to ourselves by seeing ourself as a failure, and the negative self-talk it generates when we can’t stick to a huge shift in our routine, actually does more damage than if we had never tried at all.

What works best is tiny shifts.

I have a client who lost 40kg in two years by dancing to one song in her kitchen while the kettle boiled to make her morning cup of tea. Once one song became easy she added extra kitchen dancing moments during her day until she got up to ten songs over the day. As her body changed and her fitness increased she naturally started making better food choices and adding even more activity to her day. She said it was EASY, after having failed at diets for 20 years.

A friend of mine, with a large family and a very noisy and small house, wrote a book (which has now been published by a major publishing house) in one-hour installments on a Thursday night, sitting in her laundry room at a folding table, with a load of towels in the dryer to create white noise while the rest of the family watched television.

Litte Steps You Can Try

• If you want to lose weight, try replacing one meal a day with a salad or cut down the sugar in your coffee, or have one less can of energy drink or soda.
• If you want to meditate, start with two minutes of drawing light into your body and focusing on your breath before you get out of bed in the morning.
• If you want to write a book, try to get down 50 to 100 words a day, or do a one-hour weekly stint like my friend did.
• If you want to learn a new skill, give it five to ten minutes of your time on it each day, and practice one little thing until you get it right.
• If you want to improve your relationship, spend five minutes a day being really present, without distractions, and truly listening to your partner with a view to understanding and supporting them.
• If you want to get fit, start by adding an extra 300 steps to your day.
• If you want to improve your intuition, work with my Planner. Do your weekly card, do the simple guided meditation, spend a few minutes in graitude each week. (2020’s is coming soon!)
• If you want to improve your time management and self-care, work with the tiny steps in my Planner – Sunday sessions, choosing one small habit to work with, tracking your finances, gifting yourself Lucky Dips and Magical Carrots. (Did I mention my 2020 Planner is coming soon?)

The Psychology of Little Steps

Little steps help us to mentally accept the change because it seems so insignificant – so do-able. Almost too easy. And that’s the point. There will be no resistance to a small and insignificant step. Little steps are too small to be a major inconvenience. They are so small that it takes only a little extra energy to get them done.

Repeated often this new step will soon become a habit – an automatic action you don’t even need to think about anymore because it will just be what you do. When that habit is nailed you can add in a new small step.

Easy.

So, we are in an energy right now that supports conscious change. Why not give yourself a real chance of succeeding by aiming to start off easily, with small steps and tiny actions?

What tiny, insignificant thing can you do today that will move you closer to your dreams and goals?

Much love, Nicole xx