Small Steps for a Big Impact

Spring is a time of new beginnings on large and small scales; one change in your routine can shift your outlook in life-changing ways. I’ve now experienced how one little thing – a microscopic virus – has changed my entire life as I knew it. Changes like these are unsettling, because we don’t have a choice: we never intended to make these changes. You can counter that with something positive in your control: a small, intentional step can be life-changing!
 
I have learned just how little I really need to have in my day-to-day life, and I have a new appreciation for those things I have. By counting our blessings, we make a conscious choice to be optimistic, to have hope. And while hope is intangible, it is vital to our life during this pandemic. Sometimes, though, that abstract, intellectual exercise just doesn’t connect me to the feeling of hope. I need more tangible ways to really connect that feeling to my daily routine.

As I mentioned in my last blog post, gratitude is important and writing down what we’re thankful for is one physical act that we can add to our routine with little effort. It takes just a few minutes, and it creates a road map to reference when we need it most. The mere act of writing reinforces that sense of hope and creates a positive outlook for your day.
 
Another very small action in your own control that can have a big and enduring positive change in your life is to thank inanimate objects for the role they play or have played in your life. When I make my bed, I thank it for the warmth, comfort, and safety it provided last night for me and my husband. I count on it every night to renew my spirit and my body to prepare me for the next day.
 
I thank my office chair for supporting me in comfort and allowing me to concentrate on my work without ending up with a tired and sore body. It’s not a fancy chair – it doesn’t roll or swivel, but it’s amazing how comfortable it is. I don’t need a Herman Miller chair to be my most productive; this 60-year-old chair is just perfect. It might feel goofy the first few times you do it, but if you stick with it, you will find a new perspective on consumerism when you thank the objects that support your daily life.  
 
A few tangible ways to reinforce the feeling of hope for the future is to show appreciation for the riches our past has given us: Actually writing it down, saying it aloud. A small change in your routine really can provide a paradigm shift that changes your whole outlook on your life!
 
What small thing can you intentionally add to your day to control your sense of hope and purpose? Leave a comment to share your small and impactful change – I’d love to hear what you’re doing to be kind to yourself and exercise some control over your life. If we start reframing this experience and our lives in a positive way, we will be looking back on this time with more fondness than regret.
 
More tips next week.
 
Stay well and be kind to yourself!
 
Mrg
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