Why making just one change will change your life.

Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash

The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow, is if we change.  C. JoyBell C

Change one small thing and everything changes. Have you noticed that?

Let’s say you get up early one morning and decide to kick off a new habit by going for a walk. The fresh air, sunshine and exercise makes you feel energised and healthy. You consequently make better choices for breakfast - and drink one less coffee! Your healthy breakfast impacts your energy and focus for the morning and you achieve more than you usually do. By lunchtime you’re feeling pretty chuffed with yourself and you make healthy choices on what to eat. You even forgo a sugar fix in the afternoon and jump off the tram two stops before home to add a walk to your afternoon. You then take the time to cook a nutritious dinner while listening to an inspiring podcast. The extra exercise – and less sugar and caffeine - leads to an early night and a restful sleep.

All this because you decided to get up early and go for a walk.

See?

So let's explore how this can work for you in three simple steps . . . 

1. Identify THE small change

Everyone is different, but you know what THE change is for you. It’s the thing getting in your way or sabotaging all your other efforts.

Perhaps it’s sleep. You know if you got to sleep by 9pm your mood the following day would be entirely different. If that’s you, then sleep is your change. Maybe it’s dessert; you can’t seem to resist an after dinner sugar binge and then wake up with a sugar fog you can’t shake. Then that’s your change. It might be as simple (and powerful) as a 10-minute meditation before you go to sleep. It might be a green juice, a daily power walk, 30 minutes of yoga, listening to one inspiring podcast, journaling at 5am before your busy house wakes up.

Remember, you are setting yourself up to enjoy the flow on effects from one small positive change, so focus on the one thing you know in your heart is holding you back. In other words, it needs to matter. Write it down.

Photo by Jazmin Quaynor on Unsplash

2. Turn that change into a habit

Okay, now that you’ve identified what your one change is and started implementing it into your day, it’s time to commit. It takes about two months to form a new habit – so stick with it. Acknowledge what impact this one significant change is having on your mood, your relationships and your sense of wellbeing. This one small change is no longer a change - it’s a habit. Something you simply do.

Yes, you are now the person who gets a decent amount of sleep every night, skips dessert or commits to a morning routine. Don’t rely on feeling motivated – because motivation can wane. Simply commit.

Feeling confident? Now let's change everything . . .

3. A lifestyle is created

Ask yourself: What has your one small change inspired in your life? Are you cooking more? Making time for socialising? Exercising? Perhaps you just have a greater sense of calm. Maybe your 5am journaling has lead to an exciting new creative project, or your at-home yoga is so enjoyable you’d like to join a studio. Perhaps committing to a green juice for breakfast has lead to growing your own ingredients for it in your backyard.

See?

A lifestyle is simply the way in which a person lives and it can be created. Build on your one small change with another, then another. Stay aware of the positivity that flows from each one. Focus your attention on the long-term and the joy each and every change brings.

Welcome to your new lifestyle.

Change one small thing - and everything changes.

Now, before you leave this page, are you ready to commit to inviting in one new daily habit? Or, have you done so recently and if so can you share below your observations?