Have you ever sworn to yourself that today is the day that you are going to start making those big changes?

Losing that weight? Leaving that job? Starting that new business? Finding new love?

So you take the leap.

You turn over a new leaf. You completely overhaul your old habits. Maybe invest in a program. And away you go.

Only to find yourself not even two weeks later feeling that you are even further away from those big goals than when you started?

Destiny is in the Doing — and the Doing begins with the first step. 

Destiny is in the Doing — and the Doing begins with the first step.

Today, I want to share with you a huge, HUGE tip. One that I discovered when I was figuring out how to get out of the massive ABYSS that the boulder left us in.

Yes, that crazy boulder that fell on my youngest daughter Schuyler more than 4 years ago. It ended both of our lives in one way but launched us into another life that would prove to be far more powerful. 

However, in spite of all the gifts that lay in that crisis, it left Schuy with phenomenal physical challenges and me suddenly as her 24/7 caregiver with absolutely no experience or training.

And our finances? If you are in sales, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to guess the answer to that one. Yes, it’s virtually impossible to make cold calls and sales calls from an ICU or when your child can’t even sit up by herself much less feed or transport herself. 

As living through this covid time has shown us, when we suddenly lose our income for 2, 3, 4 months — much less two years — financial terror becomes the norm and it’s difficult to stay positive.

It was a crazy time. On the eve of my 58th birthday, I realized that I was done with living under a mountain of bills. It had become clear that the recovery that we had hoped would only span a few months was certainly going to take years.

I knew that I needed a “simple to follow formula” that I could put into play even under these unusual circumstances.

More than a road map, this thing had to be a GPS. Yes, you might say that I had a heightened sense of “time awareness”.

I was done with detours and unexpected changes of direction. I needed some certainty. 

I was done with detours and unexpected changes of direction. I needed some certainty.

As I lay in my bed tossing and turning, wondering how I was going to put this system into place, I thought of one critical piece that I HAD TO CONSIDER because I had seen it derail so many people who were trying to make changes. 

That’s the tip that I want to share with you today. 

Most of you have heard the saying DREAM BIG. 

What maybe you haven’t heard is the second part of that mandate: BUT START SMALL.

Many, many people who decide to make a change wait to pull the trigger until they are at the boiling point. By then, they are typically DESPERATE for change — and they have a long list of things that need to change.

Enthusiasm is high. Desire is high. So they typically dive in with the intention that they are going to COMPLETELY CHANGE IT ALL IN ONE FELL SWOOP.

And then they will be happy and go on to live the life of their dreams. 

The momentum carries them for a few days. Maybe even a few weeks. But typically their desire for normalcy and certainty prevails and sooner rather than later they are back to their old stories, habits and patterns. 

So much for the big changes and living happily ever after.

Or so it can seem.

The lesson here?

  1. If you are serious about making important changes, IDENTIFY one focus at a time. That will keep you clear of overwhelm.
  2. WRITE DOWN what you intend to prioritize and what you intend to DE-PRIORITIZE could I begin to clearly (and calmly) see the path. 
  3. SMALL SIMPLE TO FOLLOW STEPS are the way to see BIG RESULTS.
  4. Consistency when applied to small changes reaps HUGE rewards. 
  5. If you want to make real changes, try “stacking” the new habit onto something that you are already doing. Like using the dog walking time to listen to an energizing podcast or to practice your “elevator pitch”. 

Now is a super time to make some positive changes in your life but don’t underestimate the critical importance of paying heed to the scientific Butterfly Effect theory. As has been proven, a small change can make much bigger changes happen. 

And happen quickly. Certainly more quickly than if you tried to start with a bigger change and then gave up.

If we make even a 1% change every week, think of where we can be in a year.

If we make even a 1% change every week, think of where we can be in a year.

So yes definitely, DREAM BIG! Strive to make those powerful changes. But if you want them to stick, patience must you have, Padawan. Try starting SMALL! 

Here’s to making a massive positive impact, you JOY-RIOR, YOU!

xoxo

Meridith