Have you ever heard the saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff?”
Maybe we *should* pay attention to the small stuff.
While pulling back to see the big picture and remembering that our lives are interconnected systems that experience change constantly, I think it's important to remember that sustainable healing, growth, and restoration are all incremental.
Big, sweeping changes might look like progress from one perspective because there is an outcome to point to.
Physical science has taught us well, however, that when systems are impacted by a big adjustment, they will fight back to return to stasis—an equal and opposite reaction. If we want to make lasting change, we need to honor the need for incremental changes until the system can withstand the stress of new changes and begin to build capacity and resilience to take on the next challenge.
The psychological benefits are also apparent when we can gain new skills, capacity, and mastery as we learn and grow. Each success builds our confidence, our sense of impact, and our ability to learn the next step in a process. By taking small steps, we also limit the risk of harm or failure, which creates conditions in which our nervous systems are less fearful and more open to retaining and applying new knowledge and experience.
If we try and force change, the rapid shift creates instability that doesn’t encourage the heart, mind, body, or soul to stay open to creativity, possibility, or expansion.
Starting with one movement towards change and experiencing success or less painful failure gives us the opportunity to take the next step, whether it is building on the success or trying again.
It’s slow, but it has a lasting impact. Just like how drops of water, slowly collecting, traveling together, and continuing on a path, can change the face of the world.
But it starts with one single drop.
In the same way, when we are ready to grow, change, heal, or develop, even small mindful moments can lead to profound and lasting shifts in our lives.
Micro-journeys of mindfulness invite us into a sustainable practice that begins with weaving little moments into your everyday life. Not big adjustments, but small, manageable experiences, like:
- A gratitude pause before starting your workday or a project.
- A 2-minute breathing exercise during lunch breaks.
- Mindful reflection while sipping your morning coffee or tea.
Even with a busy schedule, this pause can increase capacity and productivity by refreshing your systems and replenishing your resources.
Curated views of transformation from social media and movies would have us believe transformation is immediate and dramatic, but we know that it isn’t the foundation of what is sustainable and healthy.
Big changes don’t require big actions. They start with a single small step.
To support you in your journey, I’ve created a brief guide, “Affirmations for Daily Living,” that is available for you to download and use as you make those meaningful and manageable movements toward the truth of you.
