The Little Things That'll Change Your Life
Hey there,
How are you today? I know I like to think big and go big, but today we are going to talk about the little things… because little things, day in and day out, lead to those big things in a sustainable long lasting sort of way.
There are little things you can do every single day that are going to completely transform your life. By implementing them, you’ll end up healthier, happier, more mindful, less stressed, and connected. Let’s jump into them!
1) Meditate for 5-15 minutes.
Meditation is how you are able to transform your mind, increase your focus and attention, relax, and find peace and clarity in you life. It’s a really powerful tool and it is totally FREE. I think that there’s a lot of fear over starting a meditation practice… the thing I hear the most is “I just can’t sit still and quiet my mind,” and my response to this is, then you really really need to meditate. And when people say, “I just don’t have time to meditate,” my response is, then you need to meditate for even more time. Stop. Making. Excuses. I’m seriously such a high energy fidgety person whose brain never ever stops… I get you. But this is the reason you need to meditate.
Beginner’s tips:
sit tall, OR lie on your back (as long as you won’t be tempted to fall asleep). You can sit on a bolster or even sit in a chair with your feet grounded to the floor.
close your eyes, or let your vision go blurry if you want to keep them open, take a really big breath filling the lungs, and hold at the top for the count of three… now exhale it all out while relaxing your shoulders, face, jaw, and mouth. Your face should feel like it’s hanging.
Be silent. Don’t move. The first thing you’ll notice is how badly you want to itch yourself and fidget. Try not to, but do so if you must. It’s okay. The meditation police won’t get you.
Make sure you are breathing. Focus your attention on your breath.
When your attention wanders (it will); bring it back to the breath. You can even think, inhale, 1, 2, 3, 4; exhale, 1, 2, 3, 4. If that helps!
Aim for 5-10 minutes.
To end the meditation, take a few moments to gently stretch, notice your surroundings first with your ears, then gently open your eyes. Take a moment to thank yourself for making time for you. That is so powerful what you just did and it needs to be acknowledged.
Practice daily! But don’t sweat it if you miss a day.
2) Read.
Read books that help you evolve and grow as a human. Educate yourself. Learn about the world, the earth, the stars, about spiritual and emotional growth, about the law of attraction, quantum physics, and so forth. Nothing inspires me more than when I read. And let me be honest - since becoming a mother, reading has become a serious challenge (unless I’m reading the good night dump truck book for the millionth time). But I find that if I can even carve out 20 minutes to read, I just feel better. I just finished Deepak Chopra’s Seven Laws of Spiritual Success, and I highly recommend it. I’d love if you left some good book recommendations in the comments section. I just carry a book around with me, and if I have a few moments, I try to read rather than hopping on my phone!
3) Stretch and move your body.
Your body was designed to move, and when it doesn’t, problems arise. I look at my yoga practice as a movement practice. It keeps all of my joints and muscles and bones happy and healthy. When I don’t practice, everything locks up, my back hurts, I get tension headaches, and last summer I dealt with bursitis in my hip from taking some time off. The thing is, if you haven’t been practicing some form of full body movement, you won’t recognize how bad you actually feel. It becomes normal, but the problems will arise down the road. If yoga isn’t your thing, I’ll try to respect that ;) but find a way to move your entire body and all of your joints daily!
4) Gratitude journaling.
“It is not happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy” - unknown.
Our brains are really good at judging, comparison, and focusing on what we lack. The act of gratitude journaling helps us think differently. Sometimes I feel like a bit of a broken record, but your mindset is seriously everything. Gratitude journaling simply rewires our brains. It’s an antidote to negative thoughts and feelings.
The benefits of gratitude journaling include:
feeling calmer and more at peace;
lower stress levels;
greater insight into your life;
gives you new perspectives;
on days you need a boost, you have a little personal book to boost you.
How to do it: Get yourself a journal or note book. I personally love to use a small sketchpad. Put it next to your bed, and at night take a few minutes to write about what you’re grateful for. What happened that day that was good? Try to be a specific as you can.
5). Turn off your phone.
Honestly, this may be the hardest one on the list. Screen time is addicting, and distracts us from living our lives. It seriously robs us of time which is the most precious gift we have... I am so guilty of the scroll sessions where you wonder where your night went. But the more time we spend on our phones, the worse we are going to feel. Too much screen time can strain our eyes and our bodies, can lead to anxiety and depression, and take away for the things in life that actually matter. It also can mess with our dopamine and brain chemistry. Find a system that works for you to put the phone down and reclaim your life. I recommend putting your phone on the charger at a certain time, and walking away. No phone during meal times, and so forth.
…
A little reminder before I sign off is that the only day we ever have is the one we’re in. Nothing is guaranteed for tomorrow. It doesn’t matter what you say you’ll start next week. What matters ultimately is what you do with the day you’ve got. Today is a perfect day to start incorporating these 5 little things into your life, which will ultimately lead to big changes down the line. Take action in the present moment.
What would you add to this list? I’d love to hear.
With love,
Lindsay