What advice have you received throughout your life regarding getting big results? Has anyone offered you advice on diet and exercise? How about on improving your mind? What “words of wisdom” did you receive?
We’ve all heard most of them already. There are thousands of answers, pieces of advice, and words of wisdom. For example, “No pain, no gain. Go big or go home. Go for broke.” These sayings try to convince you that you must push and push until you can’t push any more.
To me, that is the worst advice ever! If people keep pushing until they can’t push any more, more than likely they will just quit instead. My personal preference is to take tiny steps – so long as you keep moving forward.
You have to do things in a way that is manageable. That is why that tiny habit of brushing your teeth after a meal works. If the dentist recommended you brush every hour, you would not do it as it would be a painful inconvenience.
Tiny steps can apply in all areas of our lives. Tiny steps make tiny habits, and tiny habits eventually accumulate to give you big results. Here are twelve tiny steps you can start taking right now.
- Understand your food. Stop discarding the food that is going to help you live a healthy life. It’s a tiny step to health when you begin eating raw vegetables with lunch and dinner and even as a snack. Most people trim the leafy part off the celery. Did you know that they are full of nutrients? They are also very flavorful. You can chop them into a salad, or put them in the freezer to use in soup stock or recipes later. They won’t stay fresh for long, so you could trim them and eat them (or store them) when you first bring the celery home. Many of the things we discard from our produce can actually be used. Research what other parts of different vegetables you can eat and take the tiny step to eat healthier and reduce waste.
- Stay hydrated. Water is vital to our good health. Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. You tend to sweat at night, so you need to rehydrate, and the water will help get your system going and flush toxins gathered in the digestive area. Drink water all day long – you could measure it out in the morning and drink it through the day if it’s easier. I like to add essential oils to my water (make sure they are certified pure tested grade and safe for ingestion) such as lemon, lime, wild orange, or peppermint. By taking the tiny step to sip throughout the day you will enjoy better health.
- Stay away from the junk food! If you are going to be out and about for awhile, take snacks with you. This will prevent you from grabbing an unhealthy donut or other processed food snack while you are out. If you enjoy them, take a small bag of raw sunflower seeds or walnuts with you to snack on. There are lots of healthy options available. Your body will thank you for this.
- Take a cellphone break! Electromagnetic fields given off by cellphones and other devices can create high levels of oxidative stress that damage your DNA and mitochondria. They can also impair energy production, and negatively affect the reproductive system of both men and women. Nonstop use of cellphones are bad for your mental health as well. You need time away from your cellphone each day. Eat your healthy lunch with the cellphone turned off and spend the time feeling gratitude for your life. Put it away at night – don’t keep it near where you are sleeping.
- Express gratitude daily in a personal way. Saying a casual thank you when someone holds the door for you is always a good thing to do. Go the extra step. Take one minute and write a gratitude note or text to someone every day. It can be for friends, co-workers, the coffee server, and of course, anyone in your family. You and the recipient will both benefit.
- Help out when you can. Be that cool person. You know, the one who grabs a trash bag and picks up the windblown trash that the garbage collector is going to ignore. Your neighbors will appreciate it, especially the elderly couple across the street who reminisces when the neighborhood was fresh and clean.
- Donate financially to a cause you care about. Every day, set aside your change. It doesn’t have to be a lot. After a month, it will have added up, and you can give it to an organization that supports your cause. Do our homework first, though, to be sure they are reputable.
- Don’t be afraid to walk. Frequently when you go shopping, you can see empty spaces at the edge of the parking lot. This is one of the best places to park. It gives your legs a stretch after sitting in the car, and every step you take in a day counts towards better health. It also saves those close up spaces for people who really need them.
- Get in tune with your stressors. Stress is something we deal with every day. You need to recognize stress when it hits, or better yet when it is close to hitting, and deal with it. Have a positive affirmation memorized that you can use right away. For example, many people use, “This too shall pass.” The stressful incident will lose its power when you take control of your words and your thoughts about it.
- Remember to move. Many people sit all day at work and then plop down on the couch after dinner. Take a stretch break regularly. Stand up, stretch your body and take deep breaths of air to invigorate your heart and lungs. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk while you are on the phone. There are many ways to keep moving even if you have a sedentary job.
- Back away from the plate. This is good advice in baseball, so you don’t get beaned with the ball. In-home life, we mean it is not necessary to finish every bite on your plate. Small portions are best, but if you take too much, push the plate away. Wrap it up and eat it another time. Try to eat your larger meal earlier in the day. It makes for more restful sleep.
- Set boundaries. You don’t have to give an answer right in most instances. Take the time you need to think about your answer and make the right decision for you and those around you. If someone is pressuring you for a quick answer and you aren’t sure, tell them you will get back to them. Don’t be afraid to say no if it is in your best interest to do so.
By taking these tiny steps each and every day, you will surely see some big results in your physical and mental joy. The key is make sure each step is moving in the right direction. Move forward, don’t give up, and believe in yourself. YOU’VE GOT THIS!!!
Find your purpose – find your joy!
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Did you find a few more ideas of your own? If so, I’d love to hear about them in the comments, and as always please reach out with your thoughts.
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Email: info@SerenitiesNow.com
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Serenities Now LLC is a holistic health practice and healing center that will find you the tools you need to bring calm to your chaos, take back your control, and break through your barriers, so you can become your best self ever.