Small Steps = Big Results
You don’t have to make major changes to your life to experience great results.
The Domino Effect
We’ve all heard, and possibly experienced, the expression, “Bad things happen in threes.” I wonder if the bad things happen because we feel an abundance of negative energy after the first unfortunate event and we start emitting our negativity into the universe. The universe says, “I feel you, negativity. Now I’m going to send you more.” It’s sort of like a magnetic pull.
I have a hunch the same can be said about positive events. It makes me think about the Dutch Boy paint commercial where the woman paints a room in her house and turns it into a beautiful office. She’s so inspired by her new wall color, her writing improves and she lands a job as a television screenwriter. Then she meets some hot actor on the set and they live happily ever after. The slogan is, “It’s only paint.” I love that expression because it shows us that things can change with one, small positive step. Here’s the commercial if you want to take a peek.
Maybe real life can work that way too. Maybe a baby step can start us down a positive path. Let’s say someone’s feeling miserable because of a break up, job loss or death of a loved one. They’re finding it difficult to get out of bed. They make themself get up, even though they don’t want to, and take a shower. After the shower they look in the mirror and notice they really need a haircut. Since they’re showered anyway, they figure they may as well take care of the haircut. The new hairstyle makes them feel slightly more confident and gives them a small boost of energy so they decide to stop at the grocery store. It’s right next to the hair salon anyway. There are some bright red strawberries and their favorite Caesar salad mixes on sale so they put them in their cart. After eating such healthy food they feel their mood slightly improve and an ounce of pride. Did taking a shower help them meet their soulmate? Probably not. But did it result in other positive events? Absolutely.
Taking the First Step
Our actions have power. Taking one small step in the direction we want to go has the potential to result in a number of other worthwhile events if we allow the momentum to carry us. The tricky part is taking the first step.
There are times when we need to give ourselves a break and simply rest. My body is pretty good at letting me know when it’s time. I usually have low energy, a sore throat and body aches. If possible, I allow myself to rest on my next day off work and nap for a few hours that afternoon. My goal is to not feel guilty about a lack of productivity. That’s getting easier because history has shown me that I almost always feel better the next day. Not everyone has the luxury of taking that time to rest but if you can make it happen, I encourage you to try.
However, there are other times when we need to jump in and do something that’s good for us, even though we don’t want to. It’s usually most effective after resting hasn’t helped. It might mean getting out of bed and taking a shower. It might mean getting some exercise, creating a budget or cleaning the house. If good things happen in threes, exercise could lead to more energy and crossing one more item off your to do list. Creating a budget might prevent you from buying something later in the day that you don’t really need or give you a sense of control over your own life. Cleaning the house might bring a feeling of peace. (Research has shown that our mood often reflects our environment.) Or maybe it inspires us to invite a friend over for dinner.
A Challenge
Your challenge is to find the first small step that will set you off on a positive course. What are you trying to accomplish? Start with a baby step and see where it leads you. Here are a few suggestions:
Go for a walk.
Clean up your yard.
Plan a week’s meals.
Draw a picture.
Clean out a closet.
Write a poem.
Catch up on laundry.
Make a phone call you’ve been putting off.
Reach out to an old friend.
Put your phone away for an evening.
Or paint a room. I heard it can lead to love!
Resources
This week’s resource is a bit different. It’s a post by Suleika Jaouad. She’s an amazing writer and artist. She also happens to be the wife of Jon Batiste. Unfortunately Suleika’s battling cancer again. She writes about the importance of small joys. I was inspired and hope you are too.
And here’s a poem I wrote several years ago after I heard about a couple who celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary at McDonald’s because it’s where they met. Again, one small step…
