Think Big, Start Small
It’s that time of year again where the words, “New Year, New Me“, become the universal mantra for all. January is littered with good intentions and big promises to do better and be better. We raid our pantries trading cookies for kale chips and skip the Netflix binging for power walking. At first, we embrace these changes and remain hopeful that we’re on the path of big changes and big results. But as the days and weeks go by something begins to shift and we find ourselves feeling less motivated, less interested and less excited about all of these big promises that we made to ourselves. Then, we simply give up. We’re left feeling defeated, disappointed and hopeless. We beat ourselves up because it’s not even February and already we have failed ourselves. Again.
Here’s the thing, trying to completely makeover your life in one fell swoop is a recipe for disaster. In fact, studies have shown that on average only 9-12% of people will be able to stick with their New Year’s Resolutions and be successful. Why? Because too many big changes, all at once become unsustainable which leads to failure. But what if there was a way to be successful that didn’t require overhauling everything in your life all at once? Or that relied solely on sheer will power to stick with it? What if instead of trying to do a complete and total one-eighty we instead vowed to take just one, small step.
That’s it!
Just one, small step. Repeated over and over again with consistency.
Let’s use breakfast as an example. An average sized doughnut can be upwards of 350 calories. If you couple that with a large Starbucks Frappuccino you will end up consuming around 600 calories, just for breakfast! But what if you made one small change and instead of a sugary, calorie laden breakfast you decided to have a black coffee with a splash of half-and-half, whole grain toast and a piece of fruit? Not only would you save hundreds of calories each day but you’d start your morning off feeling properly fueled. Even without changing one other thing in your day, this alone would lead to better health and over the long haul, a decreased likelihood of weight gain. All of that from just one, small step. One tiny change when compounded over time will yield big results.
In order to make successful change, we don’t need to do every single thing in our lives differently. Instead, we need to find ways to take smaller, more sustainable steps that don’t leave us feeling miserable. Start by breaking down your big goals into more “bite-size” pieces. Want to lose weight? Don’t focus on the big picture of 40, 50 or 60 lbs. Start with the first five pounds and when you hit that goal, focus on the next five and keep going. Celebrate every success along the way and over time, those small five pound wins will add up to a big weight loss result.
To make things even easier, add your small steps into existing routines. Want to start a workout regimen? Don’t vow to wake up a 5am every day and hit the gym when your day normally starts at 8am. That will make working out entirely too hard to stick with for the long term. Instead, insert your workout into a part of your day where it will be easier to stick with. For example, you have a one hour lunch break and usually spend 45 minutes of that time on your phone playing games. Instead, eat your lunch then take a brisk 15 minute walk outside before allowing yourself to play on your phone. You still keep your routine of lunch and games however, you also get your workout in too.
Hitting your goals and making big changes in your life need not be a miserable experience. When we break things down and focus on taking small, consistent steps that are both manageable and sustainable big things will happen! Instead of setting yourself up for failure this year, why not be gentler on yourself and start small. Your future (successful) self will thank you!
