We have a lot of BIG picture items in our lives. Family, career, vacations, retirement, (insert your own big picture item here). These big picture items can often cause us to dismiss the small day to day decisions with brush-off statements that cause us to categorize being unimportant and inconsequential. All for the sake of "it tastes good", "it feels good", "it's less work and hassle this way", "it doesn't matter - it won't harm me right now", "everyone else is doing it, what difference can I make by myself?", "it's only $5", "nobody will notice", "I have bigger fish to fry", they go on and on. The fact of the matter is, these small decisions can add up to big picture things, both favorable or unfavorable alike!
This week is all about PERSPECTIVE. I wanted to take this opportunity to launch a new category/series in the blog called "Sweating the Small Stuff." It is all about recognizing all of the small behaviors and decisions and how they all add up to chronically impact our physical / mental / financial wellbeing, our relationships, and even the environment. You will realize that these small day-to-day decisions are ANYTHING but small and inconsequential when added up over time! I listened to a podcast the other day that puts this very concept into action. It's about getting 1% better every day, and establishing and breaking habits using small actions. It speaks to the power they have over our PERSPECTIVE and future behavior. It is from the Art of Manliness podcast, titled "A proven system for building and breaking habits", with James Clear , author of the book "Atomic Habits". When it comes to reaching our goals and transforming habits, Clear suggests we redirect our thinking away from willpower, and instead onto tactics and environment. If we design and plan these properly, our willpower won't have to be tested. He lays out the 4-step process of habit formation, and offers a detailed solution to reduce "friction" to our desired habits, while creating friction for our undesired habits. But what I like most about Clear's approach is his emphasis on small things. About half way through the podcast, he mentions every small thing we do in support of our goals, is like "casting a vote" - eventually if you build up enough votes, you start to identify with the person you want to be - an exerciser, healthy eater, non-smoker, wise spender, etc. There is so much in this podcast, and is a perfect launch to this series! Follow this link,. Take this small step today by giving it a listen! You will start seeing your big goals and aspirations in a different light. Be sure to check out the supporting resources lower on the podcast homepage Take-Away: For now, I challenge you to think about the compounding effect of your small decisions. Ask yourself "If I did __________ every hour/day/week, how does that look after a year/5 years/ 10 years?" Choose the salad, rinse and recycle the yogurt container, sit up straight, give a cheerful hello, invest your latte money. Do something small today to reverse a negative trend that is putting you on the path to a huge problem down the road. Do it enough times, and you'll feel better about yourself, and your day when you go to bed
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Broad Scope Narrow Focus BlogWelcome to the Broad Scope Narrow Focus Blog! I hope you find a lot of useful and applicable information as we explore the broad world of Wellness together. Check in often, as there will be new posts weekly! Enjoy Archives
September 2021
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