Big doors swing on little hinges – I am sure heard this old saying before. Small changes can result in big results in life. It is so easy to forget about how small steps we take influence the outcome of big things in life.
Are you looking to change your life on a personal and professional level? Are you waiting for a huge breakthrough to happen that brings about the desired change? Well, sometimes we are waiting and waiting and feel that nothing much happens, right?
Small steps and changes can build up to that big breakthrough we are dreaming about. Plus making little steps in the right direction might feel much easier and simpler.
Let’s look at small steps you can take in order to improve your work and personal life. This series will give you many suggestions for change. No, you don’t have to take all the steps we share – that would only result in major overwhelm. Take only one or two suggestions you like and find easy to integrate into your life – and leave the others.
Let’s begin!
1) Set Goals You Can Achieve
Setting goals can make the difference between just thinking about what we want to achieve and actually getting it done. Goals make your vision clearer and make you think of a pathway to achievement.
However, setting goals that are too difficult to achieve won’t be helping you. If you feel it is too much effort, you might never begin. If you feel it will take decades to reach that particular goal, you might procrastinate before you even start the 1st step.
A big goal can put so much pressure on you that you might simply give up. Next time you make your goals, make sure they are SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. But most importantly make sure that your goals are achievable!
2) Rise Early!
Waking up earlier consistently every day will bring many improvements to your life. Numerous studies have shown that early risers are more likely to exercise, get better sleep, be better at planning their day, and getting more done in a day.
Yes, you might feel it is impossible for you to wake up 30 minutes earlier. This usually means that you are not getting enough sleep! The secret to waking up earlier is to go to bed earlier on the previous night.
Try to cut back on meaningless activities in the evening. What if you cut back on the number of shows you watch? Or decide to NOT watch the news late at night? One thing is sure you will be able to fall asleep easier and have a calmer night. And be ready to jump out of your bed earlier the next day.
3) Practice Gratitude
Although many things in life are beyond our control, the way we choose to see things isn’t.
Do you feel like bad things just keep happening to you? Why don’t you start to practice daily gratitude to train your mind to focus on the positives?
You can be grateful for small things in life. In fact, the small good things are the easiest to take for granted. On cold winter nights having a warm bed to sleep in – what a wonderful thing to be grateful for!
Start small! Every night before you fall asleep, think of just one thing you are grateful for. Of course, feel free to add more than one thing if you feel like it.
Feeling grateful is not about writing up a compulsory list of 10 things you feel thankful about. It is about evoking the feeling of gratitude in your life every day.
Check back soon for the next part of this series of “Small changes – Big impact” articles!