Podcast Episode 39: The Power of Little Changes

In Issue #1 of Be the Real You Magazine, I interviewed Amanda Godfrey. Amanda is an incredibly creative designer who started in the world of fashion. As her husband’s career and the arrival of children necessitated changes, Amanda slowly moved into interiors.

I bring up Amanda because so much of her professional life was about adjusting to little changes in her life, while at the same time always honoring her innate gift of creativity. She never gave up, but instead kept herself open and flexible to whatever creative project was revealed next.

Tiny shifts and pivots over time, and suddenly she was an interior designer, working on both residential and commercial spaces. Someone might ask Amanda; how did you accomplish that pivot? As though she had planned it all out until she accomplished an entirely different role. But she accomplished it … one little change after another.

It’s funny though, because as we reflect back, we always remember the BIG changes in our lives! Those changes that in a moment shifted our lives in an entirely new direction. The birth of our first child, a divorce, a death, a new love, a move to another city or even country. These are the changes we remember but what about the little changes we made when we adjusted to life on almost on a daily or weekly basis?

In many coaching programs, you create a 90-day or even a one-year plan. Oh ladies, I love big picture plans. I love vision boards! Yes, it is so fun to close your eyes and imagine yourself as though you’ve achieved all your listed goals for the year!

Yet, if you’re like me, most of the time those BIG goals aren’t accomplished because there are no little changes made to ever get to those big goals.

Here are a few of the big goals I hear from clients and even coaching colleagues.

I want to grow my business to x dollar amount.

I want to write a book.

I want to lose weight or get fit.

I want to get better with managing my money.

Wonderful! All fabulous BIG goals … But now how are you going to get there?

I’m here to say, it’s the little changes you make that will be critical to whether or not you achieve your big goal. But those little changes are so easy to discount because they are so small, they are often invisible to everyone but you.

A few weeks ago, I shared with all of you my own issues around food and how I have used sugar throughout my life as some sort of dysfunctional ode to love. Well, I quit eating candy. On a side note, once I actually realized what I had made sugar about and shared it with all of you, I found that it no longer held any power or interest for me. Something to think about….

So, I quit the sugar. Last Monday, I had a medical procedure that required all sorts of blood work, and I was thrilled and more than a little shocked to see that my glucose had gone from over 100 to 78 after just two-three weeks of my tiny change!

Now, nothing is visible. I’m haven’t lost all sorts of weight, but I felt super proud. Change had happened because of one tiny change I made in my life.

Two points I want you to notice here.

First, when you identify what tiny change you need to make, it must be tied to your big goal, or you will not take it seriously. You’ll discount it to be no big deal. So those little changes are tied to the one big change!

Second, just as I felt incredibly proud when I saw my lab numbers, you need some kind of acknowledgement of the completion and results of your little changes. If you don’t acknowledge those little changes, you won’t be motivated to keep the tiny changes in place.

For example, if you want to get back into writing…create a little reward system for yourself. It could be something as simple as a penny in a jar for every minute you spend writing each day as you see the jar fill up with coins, you’ll see how that tiny change is creating big change. Sounds silly but your spirit needs to see the progress, or you’ll give up.

Now maybe you’re wondering, okay I know my BIG, audacious goal, but what little changes can I make to get me closer to achieving that big goal?

I want you to start with how you spend your time. How we spend our time is literally how we live our lives. It is a true acknowledgement of what is important to you in your life.

In my mini course Recapture Your Joy, there is an entire section on time. So, if you’re interested in going deeper into this topic of your time, purchase the mini course HERE.

As said in the course, every week, we all have 168 hours.

We talk about time in all sorts of ways- mostly about how we don’t have enough time.

Yet, we all know we can’t produce or create more time. It is what it is….

So, your first step to figuring out what small changes you can make in your life that will take you closer to your goals, is to analyze how you are currently spending your time.

Start by creating a graph of your week. You are all familiar with a food journal. This is very similar, but this journal is all about your time.

Break down each day into 15-minute increments. Then for one solid week, write in everything you do in each 15-minute block.

Don’t judge, don’t filter, don’t do anything different … Just write down everything you are doing. You do need to do this in the moment, so have a little journal with you. If you rely on memory, this exercise won’t work.

Live your life as you regularly do and track every minute of your time.

After a week you’ve got all 168 hours in front of you.

What are you seeing?

Most people discover they actually sleep more than they think they do and work less than they think they do. That may or may not be true for you.

Sleep is easy to identify, and then start to categorize your other activities…preparing food, eating, meeting with people, on the phone, on the computer, social media, shopping, socializing, reading, exercising. Even break down your work…don’t just put it down as work, identify tasks in those 15-minute time blocks.

Once you’ve completed your time log, it’s time to get honest. In corporate America we used to call this “come to Jesus discussions or moments.” It’s when we get real and make the connection between our goals and how we spend our time.

How you spend your time – those 168 hours you have each week – is how you live YOUR life!

So, look at your one-week time journal.

Are you spending time on the things that actually matter to you?

Can you do a better job of chunking similar tasks so that you can free up some time?

Are there activities that need to be given much less time? What’s missing?

Relate it back to your big, audacious goal….

Are you spending time on what you want to create?

If you want to be a writer, you have to spend time writing.

If you want to save more money, you have to spend less time shopping.

If you want to grow your business, you have to spend more time in front of those who want what you offer.

If you want to be a good cook, you have to spend time cooking.

Really simple and maybe silly examples, but hopefully this helps you to analyze how you are spending your time and that relates to your big goals.

What’s great about this exercise is that you can do as often as needed.

I still do this whenever I’m feeling stuck. Whether it relates to my work, my physical self, my mindset or even my home…

What are the small changes that you can make right now, that will ultimately take you closer to your BIG dream?

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Last week I talked about being a Real-ista! Your real and true self and

On July 1^st, the second issue of Be the Real You Magazine comes out! Woo-hoo!!

I don’t want one you, to go one more day, without YOU being connected to who you truly are- that specialness that is the one and only you!

The magazine has lots of interesting and fun articles in it.

It is a feel good and yet motivating magazine, especially for a Real-ista.

A Real-ista is…

A woman who shows up in this crazy world, as her real and true self ALWAYS!

She’s a woman who loves who she truly is- and no longer wishes to pretend- anything!

Doesn’t this sound like you?

This magazine will be just like your best friend. You’ll enjoy your time together, you’ll feel comfort that you’re not alone in your quest to be the real you, and you’ll get all kinds of ideas of way to support yourself as you throw open the curtains and say, “Look out world, here I am!”

Your life will change when you make time in your busy schedule for those activities you love. That’s what this weeks’ time log is all about.

And how will you feel when you embrace the real you?