Welcome to the Extraordinary Women Podcast where we chat about the issues that women just like you, are thinking about, dealing with and working through in our daily lives. 

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Sharri Harmel, Editor and Chief Creative of the Extraordinary Women Magazine. 

Life can sometimes get a little complicated, but always remember, inside you is a truly Extraordinary Woman. 

Last week we talked about creating happy habits. I’m doing the five happy habits right along with you, so I’d love to hear what is changing in your feelings/experiences as you go on this journey with me. 

In today’s episode we are going to talk about how it’s the little shifts and the tiny, little steps we take that actually make the dreams we want to come true. 

So, what about those little steps, those seemingly mundane steps that added together create big shifts?

Money is a super easy way to show how tiny steps can lead to something significant. 

A little background…

I’m an espresso drinker so I like really good coffee. For years I was a Starbucks nut and would stop by at least twice each day for my double espresso. It was easy and frankly, when Starbucks first arrived on the scene, I was driving from one tutor to another for my daughter, so Starbucks was my home away from home. I loved the experience besides the coffee. 

But as time when on, my life changed and stopping at Starbucks wasn’t always so easy, so I had to find an alternative. Most espresso machines are too complicated for me, but when Nespresso arrived in the states I was a happy camper. I’d have my little Nespresso machine in the back of my SUV during the years when I drove my daughter from one horse show to another. Plus, if any of you have been a horse show mom, you know you spent incredible amounts of time waiting between your child’s competitions, so coffee was needed! 

But, back to the tiny steps – one Starbucks double espresso today runs around $2.50. Two of those a day is $5.00 and multiply that by say 350 (assuming I skipped a few days/year) – $1,750/ year. Once I switched to Nespresso, which costs about $1 per double espresso, you quickly can see that I saved almost $1000./year by using my Nespresso versus Starbucks. 

Seriously? That’s almost $100./month!

Even in Paris, where surprisingly, I have only found one place with truly good coffee, I have a Nespresso machine in my apartment. 

It was a tiny step, a tiny change, that suddenly put an extra $100./month in my pocket, yet I didn’t realize this saving until I had gone several months with my Nespresso machine versus going to Starbucks. It was such a small change, and wasn’t even motivated by saving money, so I didn’t think it was anything important or certainly, anything that could result in such a big change. 

But why is it harder to stick with little changes, the little shifts, little adjustments as a way to get to our big dream? The problem is, we’re adults and adults want instant gratification and tiny shifts are about the long game as they say, not about instant gratification. 

We weren’t always this way. 

Somewhere, before you have memories, you learned to walk. Little ones learning to walk figure it all out in what we call baby steps. 

Babies spend almost an entire year getting their little bodies ready to stand up. Then, there is lots of falling down, lots of holding on, but every little one is determined to walk and even more significant for us as adults, little ones 100% BELIEVE they will learn to walk.  

Once they have mastered it, new little walkers also have no interest in getting someone else to hold them up. For those of you who have children, you can remember back that your child’s primary goal was to do it themselves, walk and even run all by themselves without holding anyone’s hand. 

It’s the habit of trying every single day and consistently embracing the tiny steps, those tiny shifts that lead to the big accomplishment. Every one of you did it and if you have children, you watched them do it tiny step by tiny step.  

So, what if you pretend, that whatever it is that you want to accomplish, is similar to when you learned to walk. Every single day, find a tiny step, a baby step to celebrate. It relates back to last week’s podcast about happy habits, and every single morning, write down three things that you are grateful for. 

As babies, we had no doubt that we’d master the art of walking, even though we only took tiny little steps to accomplish that feat. Why not give yourself the same amount of faith, acknowledge your tiny step of accomplishment and reinforce your belief and sense of knowing that you’ll get to where it is that you want to go. 

I have a goal to get in better shape. Could I join a program and eat pre-purchased meals for however long it took me to lose the weight? Yes. Been there done that but I didn’t go through the process of taking tiny steps that become good habits. I lost the weight but not for long. 

So, I’m embracing baby steps. I celebrate every time I push my cart past or keep my eyes averted from the problem treats in the grocery store. When I’m out of the store, I will literally say out loud, Sharri you did good today. People might think I’m a little batty, but I need to give myself that affirmation to reinforce the new habits. Try it. 

What are your dreams? Maybe it’s a little antique shop or selling your artwork. What could be your first step? How about creating an Esty page and if you don’t know how to do that, find someone to help you. Don’t let technology keep you from what you really want to do. 

Back to the toddler learning to walk … they are so determined they’ll use a chair, a table or even the dog to hold onto to get up on their feet. Be that determined. 

Or maybe you want to write a book. Start by creating a blog. Yes, there are still blogs out there and many of them evolve into something profitable. Remember, you’re after the happy habits that will take you closer to your dream. If you’re afraid of starting with a blog so instead choose to journal, all I can say is when you were little, you didn’t only try to walk when no one was watching. Little ones love an audience and aren’t the least bit self-conscience of failing to stand up or take a few steps. And you were that little one once, so channel that little girl in you again. Put yourself out there … and remember it’s all about baby steps. 

Back to the Nespresso versus Starbucks example. $1000./year in savings maybe doesn’t sound like a lot, but what is incredible, is the cumulative effect of this one tiny habit change over a lifetime. 

This is how most of our country’s millionaires were made. Most weren’t in the c-suite making big salaries. They worked for companies that grew over time and either received or bought the company stock and kept it for a long time, adding to it bit by bit, step by tiny step.  They lived within their means, and when they retired, they had an amazing nest egg. Tiny incremental steps that lead to significant accomplishments. The book The Millionaire Next Door has numerous examples of people who did just this. 

Very few of us get rich quick and very few of us will be overnight successes. Whether its learning to walk, creating financial security, or even parenting, it’s one day at a time, one new happy habit, one new lifestyle shift that makes dreams happen. 

When you think about it …. everything good in life, is accomplished through one tiny step at a time. 

It is the tiny steps, the baby steps that you take every day, that will make your dreams happen and provide an amazing life for yourself and your loved ones. 

Outro 

I can’t wait to hear what’s changing for you as you embrace happy habits and whether you’re feeling different as you begin to celebrate your own baby steps. 

And if you enjoyed this podcast, then I know you’ll love the Extraordinary Women magazine. 

I named the magazine Extraordinary Women because every issue has interviews with at least two extraordinary women who will probably remind you a little of yourself because you too are an extraordinary woman. Try that label on! And if you know of someone you think I should interview, message me. 

The magazine is a dream supporting, dream inspiring magazine that I know you’ll love. It’s got ideas, recipes, and lifestyle suggestions meant to give you hope and encouragement, which we all need more of today. The magazine is actually another happy habit!!

We now have two wonderful contributing writers – Michele LeMaitre, who is an incredible artist and she’ll be writing about the life and business of an artist. 

And Sara Griot, a lovely stylist who will be giving us all great style suggestions that help us to feel pretty and pulled together regardless of our ages, body types and lifestyles. We’re entering another season and I can’t wait for Sara’s updates as our weather changes. 

Also, there is my Parisienne Attitude section. I’ll be back in my Paris apartment mid-October and I’m learning that part of the French joie de vivre is actually about embracing happy habits!

We’ll be creating a special short Paris Holiday magazine, so if you love Paris and want to receive it, subscribe to the magazine now. 

Married or solo, kids grown or still at home. Corporate careers, entrepreneurs, a stay-at-home mother or even retired, this magazine is meant to be like your best friend who appreciates you, encourages you and inspires you to find that secret to happiness. 

Join us by clicking the subscribe button here at sharriharmel.com or check out my Instagram page! Nothing complicated. Just good stories, a little inspiration and a cup of hope. 

Thank you and as I say to my friends and neighbors in Paris …. À Bientôt!

 

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