small actions, substantial impact

If you’re anything like me, you might have 1,000 different ideas/tasks/plans/next moves running through your head, like all day.

Days like these used to go 1 of 2 ways:

I accomplish everything on my mental to-do list, but made it 10x harder on myself by running in a million directions—most likely creating severe burnout that cripples me for the days following.

I panic and do absolutely none of it because the stress/anxiety/overwhelming feelings surrounding what feels like a never ending amount of tasks. Then the guilt & shame kicks in, normally after it’s too late. The damage was done.

Won’t even lie to ya, it would most likely to go more like the second path than the first. The feeling of disappointment, frustration, & defeat for not keeping the commitments I made to myself would sink in. Followed by “tomorrow, I’m GOING to get EVERYTHING done so I don’t feel this way again. Tomorrow will be better.”

Tomorrow was not better. Reference the above photo for context. Just feed me to the wolves.

Stuck in a vicious cycle of too many commitments that I couldn’t keep, too many expectations I couldn’t live up to for myself, and too big of assignments that I could realistically complete daily/weekly.

I had recently watched a segment on The Today Show that discussed mental and emotional health. It went a little like this:

Envision your plate. Your plate metaphorically being your life, tasks, & responsibilities that go with it. Now clear it. Completely. Take everything off of your plate.

Then, slowly and wisely, CHOOSE what you put back on your plate. One by one. Be intentional. Prioritize. Schedule some time for things that bring you joy.

*take’s a breath* reminds myself to stop, sort, prioritize.

I use this technique often with my clients—when it comes to both their personal lives and nutrition/health goals.

Building sustainable habits starts with sustainable, practical daily actions. Actions that can be done consistently & conscientiously. And no, not 100 of them at a time.

The overwhelming “I don’t know where to start”— “why do I keep falling off”—“how come I keep giving up” is likely due to high expectations & little to zero accountability, mixed with an incredible amount of work load. It’s too hard.

Think smaller. Think easier. Think realistic.

As a women’s weight loss coach, I truly start from the bottom with my clients or, I meet them where their current nutritional level is.

Yeah, it sounds completely boring for the client itching to lose weight and see immediate results — “wait, we’re not counting calories yet?!”

If no one’s told you, the secret to lasting weight loss/maintenance or lasting *insert other nutrition/health goal* is building discipline & the consistency of small habits.

WHICH circles me back to my main point from the beginning — if you have too much on your plate, you cannot possibly expect to be consistent with that kind of chaos.

These days, I now envision my own metaphorical plate. I clear it empty and then add on what I can reasonably do in a day based on priority while keeping in mind what matters to ME.

And guess what…I’m feeling A LOT less like a “failure” and more like a success at the end of the day.

I am choosing to focus on the little victories & small wins more often (or as much as my manic brain will let me).

You should, too.