It's the Small Steps

Our personal, social, or business goals can seem daunting and overwhelming. They feel big and powerful, or at least bigger and more powerful than we feel.  This often creates a psychological barrier that keeps us in a state of feeling frozen or stuck, and unable to move. There are too many unknowns, and the gap just seems too big and unattainable.

One way to break through this barrier is to see the goal really as just a series of daily choices; that each choice is ours to make, moving us closer or further from the goal.  And not only to break down the goal and see it as a series of choices,  but to celebrate those choices after we make them. When we open ourselves up to the idea of self-affirming choices followed by big celebrations, this self-kindness serves as the encouragement and traction we need to make the next self-affirming choice, and then the next, and then the next. Choices leave us feeling empowered, allowing us to see that we are actually in charge of the goal, not the other way around.  Throw out the 'shoulds' and 'coulds' and acknowledge that you have a choice.  

Commit to spending five minutes, or even one minute on one choice today that leans you toward a goal.   If feeling healthier is a goal, make the choice to get your mat out for one minute to stretch, or go for a five minute walk.  If eating healthier is your goal, then have the cookies but make the choice to drink a smoothie first. If a new job is your goal, then spend 5 minutes creating a list of connections that you have who could be helpful to you.  Then after all these courageous choices,  do something that truly and deeply celebrates your choice toward progress.  In whatever way works for you, intentionally acknowledge moving forward and gaining traction.  This traction will help you when the time to make another choice comes along, and the celebration of it will allow you to continue moving forward as your own biggest fan.