December’s theme was inspired by my puppy’s beginner training class. He’s already graduated kindergarten, but as I’m a first-time dog mom, the training continues. We were practicing heel around the training room with other dogs of various ages. My trainer noticed that I had the leash slightly taut while also telling my dog, “good boy.” In dog land this was a mixed message, a taut leash, even the slightest bit, signaled to him, he wasn’t doing what I wanted. Yet my words were telling him otherwise. With this he decided I was unfit to lead the pack so he should do as he wished.
The next few days I practiced matching my words with these micro-actions, and our world drastically changed. Not only were our morning walks more fun, but he started listening to me in the house, too. You may have noticed I take lessons from anywhere, and this to me was a big lesson for us all.
Our world has taught us to think in terms of big wins, with marketing gimmicks everywhere. Lose 20 pounds in five days! Do this ONE thing and finally meet the partner of your dreams! Sign up for this one-day course and make millions the next DAY! The science, however, is indisputable. Tiny actions made consistently over time are actually the magic behind the big wins. Even Michael Jordan credits his success to the thousands of practice shots he took every single day.
You may take big actions once in a while that match your words, but do your day-to-day tiny moments also match what you say you want and who you say you are? These tiny moments of alignment add up over the course of a year creating big momentum. As you close out 2022, you may find yourself looking back wondering where the unlock will come for that thing you’ve always wanted.
Examples could sound like. You say you want to write a book, but you only write once a year. Maybe schedule five minutes a day, just to write. You say you’re ready to take that big vacation or make that big purchase, but you go to Target twice a week and never remember what you buy. Maybe instead switch to going to Target once a month and put the money saved in a special account.
Where in your life are your tiny actions not adding up to what you say you want in your life? Where are you sending mixed messages to you, those around you, and well, the universe?
Let me know what you’d like to do different in 2023, and I’ll help you align the small daily steps.
Email me at: nicole@eloiandstella.com
