One of the secrets of making changes that stick, is starting so small that you don’t wake up the Chicken Little part of your brain. It’s that idea of setting yourself up for success, because even the tiniest of successes are encouraging.
Yes I know, there’s also the hard part of starting small. You want to make a change now dammit! And that tiny step is still So. Far. Away. from what it is you really want.
I’m asking you to trust me on this.
At a minimum, you’ll get at least that tiny step closer (which you aren’t doing now) and, the much more likely scenario, it’s just the first step to getting what you really want.
And that’s the idea behind Happy Changes. A list of tiny changes you can experiment with over the next week. And beyond.
Choose one of these things, one that feels completely and utterly doable to you, even if you aren’t sure it will make a difference, and play with it this week. Let me know how it goes here, in the comments, on twitter (using the hashtag #happychanges) or Facebook.
Happy Habitats
As I look around the various spaces where I spend a lot of time, I notice things that bug me. Things that could be more efficient, less cluttered, more pleasant.
And often, that’s as far as I get. I notice these things, and then I don’t do anything about them. And then that bugs me. Then, the more annoying they become, the larger they loom, bigger than life.
So, this week I’m going to play with my habitats. I’m going to experiment with one or two of these things this week, just to see if and how it shifts things for me. I hope that you’ll play with it too.
- Buy flowers for your desk or table and change the water every day (they’ll last longer).
- Each day toss (donate, recycle, trash, otherwise get out of your space) one thing. Just one.
- Make a list of a half dozen little things that are bugging you, maybe it’s the sticky drawer, squeaky hinge, smudgy window, and take care of one each day (or call someone who can).
- Go all Flylady and end each day with a shiny (and empty) sink.
- Start each morning by making your bed.
- Spend five minutes each day with that pile (you know the one!) taking action on at least one thing. Pay it, toss it, RSVP to it, find it a permanent home.
- Pay attention to the things you use every day. Are they easy to take out and put away? If not, find them a new home.
- Choose a different space each day (office, bedroom, car, purse, medicine cabinet) and look for one little tweak that could make it prettier, more efficient, less cluttered, happier.
- If you’re feeling overwhelmed by clutter and don’t know where to start, use the (free) Quick Clutter Fix system for guidance.
- Invent another tiny way to play with your habitat and please, share it!
Remember, I’d love to hear how it goes, either here in the comments, on twitter (using the hashtag #happychanges) or on the Perception Studios Facebook page.
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In the last Happy Changes post we talked about Happy Writing. I’m still in contention for the turquoise horse!
Check out all the past Happy Changes.
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