In 2017, at least I think it was 2017, the years are so blurry these days, I took a hard look at my life and realized how unhappy I was and how that was coming out sideways with how little I was taking care of myself. Yes, on the outside I had a glamorous NYC life with a job in women’s fashion, amazing friends, lots of travel and adventure, supportive family, but on the inside I was lonely and miserable. On top of it, I said I wanted all of these things, but I was no where near to achieving any of them (an amazing husband and family, a book published, a golden retriever, my own business, to feel healthy and comfortable in my own skin). If you’re curious read through to the end, I have an update on these dreams of mine…

Not interested in the background story but anxious to know the habit? Click here to skip ahead. Ready to go straight to the meditation, click here.

A podcast interviewing Tom Corley, author of Rich Habits, was sent my way through some gift of the algorithm gods, and I learned the top habits of the worlds most successful. It became abundantly clear I had a lot of work to do to uproot and replant how I lived my days if I wanted to shift my life in a new, happier-for-me direction. I did what any good analytical merchant would do, I created a spreadsheet that was a feast for the eyes, color coordination and all, and bought myself a range of colorful star stickers to mark my progress. I looked at all of my habits and like a surgeon meticulously chose which ones to shift and how. Here’s more information on the top foundational habits Tom Corley discovered.

In that process I did shift my life and my foundation is so much stronger, but it’s taken years with steady positive momentum and lots of mental sweat equity to tear up the old unstable foundation that could not weather many storms. I learned the immense power of small steps done consistently. One minute every day of something packs a big punch, it’s just a little harder for our ego to swallow. And the world and marketing gurus everywhere insist it’s otherwise… nothing on our earth was built in a day, not even us. Today as I did research I found this article empowering. There’s still a chance for me yet. 😉

Since experiencing how much this worked for me, I am always looking for new tiny habit tips to try on for size. A few years ago, Denise Duffield, sent an email describing how she used mirror work to shift her mindset. How we see ourselves and the world has a powerful impact on our brain and the choices we make. I tried it out consistently to witness incredible shifts yet again. 

And like recipe bloggers everywhere, I’m finally getting to the details of the recipe as promised…

Habit tip

1 minute of mirror work per day, can even be done while brushing teeth!

Here are the steps:

1. Think for a second or two of one thing you deeply desire in your life that you don’t yet have.
   • Examples could be:
     • a thriving business
     • savings to go on a long vacation every year with the entire family
     • free time every week to just play
     • a home of your own
     • a published book
2. Now turn that into present statements that either begin with “I am” or “This is what a ___ looks like”
   • Keeping with the above, examples could look like: 
     • I am an abundantly successful entrepreneur. This is what an entrepreneur who makes $20K / month looks like. 
     • I am someone who knows how to save just the right amount every year for that perfect family vacation. This is what a yearly fully relaxed vacationer with their family looks like. 
     • I am someone who’s efficient with my time and loves the rest time I build in. This is what a person with just the right amount of free time looks like, my batteries are always full. 
     • I am a home owner. This is what someone who owns the house that’s just perfect for them looks like. *can add housing details if it feels right
     • I am a published author. This is what a published author looks like, I just saw my book on the shelves at the airport!
3. For one minute every day look at yourself in the mirror and say the statements you created. 

What would your statements look like? What’s the biggest area you’d like to shift this year?

Focus on that, a minute every day for 30 days and see yourself amazed, as I was, as your life shifts in that direction. 

If you want more help with the vision part, try out the below meditation. Our vision lives within us, we often just need to dust it off and give it a place to grow. 

Oh and I’m happy to report I now have made a few of those dreams real: my golden retriever is the perfect puppo for me, my own business gives me great joy but is still scary, and I’m finally, after all these years, feeling healthy, comfortable, and I’d even dare say, beautiful in my own skin.