…that pack a big punch when done consistently.

I read a story a few years ago about what happened when wolves were re-introduced to Yellowstone National Park. The 30-some wolves just being wolves started to alter the landscape for the better, long gone critical vegetation started coming back, and even the rivers started shifting course, one tiny wolf habit at a time. Yellowstone is HUGE, wolves are tiny in comparison. For those curious about details (like me), here’s the link to the original article.

Habits work the same in our lives. Tiny moments add up to big shifts. As a highly sensitive person, I began to learn the power of small changes years ago when my life was overflowing with stressful, anxiety inducing moments. I can feel the energy when I enter a room, I can sense what people are going through, and all of this can very easily overload my system (hullo computer crash).

These 7 practices are the ones that impacted me the most. They shift your energy, anchor you in the present moment, and empower your day to day. They helped me weather the storms of my life at that time with grace, and when life was more sunshine and rainbows helped me fully live in those moments, without worrying the other shoe would drop.

1. Meditate. Start and end your day with a simple 5 minute meditation, like this one made by me. If you don’t have 5 minutes, before you get out of bed and before you try to sleep, put a hand on your heart, take three deep breaths and think of one thing you’re grateful for. Science has found putting your hand on your heart makes your nervous system feel safe, shifting you out of stress and anxiety.
2. Write. Even just a sentence a day. Or a letter to old you. Or a letter to future you. Or… you get the idea. The act of writing makes the ideas that swirl in our heads real. It also releases the thoughts that just spin and build and spin some more. It gets us out of our heads and into our bodies. It accesses parts of our brains that may be locked away and opens up space for new solutions.
3. Be a wordsmith. Ok, not the annoying correcting everyone kind (ahem, love you mom). Words have power. Energetically they carry a “tune,” just like a key on a piano. Words can either empower or shackle us. So if you apologize a lot, for things you don’t need to, maybe instead say, “thank you for bringing this to my attention.” My mentor a few months ago, challenged my use of the word, “putz.” I thought it meant to play around or practice. NO. It has some not so great slang meanings, but also it means, “engage in inconsequential or unproductive activity.” I never do that, my mind and system are always fully engaged. Since releasing that word from my vocabulary I’ve become more productive and focused!
4. Get outside. The air, the sun, the cold, the ground changes us, revives us, reminds us of the rhythms of life. Every time I’m feeling scattered, getting outside is the first thing I want to do. And it always helps.
5. Move your body. Every cell in our body holds onto what we’re going through. Moving our body releases stress, changes our body chemistry, boosts feel good chemicals and our brains, and supports us in feeling empowered. Yes, I know there are a gazillion other benefits, like I get my best ideas when I move my body. The above are just some of my favorites.
6. Read. A habit of the most successful among us, reading is a glimpse at a different way. It is a way for us to gain knowledge and learn from others, it opens our eyes and empowers our empathy. It fires up our imagination. And, if you’re an introvert like me, it’s a community of characters you grow to love and cherish. Yes, I get sad when a book ends, but only because I’ll miss my new friends and their adventures.
7. Connect. Call a trusted friend, share a bit more about you, make a date and then meet for coffee, laugh and / or cry together (my friends and I have been known to do both simultaneously), ask for support (I’m still working on this one 🙄). Connecting reminds us we’re not alone, it also changes the chemistry of our body in a good way, our heavier loads are lightened and our joy has a ripple effect.

They may seem tiny, but I promise pick one and do it for 30 days, let me know how it goes. I hope it surprises you in the best way possible.

May you feel supported with a foundation and scaffolding that empower you through all of the stages of life.

🤍,

Nicole