Small Changes, Big Transformations: 7 Small Habits to Change Your Life
Leah McMillan
Published December 8, 2022
The Mente Soul blog strives to build powerful minds, and to encourage excellence in those who have suffered from a traumatic brain injury. Reach out today to learn more!
Life is full of promise and possibility. It’s also full of to-dos, should-dos, and would-dos if only you had the time.
With so much responsibility, big dreams can feel out of reach. How can you possibly change your life when you barely have a minute to yourself?
The truth is, big changes don’t happen overnight. They occur through a series of small steps that move you closer to your goals. While that may be less glamorous than a dramatic transformation, it’s also a lot more doable.
If you want to make big changes this year, Mente Soul suggests starting with these small, but meaningful steps.
Hone Good Habits
Good self-care is the foundation of a happy, healthy, and productive life. Taking care of your body allows you to give your best day every day.
Get 7-9 hours of sleep. SCL Health notes that sleep plays an important role in physical and mental health, but many adults get too little or poor-quality sleep.
The most important thing you can do to sleep better is follow a schedule every night and eliminate factors inhibiting sleep quality like a bad mattress, late-night alcohol or caffeine, or screens in the bedroom. For additional sleep tips please read 7 Tips to Sleep Better.
Eat a balanced diet. Diets take many forms but all healthy diets have certain things in common: vegetables, high-quality fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, and minimal processed foods.
It only takes a few swaps to improve your diet. Drink more water, add more vegetables to your favorite meals, and replace refined grains with whole grains. When you want a treat, make your own or read food labels to choose healthier options.
Brush and floss. Good dental habits like brushing twice a day and flossing daily are difficult with depression or an executive functioning disorder. Integrating oral care into wake-up and bedtime routines supports daily dental habits but those who need an extra reminder can use to-do lists or cell phone alarms.
Reduce Job Stress
You don’t have to love your job to do it well. However, it’s important to address job stress that’s affecting your mental health or life outside of work. The first step is to explore stress management techniques that will help you cope with work–and life–in a more positive manner.
Talk to your boss. Uncertainty and a lack of control are leading causes of job stress. Talking to your boss or manager is a simple step that reduces stress by clarifying expectations. It’s also an opportunity to set boundaries if you’re feeling overworked or struggling to maintain work-life balance
These conversations can be uncomfortable but it’s important to advocate for yourself at work. If you don’t, others may not realize you’re struggling.
Plan a career change. Sometimes the problem isn’t a lack of balance but rather, a lack of challenge. If you’re under-stimulated and unhappy at work, a career change could be the answer.
Online classes enable a slow and steady approach to career changes. Instead of upending your life for full-time education, you can earn a bachelor of education online one course at a time. The quality of online schools vary, so check accreditation status and curriculum before enrolling.
Develop a Positive Mindset
Stress also manifests internally from negative thought patterns like polarized thinking and catastrophizing. Use these strategies to break free from negative thinking.
Start a journal. You don’t need to be a writer to benefit from journaling. A journal is a place to acknowledge negative thoughts without letting them take over or trying to ignore them.
Journaling also helps identify triggers for negative thinking. Once you understand what causes negative thought patterns, Mind Tools points out that you can take positive steps to replace them.
Bookend each day with gratitude. Positive thinking is a habit developed through practice, and gratitude is one of the best ways to exercise your optimism muscle. Happify explains that practicing gratitude is linked to more positive emotions and even better sleep and immunity.
Use your journal to jot down things you’re grateful for or come up with a creative way to document gratitude, like a gratitude jar, sharing thanks around the dinner table, or writing letters of thanks.
Don’t underestimate the power of small changes. Taking just a few steps in a new direction can change the trajectory of your entire life. Use these actionable tips to put your life on a path that you feel good about this year.
Leah McMillan
“It’s a tale as old as time. Leah McMillan was taking on too much, saying “yes” to everything and everyone, running herself ragged, while also trying to be the best mom/partner/daughter/friend she could be. Eventually, she was running on fumes. Then, the pandemic hit. And while there were a few dicey weeks for her and her family at the beginning, she found being out of her normal “life-nado” helped her slow down and start to find her voice again. And with that voice, she started to say NO. She set boundaries, focused on spending quality time with her loved ones (even if it had to be virtual), and made her health and her family’s health her priority. Does she still have some hot mess days? Sure, but they’re definitely less frequent than they used to be. She hopes her website will inspire others to step back, take stock, and make positive life changes.”
