When I began my journey into self-healing, I felt so overwhelmed with information, I had no idea where to start. I read books, researched blogs, watched inspirational videos, attended workshops and courses. I was constantly seeking answers externally. Asking myself how can I manifest positive changes into my life?
It felt as if there was a mountain of knowledge out there, and I was barely scratching the surface. I spent much of my time researching and seeking answers through learning about other people’s journeys. But I was not actually taking any action for myself.
The more information I overloaded myself with, the more frustrated I became. Eventually, it got to a point where I had a pile of journals filled with self-help guidance, but nothing to show for it in my daily life. I found myself feeling stuck and constantly daydreaming about what I believed I should be doing rather than actually doing it.
Having information is helpful, but taking action is what really counts.
As humans we have a natural desire to seek, and this is an important part of any process. But unless you take action and apply this information to your life, then it is nothing more than just information.
Change only begins when you start taking action. And believe it or not, it’s the small steps that have the biggest impact on your life.
I once believed that I had to have all the information, and know all the answers before change could occur. But this is far from the truth. You can’t reach the top of a mountain without starting at the bottom. Just like you can’t achieve your goals without taking the small steps to get there. The best advice I have for you is simply just to start.
You might be asking yourself, so where do I start?
My advice is, keep it simple.
Don’t bombard yourself with information, and try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Start by taking a few small steps each day, and over time you will be amazed by the big impacts this will bring.
Learn to manifest positive changes in your life. Choose the strategies that resonate with you, even if it’s just one small step, start today.
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Here are 15 simple ideas to help you get started
1. Wake up thirty minutes earlier
Instead of hitting the snooze button on your alarm, why not try getting out of bed thirty minutes earlier? Allow yourself some extra time in the morning to go for a nice walk, meditate or enjoy a quiet cup of tea. Take this time to ease into the day, rather than rushing around before work or hurrying to get the kids ready for school.
Set aside thirty minutes just for you, and start to build a positive morning routine doing things that make you feel good. The first few days are always the hardest but over time you will notice the positive changes it brings. After a few weeks try to increase this to waking up one hour earlier. Remember this may be the only time you get all to yourself throughout your day, so enjoy it.
2. Expressive writing
Expressive writing is a process of self-inquiry. Leesa Renee Hall describes it as questioning your internal programming. It involves writing down everything that comes to your mind, without editing or censoring yourself. It is a form of writing that allows you to empty your mind and write whatever needs to come out during that time.
This is a wonderful practice to do in the morning before you start your day. It gives you the opportunity to clear your mind of all the clutter and thoughts that may otherwise consume you throughout the day. You may wish to write in a journal or on your laptop, it doesn’t matter. There are no rules, apart from writing your truth, write whatever needs to come out and let it go.
This is a very powerful practice. It allows you to express yourself freely without judgment, and release any blocks or tension before starting your day.
3. Take fifteen minutes silence
In our fast paced lives our minds are constantly engaged and stimulated by those around us and technology. We never get a chance to just switch off and take a breather. That’s why it is important to purposefully set time aside each day to retreat in silence.
Taking even just five minutes of silence per day, away from technology and distractions, helps to reduce stress and balance out the busyness of your daily life. If you can spare fifteen minutes a day, this is a good amount of time to reset your mind and improve your overall well-being.
4. Walk in nature
Being in nature is very healing, it allows you to reconnect with the natural world, slow down and appreciate the simple things in life. Walking in general reduces stress, anxiety, fatigue and enhances your well-being.
5. Watch less TV
It is so easy to come home from work, turn on the TV and zone out for the next few hours. The average person watches around 4 hours of television per day. TV, just like social media, is a distraction that stops us from getting on with things that may be more purposeful. There is nothing wrong with watching TV, but it’s the amount we watch that becomes the problem.
As a starting point, try to turn off the TV and electronics at least one hour before you go to bed. This gives your mind time to wind down, and it is proven to increase the quality of your sleep.
6. Practice gratitude
Practicing gratitude is a powerful tool in cultivating compassion, kindness and appreciation for what you are truly grateful for in your life. It allows you to focus on being grateful for what you have, instead of what you don’t have.
Try this exercise. At the end of each day, reflect and write down two things you are grateful for. You might be surprised by what a seemingly small joy can bring to your life.
Image via Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash
7. Set a daily intention
At the start of your day, take a few minutes to set an intention. It’s a simple practice that has the ability to cultivate big changes in your life. Think of a little mantra for the day such as, “I will treat others with compassion” or “I will practice forgiveness”. Continue to remind yourself of your intention throughout the day and practice it as often as you can.
8. Smile more
This one is pretty simple, just choose to smile more. A smile has the power to increase your happiness as well as others.
9. Give someone a compliment
In general we spend a lot of time thinking about ourselves, we can’t help it, it’s human nature. But by noticing others, and giving someone a compliment, you not only help improve their confidence but it also boosts your own self-esteem. A genuine compliment can make someone’s day and strengthens your connection with others.
10. Set yourself a morning routine
Did you know that many of the most successful people in the world swear by the importance of a structured morning routine? Sarah Wilson explains; “Having some sort of structure at the start of your day, is key to living a life that counts. It gets you out of bed with a purpose”
Wake up an hour earlier and start setting yourself a morning routine. Find what suits you, what makes you feel good? Personally I like to meditate, do yoga and write. But choose what feels right for you and start today.
11. Limit social media
Social media is an easy distraction, but it can severely impact your mental health and well-being with consistent use. Try to limit your social media to allocated time blocks throughout the day. And when you find yourself spending longer than planned, put down your phone and simply walk away.
12. Choose a positive attitude
Believe it or not, you always have the power to choose your attitude in any given situation. Every day we have the power to make the choice to be positive. This does not mean that things will always go your way or that you will always feel happy. But it does allow you to take responsibility for your actions and responses.
Choosing a positive attitude is self-empowering and opens you up to far more possibilities, including the opportunity to manifest positive changes in your life.
13. Meditate
Meditation is proven to help reduce stress, provide a sense of inner peace and increase mental and physical functioning. It provides an opportunity to take time out from your busy day to quiet the mind. Even ten minutes of meditation per day can have significant positive impacts on your overall state of well-being.
14. Get your body moving
It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you are into, just get moving. Whether it’s jogging, dancing, yoga, walking or swimming. It’s important to do some form of physical exercise for at least thirty minutes per day. Find the time and notice your physical and mental energy increases.
15. Slow down
This last one sounds simple, but often we rush through life so fast that we forget the importance of slowing down. To stop and smell the proverbial roses. It may sound cliche, but the truth is half of the time we can’t remember what we actually did in our day, because we weren’t paying attention, we weren’t present.
We are in a constant cycle of doing, rather than being in the moment. Take some time out, even just five or ten minutes, just slow down. Take a few deep breaths and bring yourself back to the present moment. Appreciate the beauty in being still, and being present.
Life is a continual journey of lessons and challenges. We will never have all the information and we will never stop learning. So why not start each day with one small step at a time?
What small steps have you taken that have manifested positive changes in your life? Share in the comments below.