The Winter Solstice
We are coming upon the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, and we can feel the optimism of what is to come. Each day will begin getting longer. It is a small incremental change—each day adding a few seconds and then compounding to a few minutes until we reach the longest day of the year in June. These tiny changes add up and make a noticeable change, with sunlight lasting longer each day.
I am working on making small changes. Recognizing the value of the little things. I have been in business for eight years, and I have made some big changes, but it’s the little things that are going to keep me on track. The less sexy things. This is also true in my personal life.
Below are some examples of some of the little changes I have made in my life this past year:
Daily Quordle competition: Every day I play quordle “against” my husband Gideon and our friends Richie and Erik. We share our scores in our text group and then we add up our points and find a winner. As you can imagine, the bashing that goes on between the guys is hilarious and even though I rarely win, they have a huge emoji celebration for me when I do. Figuring out the puzzles is good for my brain and the camaraderie is good for my soul.
Putting things back where they belong: I realize this is something many people have been doing forever. It’s kind of obvious. But it is not easy for me. I have to take the extra few seconds not to just put things where it is easiest for me at the moment, but to put things where they should go. I am improving and knowing where I put my AirPods and my glasses is the best reward for my efforts.
Clearing the Closet: I took an eight week online course called Making Space with Dacy Gillespie. Dacy is a stylist, who encourages women to“feel at home in their own individual authentic style by processing the external expectations they’ve been operating under.” The first part of the course involved clearing out your closet. Once you learn to let go of clothes you no longer wear, you can see more clearly what you do wear and what you need. For me this clearing has made getting dressed each day remarkably easier. It also allowed me to shed unwanted expectations of what kinds of clothing I should wear. This is a little thing that affects me daily, opening up time and space for other things in my life.
Shared Google Document with clients:I have begun creating shared documents with my clients when it makes sense. Together we capture meeting insights, list out homework and identify priorities. Some of my clients love the shared document and it becomes an excellent way for us to communicate between sessions and organize our meetings. For others, it ends up being more of a tool for me than for them. But either way, I feel more organized and connected to my clients when I utilize the shared document. This little tool has helped me become a more effective coach.
Nighttime Snuggles with Willow: Over the past couple years it has been more difficult for me to fall asleep at night. One thing that has helped has been snuggling with my dog Willow right before bed. Willow helps me calm down from my day and transition to sleep. Snuggling with her is definitely one of the best parts of my day.
What are some little changes you have made or plan to make this year. Please share them by clicking the button below.
Photo by Miikka Luotio on Unsplash
