Life's Lessons

Have you ever noticed how the small, little, things that we do each day can appear to be inconsequential…. until they start adding up to be more visible? I was reminded of this last month, when I took a slight “detour” from my normal routine.

There was a 3 week period during which I attended many celebrations including two family gatherings, two birthday parties… lots of events in which there was plenty of rich food, wine and gratitude. I typically choose to not eat dessert or bread, but I enjoyed both at these occasions. And then, without realizing it, I slipped into a pattern of having something “more” each day. I am not suggesting that treats and indulgences are “bad”, however for me, these subtle additions to my day, which seemed insignificant began to add up.

I became aware of this paradigm when one morning I felt “different”. I was feeling a bit sluggish, which is not normal for me; I typically enjoy having tremendous energy all day long. I was also feeling a little bit “squishy” instead of toned and firm. It was as if I awoke in a new body! I thought about what I had done in the previous few weeks that contributed to my lower energy and feeling a bit off. That is when it occurred to me that the little things I had done here and there had added up, making me feel less vibrant.

This experience was a great reminder that the choices we make each day can add up over time. Jeff Olson wrote a wonderful book about this phenomenon called The Slight Edge. He reminds us that the little things on their own are insignificant; however when compounded over time they can have a huge effect, either positive or negative. For example, if someone chooses to skip their regular exercise routine, or eat a fast food dinner their health will not deteriorate overnight. If they skip their exercise routine and eat fast food every night for weeks on end, their health will certainly decline. Perhaps this is a good reminder for you to take stock of your routine and see if you want to make any small adjustments.

The great news is that this works the other way too! If you take just a few minutes a day to do something to boost your health, you may not see or feel the effects the immediately, however when done repeatedly, those healthy habits will result in health gains such as more energy, less weight and so forth. Here is the magic; each day we get a new chance to make the best choices for our long term well-being. What a gift that is!