A coaching colleague of mine asked her clients, “What if everything matters?” This simple question got me thinking.
Our brains are trained to assure us that little things, here and there, don’t matter. For example, think of a time when you’ve done something that you had previously decided you weren’t going to do. It may be reaching for a handful of french fries or a chocolate bar. It could be going for one more vodka tonic. It may even be whipping out your credit card to pay for a grande chai latte.
You think to yourself ‘this one little thing is so small, really, it’s barely noticeable.’ A nibble of carrot cake is harmless. A short glass of wine will barely register to your body even though you are trying to cut back. The grande chai latte doesn’t count as over-spending—it’s only $5.14.
You do it because you need it, or my personal favorite, because you deserve it. You convince yourself that this one little thing doesn’t matter.
But what if everything matters?
What if these nibbles, tastes, sips, micro-spends matter more than we think? What if added up, they compound to something not so good? Extra pounds, a hangover, more debt, and another an unkept promise to yourself. Ouch.
Conversely, what if small, micro-actions—like 5 minutes of meditation or a quick walk around the block—added up to something better?
Think of a pedometer. It tracks your steps. So you may not walk 10,000 steps in one fell swoop, but over the course of the day with a little intention, those steps add up. That they are counted in smaller increments is inconsequential. It all counts; it all matters.
Join me?
I do wish the bad counted a little less than the good. I’m only human, after all! But kidding aside, I this like this idea that everything matters and I’m practicing it in my life and I invite you to join me.
Already, I have noticed that if I do one thing to move my goal forward each and every day, even if it’s a small thing, I achieve my goal more readily than not. I believe one little thing at a time keeps my goal top of mind and sends a message to the universe that I am serious about achieving it.
And perhaps the opposite is true as well. When we nibble, imbibe or overspend (or whatever it is that leads you away from your goal), we are telling the universe that we aren’t serious about achieving our purpose.
So, if everything matters, what little negative things are you going to avoid today and what positive little things are you going after instead? I’d love to hear about it! Reach me at ellie@successfulgenerations.com.
