Six Small Actions That Will Change You

Posted byLisa at Micro of the MacroPosted inEnvironment, Gratitude, Health & Well-Being, Nutrition, Psychological HealthTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. ~Annie Dillard

And . . . we’re in December.  Wow.  This year will soon be a memory, to the relief of many.  The pandemic, now in its second wave in some countries, has presented a great number of us with unprecedented challenges.  We have been forced to change our habits, and for most, the majority of those changes have not been positive, affecting our perception of ourselves and the world in general.  It is said that about half our actions are not conscious, but a result of our habits.  I would like to share a few small actions that, when practiced consistently and made into new habits, can change you for the better.  What’s more, they will change the way you feel about yourself.

  1. Read something inspirational each day, even if it’s a simple quote.  After reading, close your eyes and savor it, focusing on how it lifts your spirit, opens your heart, or motivates you.  This savoring acts on the brain in a similar manner as the concept of muscle memory in strength training or stretching.  The more you do it, the easier you’ll find it is to access those good feelings throughout the day.

Change your thoughts and you change your world. ~Norman Vincent Peale

  1. Speak your blessings and express gratitude daily.  Even if nobody is around to hear you.  I am so blessed to have food on my table.  I am super grateful that my family has been safe from coronavirus.  I am so fortunate that I am able to work from my home.  Gregg Braden, five-time New York Times best-selling author, scientist, and international educator, says, Just the way sound creates visible waves as it travels through a droplet of water, our “belief waves” ripple through the quantum fabric of the universe to become . . . the healing, abundance, and peace – or disease, lack, and suffering – that we experience in life. And just the way we can tune a sound . . . , we can tune our beliefs to preserve or destroy all that we cherish, including life itself.  By reinforcing beliefs that we’re blessed and grateful, we tune ourselves into more goodness.

Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success. ~Swami Sivananda

3. Practice little acts of kindness daily.  Let a car merge in front of you; send a text or card to an out-of-touch loved one; give a small hand-made item to a neighbor.  Do these things without expectation of reciprocation or even expressions of gratitude.  Most folks will respond favorably, but not always.  The first couple times my acts of kindness were not acknowledged, I was hurt.  But then I realized that the recipients could be so busy with the sometimes overwhelming nature of life that they simply forgot.  Giving is the part that will make you feel good.  Hold on to that.

  1. Leave all your devices inside and get outside for (at least) a few minutes a day.  While outside, allow your attention to be captivated by wildlife, trees, flowers, and the sky.  Why did that tree grow in such an odd manner?  That cloud looks like Snoopy!  I wonder what kind of bird that is.  Look at that incredible moon!  These wildflowers are gorgeous!  Placing your full focus on Nature has numerous health benefits and helps you remember somewhere deep inside that you are a part of it.

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein

  1. Spend a couple minutes each day working on some small action that you find difficult.  I have done yoga for decades, and until just recently, I was always embarrassed in class during balancing poses.  I was never able to hold the poses as long as most others without falling out and resetting.  Because I’ve learned the hard way that unaddressed issues have a tendency to get worse over time, I decided to do something about it.  So, a couple years ago, I started practicing half-moon pose (Ardha Chandrasana) every day.  As a result, my balance has improved tremendously, and my embarrassing falls are in the past.  I also have a sense of pride for conquering a limitation!
Moonlight over Lauderdale Beach in December of 2019

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Our morning smoothie contents
  1. Get more fresh organic or non-GMO fruits and veggies into your diet to upgrade your microbiome, lose weight, and improve overall health.  (You might also find, like I did, that this helps increase athletic performance.)  If your doc gives a thumbs up, replace one meal a day with a smoothie made from 1 part fruit, 3 parts veggies, and coconut water to your preferred consistency.  (For example, 1 pear, 3 stalks of celery, a beet, and a couple handfuls of spinach.  Or 2 fruits and 6 servings of veggies, if you need more to fill you up.  In addition to the coconut water, I like to add cinnamon and cacao powder, and top the smoothie with goji berries and unsweetened flaked coconut.)  I also suggest learning to prepare a few quick and easy meals.  Brown rice with green lentils topped with chopped red onions, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro is possibly the easiest meal I prepare, and it’s delicious.  A simple stir-fry with rice is always a good choice.  Also, check out my Bok Choy Soup recipe.  You can easily substitute another leafy green or a different bean in the soup while keeping the other ingredients and utilizing the same instructions.

In these strange times that have forced change upon us, it’s more important than ever for each of us to bring beauty and positivity to our days.  Our daily experiences, after all, compose our lives.  The small actions above can go a long way in changing a negative mindset, and, once habituated, change your life.

Blessings for Happy Changes,

Lisa

The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.

51 thoughts on “Six Small Actions That Will Change You”

  5. Lovely post with amazing ideas and pictures and quotes to match Lisa! Hey, good for you keepibg your balance in yoga.. I teach and am still wobbly.. lol 🤣 Be my guest at S.I.P. UnWine’d Yoga on Wed at 5:00 sometime if you would like. There are 2 of our friends from WP that come. Always enjoy your wonderful sentiments! ❤️ Cindy

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  6. beautiful photos as always

    On Fri, Dec 4, 2020 at 8:34 AM Micro of the Macro wrote:

    > Lisa at Micro of the Macro posted: ” How we spend our days is, of course, > how we spend our lives. ~Annie Dillard And . . . we’re in December. Wow. > This year will soon be a memory, to the relief of many. The pandemic, now > in its second wave in some countries, has presented a gr” >

    Liked by 3 people

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  8. Another GREAT blog Lisa! Many of the ideas you mentioned were things that I learned from you several years ago but never put them into action on a consistent basis. However,
    since the pandemic began, it forced a very difficult adjustment and change in the everyday lives for the MAJORITY of people throughout the World. Unfortunately, the sickness, stress on our health care system, economic and educational challenges and the social changes that have taken place in the “everyday normalcy” of EVERY individual’s life has had a significant impact on each of us in both similar and different ways. Although, the some of these impacts that have taken place have been very sad and tragic in a lot of ways, and for a lot of individuals and families, I personally have found that this time period has allowed me to “let go” of so many “routine things” that I once thought were so important and significant in my life. I have enjoyed so many days of calm, quiet and peaceful time alone and have been able to let go of the very “toxic and unnecessary routines” that I thought were so, so important. Instead, I began to read more “spiritual and/or inspirational” materials each day. I found peace, joy and comfort with my “alone time” and enjoyed beautiful, quiet walks along the trails by the lake. I made conscious efforts to “let go” of being so obsessive-compulsive each day, etc…. I still have other challenges to face, but believe they, too will take place in their own time as well.

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    1. Hi mamaceil, you have taken great strides this year and I am proud of you. I believe life should be as much “being” as “doing.” Outside among our Nature siblings is the perfect place to just be. Thanks so much for your ongoing kindness and support of my blog! 🌞

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  11. Thank you so much for sharing this very interesting post, Lisa …

    As soon as I landed on your blog and started exploring posts, I felt so connected to it and hardly took any time to click the follow button 🙂

    I love hiking and getting closer to nature.

    I am working with local communities to develop sustainable tourism programmes in the small South Indian state of Kerala.

    Conservation and community empowerment are the key objectives and I get really inspired by many like you here in blogosphere.

    Have a great time 🙂

    Sreejith.

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  14. I see that in your About you mentioned the Sanskrit word veda. Did you know that native English wit and wisdom are cognates [relatives] of that? So are Latin-derived video and vision.

    I take it that’s fireweed in your first picture.

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  18. Pingback: Six Small Actions That Will Change You – Micro of the Macro | The Reluctant Poet

  20. This post was a great reminder today of how we could fulfil our lives … thanks for posting it 🌸.
    I’ve read this thought somewhere: “When you wake up tomorrow morning and the only things you have, are the things you’ve said thank you for the night before … what would it be?” This made me think that we should more often say “thank you” and appreciate what we have ❣️

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  21. Pingback: Working Toward Oneness: 6 Favorite Asanas – Micro of the Macro

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