How Can I Change It Up? Where Do I Begin Series - Day 6

How can you change it up?  We're back with day 6 of the Where Do I Begin mini series.  Have  you ever found yourself in a real-life version of Bill Murray's Groundhog Day, living the same routine over and over? That movie has come up a couple times this week. This episode is a candid, personal exploration of breaking free from the patterns that bind us. I share my own experiences and insights on the transformative power of small, intentional changes. It's not just about different streets and new wake-up times; it's about reclaiming the choices in our lives and the joy of breaking the mundane cycle.

We also delve into the science of habit formation, referencing the impactful concepts from 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear. Imagine easing into a yoga practice or any new habit without the pressure of a daily commitment, just a few days a week to start. Join me as we examine the practical steps to cultivate lasting change and how these incremental shifts can lead to a more fulfilling, engaged life. Let's unlock the potential of our daily routines together and embrace the beauty of change, one day at a time.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:33

Welcome back to the show. I hope you've been enjoying the mini series and I'm really excited that I decided to extend it because it feels really aligned, because some things have happened in the last couple of days that I want to share and I realize I can do a solo episode anytime I want. But I feel like this goes along with what we're talking about. With where do I begin? So a couple of days ago, on February 2nd, it was Groundhog Day, and every year I don't really pay much attention. I usually wait to hear if the Groundhog sees his shadow, and usually it seems like he does. And then there's, you know, six more weeks of winter coming, and so blah, blah, who wants to have six more weeks of winter? So that's usually about the extent of how much I pay attention to it. This year it came up a couple of different times and when things continually come up for me, I start to get really curious and go why does this keep coming up? So, two different occasions. It came up the topic of the movie with Bill Murray and Andy McDowell Groundhog Day and so I came out in 1993. And if you haven't seen it, it's pretty funny and I think that most of the time. People have watched it I know at least I did when I first saw it and I just laughed because he kept repeating the same day over and over and over again and he was changing things and trying to manipulate the fact that his day kept repeating. But we laugh at that, but it's so true. So many of us are living the same day over and over again and feel like we don't have any say in that and like we can't change anything. A couple of weeks ago I was driving to work and I was like, totally going to go a different way today, I'm going to change it up, and so I did, and so I've actually been intentional about that.

Speaker 1: 2:31

Whenever I'm driving to work, I intentionally go a different way. I mean, I kind of go back and forth between a couple of different ways, but there's various routes that I can take, and sometimes they take a little bit longer. But then it allows me the opportunity to see what I can do and it allows me the opportunity to see things that I don't necessarily see every day, and I really like to be. Obviously we should be present while we're driving, but it allows me the opportunity to, you know, look around and see if there's something new or whatever. But I think it's important to remember that we have that power. Like I can literally choose to drive a different way. I can choose that I don't have to drive the same path every single day. I can choose to set my alarm 15 minutes earlier if I want to get out a little bit. You know, it wouldn't necessarily be that difficult for me to wake up an extra 15 minutes earlier.

Speaker 1: 3:20

I wanted to do something and maybe to get started with that. I just do it a couple of days a week, maybe on Mondays and Wednesdays. I choose to do that. Or maybe I do it Monday, wednesday, friday. I've been wanting to get back into yoga and I keep talking about it and I love doing it and I feel good when I'm doing it and it grounds and centers me. But I haven't been making time for it and I was talking about it the other day and I was like I'm going to start doing it every day. Well, if I'm not doing it at all now, why would I jump to going seven days a week? Why wouldn't I just start with maybe three days a week, and then that would feel better, and then maybe I could go up to four and then maybe five, you know, and really just allow myself to recreate that habit of doing it and that's kind of what it's all about in order to not live in the monotony of everyday life and our own little groundhog day. What if there's another way?

Speaker 1: 4:21

I don't know if you have read the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. If you haven't, it really, truly, is a must read for everyone. And I don't entirely remember how the story goes, but this really sticks out for me where he's talking about someone who wants to go and start working out at the gym. And so first they start by just going and sitting in the parking lot every day and then eventually they get to the point where it's like, well, I'm here, I might as well go in, and then they start going.

Speaker 1: 4:53

I know I talk a lot about a little step here and a little step there, but truly, truly, the little steps that we take each day really add up and, as I've mentioned, for me, I often will follow my intuition. So, even if it's getting in the car and saying which way would I like to go to work today, or which grocery store should I go to today, which one, would be in my highest good and then usually, when I end up at a store that I went with the initial thought that came into my head I either run into someone I haven't seen for a long time, or I find something that's on sale or anything like that. And even taking those small steps, following your intuition and your inner guidance, then you start to trust yourself. It's just like creating those habits. When you start doing it and you make those little promises to yourself that you're going to do something each day, it all starts to add up. And when you start to trust yourself with the small things, then you can start to trust yourself with the bigger things, because I don't know about you, but I don't always trust myself and my decisions, and so I do that quite a bit to help build that trust within myself.

Speaker 1: 6:04

So we all have the power within us to change patterns and habits and not live in Groundhog Day every single day. I just wanted to share that with you today and I will be back again tomorrow with more. I'm really trying to keep these short, so they're quick listens with, hopefully, some little nuggets for you. So today's invitation or action step would be to do one thing different today or every day this week, or three days this week, something that you can do to change it up so that you're not living Groundhog Day every single day. I hope you have a beautiful, beautiful day. Much love.