Baby Steps

The idea of baby steps is so simple and makes such good common sense, yet at the same time confounds us to no end. I am talking about setting small goals that may seem insignificant, yet when taken together and done consistently, provide a basis for noticeable change. Why is that so hard? Because we like to see where we are, and where we want to go, and draw a straight line from here to there. I want to lose 40 pounds, and I want it now, all at once. Losing a pound a week for 40 weeks requires more patience than I possess, so, forget it! That may not be exactly how we articulate it, but that is the basic internal dialogue we have.

If we are able to look at that and muster the patience, and the discipline, then we can set about taking those baby steps that will take us from here to there. It is usually not glamorous, nor speedy, and change is not seen like on our mobile devices where images can change every second or so, but change will occur.

I encourage clients to pick some small actions they feel they can reasonably do every day, consistently, that will add up to a sense of accomplishment and bring them closer to the desired end. Let’s say you want to lose those 40 pounds. Can you walk up the stairs once a day rather than use the elevator? Or take one walk around the block every day? Or eat one stick of celery (rather than that bag of chips)? If so, you will not be magically transformed, but you will have demonstrated to yourself your ability to do something difficult that you might have not thought possible. That sense of accomplishment and pride will only help you feel good about yourself, which will then help you to take more baby steps. The good feeling will be infectious!