Healthy Body  >  Think Big, Act Small

Think Big, Act Small

with-love

In my hotel bathroom, I read the little sign over and over again: THINK BIG, ACT SMALL. Granted, it was a reminder that the acts of turning off the water as you brushed your teeth or using a towel more than one time added up and played a role in the bigger notion of saving the planet, one little sustainable effort at a time. I got it.

But, there was something else about those four words that really made me stop and think...

Maybe I didn't like the “act small” part. It felt insignificant, as in not important. But at the same time, it felt so relevant.  Then it hit me: we’re all about thinking big, especially this time of year when we make our New Year’s resolutions.  (And that’s a good thing.)  But what happens most of the time (and why most New Year’s resolutions don’t even stick past February 1st)?  We forget to consider how to get there, the ways we can “act small” so to speak.

It’s one thing to have big ideas, set big goals and have big visions … and then it’s another to take the necessary steps to turn them into a reality.  Yet, it’s in the “act small” where we actually set the ball in motion.

Take my mission behind Kale & Chocolate: to help all women put an end to our struggles with food and body and quiet our inner critics who tell us we are not enough. Just like saving the planet, this is definitely a “think big” concept, but it doesn’t happen overnight. The truth is you're not likely to wake up one day and say, "I am going to eat whatever my body guides me to eat without any guilt and feel 100 percent confident that I'm making the best choices for me." Or, "I won't stress about what to eat anymore while I hug myself in front of the mirror and snap a selfie to display all over social media. "

All sarcasm aside, with any big idea, it starts with a single conscious decision to change. And when you take that one step, try that one healthy habit, create that one mindset shift, you've begun the process. Then, over the course of a year (hello 2014!), that could be hundreds of small acts that add up and impact your life... and the lives of those around you.

So, when we declare that this is my year to: “eat healthy”, “spend quality time with loved ones”, “run a marathon”, “write a book”, “do a Ted Talk”, “get rid of toxins in the house” (fill in your blank)…let’s not forget about the baby steps.  Because when we include the ways we can “act small” as part of our resolution or our intentions for the year, we’re more likely to not only break it down into doable efforts, but we also get to enjoy the journey…and celebrate the small victories along the way.

As you enter into the New Year reflecting on what this past one has meant to you and thinking about your intentions for the next one, remember THINK BIG and ACT SMALL.

Not sure where to start?

Question of the day:  How does that sign in my hotel bathroom resonate with you? Share your stories & insights below.

Wishing you a new year filled with big ideas and small acts...and, of course, lots of love & leafy greens along the way!