Have you ever tried to change or improve something in your life? Most of us have, and most of us have also experienced a resounding failure.
Often when we decide we want to change things in our lives, we begin with making major changes; a radical new diet, a huge shift in schedule, suddenly giving up a long-term habit, or some other sweeping change. For most of us, within a few days or weeks, we find ourselves feeling disappointed as we discover we couldn’t maintain the new behavior.
At the outset it feels good to make a big change, it feels like we are really going to accomplish something; but then, more often than not, the big changes fail. It feels like we lacked self-discipline or maybe had poor self-control, but the real reason the major changes don’t succeed is because it goes against the way our brains are wired.
Our brains and bodies crave something called homeostasis, which basically means balance between two systems. When we undertake a major change, we throw off our equilibrium, our balance of expected behaviors and our brain and body resists the new behavior, seeking to return to what felt familiar.
A more successful way to approach change is what I call the 1%. In the 1% change we make small shifts in our thoughts and behaviors. At first it may seem that the 1% is too small that it won’t lead to the outcomes we desire but the 1% compounded day after day, week after week, equals the big change and it is maintainable because it doesn’t disrupt our homeostasis.
So, if you want to improve your health, instead of doing the newest diet craze, add one new healthy habit; drink one extra bottle of water per day, replace one sweet item with a protein, make sure each meal contains a fruit or vegetable. These changes feel small at first, but they are easy to apply and easy to maintain. Once this one shift has been integrated into your new routine, then add another small improvement; and in no time at all you will see the big results you desire.
Back when I was a coffee drinker, I used to use lots of yummy French vanilla coffee creamer but then I applied the 1% and switched from coffee creamer to half and half with a small amount of sugar. The coffee was still satisfying but was healthier than it had been. Lo’ and behold, over the next couple of months, I lost 15 pounds-from that one small change!
I have since applied the 1% to every area of my life and daily live in the results of positive change and growth. This is possible for you as well. Consider one area of your life where you can make a 1% change; maybe get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning and focus on your gratitude’s, plan to spend one hour a week weeding the garden, start saving 1% of you paycheck, listen to one self-improvement audio book per month and watch the life you desire become more and more your daily reality.
I can’t wait to hear how your compounded 1% changes your life for the better!
