tiny happy baby steps
Today I want to talk about tiny happy baby steps.
This is a cute phrase that I stole from my friend Vicki. She was talking about how to run trails that are technical…meaning, rocky or rooted, with lots of things you can trip on. To run this kind of trail without falling, you take small, quick steps and pick up your feet.
Tiny happy baby-stepping will help you avoid catching a toe and face planting…which really isn’t fun.
I also take tiny happy baby steps when I’m running uphill. When I focus on taking small, fast steps - even if I’m not covering much ground in each step - I can maintain a jog without needing to slow to a hike.
I also think the phrase ‘tiny happy baby steps’ applies beautifully to life.
If you’ve been reading my emails lately, you’ll know that I’ve been talking about the process of change and normalizing the need for change in our lives.
Maybe you’ve asked yourself, ‘who am I in this season of my life?’ and listened for the answer. And perhaps you’ve spent some time lining up with this current version of you. Because in some ways, you’re not the same person you were 10 or 15 years ago. And if you long for change, it simply means that some aspect of your current reality doesn’t quite fit the YOU that you’ve become.
So what happens next? Is it time to leap?
Nope…not just yet.
It’s time to take tiny happy baby steps…one at a time, in any direction. The idea is to learn how the current version of you acts and interacts in the world.
Let me give you an example from my own life. I spent several decades becoming a professional musician and enjoyed some success. Over time, however, I fell out of sync with that role. The more current version of me loved to think about big life issues and longed to work with people one-on-one to help them feel more at home in their lives.
At that point, I had no idea what my new path would look like. Would I become a therapist? A writer? Or would I do something else entirely and help others in different ways?
I couldn’t have known right away what my next role would be. I still had a lot to discover. But from where I was, I could take small actions that felt right.
Tiny baby steps.
For instance, I could volunteer for an organization that connected me with people in need. I could start a blog and practice writing. I could find a bunch of podcasts that I found interesting and inspiring and start listening. Or I could read books that appealed to my transformed self.
The baby steps available to you are unlimited and they do not have to be directly related to the change you want to make.
Your tiny baby steps are just reinforcing the new YOU. When you take them, you practice aligning with your values and living in the world with new authenticity.
Your tiny happy baby steps may connect you with new people and situations that also align with your values. Your baby-stepping may open new doors of opportunity.
And get this: tiny happy baby steps FEEL GOOD. It feels good to do things that are aligned with your truth. These kinds of actions are rewarding. As you get more practice, you anchor into a new identity that feels authentic and true to who you are.
Authenticity is powerful. And the more uninhibited and real you are, the more magnetic you are to other people, including potential employers, friends, and colleagues.
Tiny happy baby steps.
Make it as light and simple as you can.
It may feel hard to not know all of the answers yet.
But you’re on your way, one tiny step at a time.
Have fun with this process.
Because ultimately it’s for YOU…and the world will benefit from your truth and alignment.
Let’s talk! Click here to schedule a free 60-minute connection call. And for more juicy life stuff, check out my podcast, coming home (to yourself). As always, may your week be filled with self-love and rich insights. With love, Amy ♡♡♡