Little Changes Can Make Big Differences!

Why Change

Changes are sometimes the best things that can happen to us, but they are also the most feared and resisted occurrences; because they come with uncertainties, newness, and differences. Changes force us out of our comfort zones and challenge us to think/do/see/approach things in different and new ways, which in turn opens us up to new realizations. We all get used to our ways and feel comfortable in what we know, but staying in this comfort mode is so bad for us because we get complacent and miss out on new and exciting things that can benefit us.

Just Little Incremental Changes

Given that changes are so unsettling and unnerving, little incremental changes are effective and can make huge differences, that are obvious immediately or with gradual progression. Any change, is good, as long as we are consciously ensuring that we incorporate them into our lives daily, either in little increments or in big ways (if we are ginormous risk takers).

My Lightbulb

I came to this lightbulb realization, today. When a little change made an immediate impact in my living room ambiance. You see, the couches in my living room had been slanted in a way that I was comfortable with, but knew could be better. I kept looking at the set-up and thinking “this does not look right, but will work”. Every time I sat on one couch, I sensed that it did not give me the most beneficial view of my living room, but settled for the view that I got. This continued for about two years until today, when I decided to straighten the couches- instead of having them slanted- and almost immediately changed the ambiance of my living room from okay to perfect! I not only had a bit more space to move around but also had the perfect view of everything around my living room.

My Realization

So, I thought, wow what a big impact, something as little as straightening my couches makes. I asked myself why I didn’t see this all along, why I didn’t do this sooner, why I was so resistant to straightening the couches, why I settled for what I knew did not completely work? … And the only answer I could come up with was that I was comfortable with the way it initially looked; and decided to settle. This got me thinking about other things, that I may have “settled for” and what little changes I could make to change them. It also made me realize that little changes count (sometimes immediately and others progressively), and are beneficial to us whether we know it or not. Also, consciously incorporating little changes into our lives, does not only helps us see things differently but also keeps us on our toes. Challenging ourselves to get out of our comfort zones provides us with new experiences and advances us. They may not always be positive, but there will always be experiences learned and knowledge gained. Also, check out my blog on becoming your own change agent.

My Challenge for Us

Well friends, here’s my challenge for us. Going forward, I challenge us to incorporate a little necessary (and positive) change into our daily routine…. no matter how small.  Be it what/how we eat, smile, talk, drive, commute, save money, call friends, walk… What you do immediately you wake up, how you approach work, your perspective of things… whatever and however little! Incorporate it into your daily living, and see what that does for you. I promise you will not regret it! If anything, it will be an eye-opening experience that will keep things interesting; for you and everyone around you.

Cheers!