Do you have lofty goals but feel overwhelmed about getting started?
You have good intentions but are stuck at the starting line overthinking how much there is to do and how daunting your journey ahead seems. The thrill and excitement of your new idea has transformed into dread and doubt?
Here is a five step process to help you get started:
Step one: Acknowledge where you are now and how you are feeling. Awareness is like casting a light on a scary shadow, it dispels the unknown and diminishes its restrictive hold on us.
Step two: Think about the task you want to approach. Break it down into a really, really, really, really, really, really, ity, bity tiny wee little step. Whittle it down to a point where you feel relief, then you can easily take action.
Step three: Have fun! Give yourself permission to start small and crappy. Let your inner perfectionist take the day off!
Step four: Commit to repeating this exercise 5-15 minutes a day, 3-4 times a week. Eventually you will form a healthy habit and routine that you look forward to.
Step five: Give yourself credit. Allow yourself to relish in your accomplishments. Honor your choice to show up for yourself. Hold on to that loving feeling!
When you set reasonable goals that you can accomplish, you are creating a new pathway for success.
A feeling of success leads to renewed motivation which creates increased interest in our dreams and pursuits. The more small goals you set and accomplish, the faster you advance in the direction of your dreams. Celebration, gratitude, and frequent happy dancing reinforce your positive results and will compel you to try again.
When you set unreasonable goals, overwhelm can increase the odds of you not doing anything, there’s less of a chance that you’ll reach that goal. Overwhelm will make you bail on commitments and say things like ‘never mind, I don’t know what I was thinking.’ It will rob you of your joy and creative outlets. Ultimately it leaves you feeling cranky and disillusioned.
The use of small steps might seem counter intuitive to you at first. You may question, how can I get to where I want to get to if I’m only taking small steps? Small steps and the freedom not to be good, can jump start your creative process and remove creative blocks. It will allow you to engage in process and bypass your ego’s resistance to change. Once we get started, we are more likely to progress with leaps and bounds.
Small steps allow us to create a success experience and that leads to more action.
Rather than avoiding how much you think you have to do, small steps will get you excited about starting again. Gradually you will create momentum and will find yourself out past your finish line. Tether yourself to that sense of accomplishment and victory. Enjoy the journey and honor your process. It can be messy and non-linear. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. Just keep showing up for You!
If you need additional support with getting started and staying motivated, schedule your Discovery Call today. As a certified Kaizen Muse Creativity Coach, I’m trained to help you define the smallest, silliest steps possible so you can soar past the obstacles that are keeping you from your fullest Self.
Recommended Reading about Small Steps:
“One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way” - Robert Maurer, Ph. D.
“The Spirit of Kaizen: Creating Lasting Excellence One Small Step at a Time” – Robert Maurer, Ph. D.
“The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)” – Jill Badonsky
Essential Oils for Motivation & reducing Overwhelm:
Lavender, Frankincense, Vetiver, Roman Chamomile, Rose, Ylang Ylang, Marjoram, DoTerra Serenity Oil/Restful Blend
