It's The Little Things

Hi Friends,

I’ve been doing a lot of yoga lately and gotten pretty good at some of the harder poses that require balance and flexibility. Last week while balancing on my right leg with my left leg extended out to the side and my fingers around my left big toe, the teacher came over and made three very minor adjustments to my form. Suddenly, without any straining or extra effort, my left foot was way closer to my shoulder! Higher than I ever thought possible, no matter how much I kept going to yoga. It was an awesome moment that took me by surprise and the message I got from that stayed with me… The smallest adjustments can make the biggest difference.

As humans who want to be and do better, I feel like we are very focused on the big things. But, they can feel daunting to take on or even start. After this class, I began thinking about what little things I could adjust that are effortless, quiet, subtle, and would make a big difference. First, I focused on smiling at other people more and just in general by myself while working on my computer. Then I worked on being a nicer/calmer driver and am letting people go first or get in front of me without getting upset about it. Next, I started waiting an extra moment before speaking in conversation so the other person can really finish what they are saying. Finally, I make sure to say thank you to my eyes every morning before I open them.

Any one of these very small acts takes almost no effort (except maybe the driving one ;)), but they have created a big shift in the energy of my day and those around me. Just like the minor adjustments in that yoga pose getting me in a better posture, all these small adjustments of life put me in the right position to handle everything in my day. I typically handle the big things pretty well, I think most of us do. However, I often overlook how mindful I am with the small details and then find myself easily thrown off my flow. It has been really great to take this understanding and pull it through my whole life, with my family, my workouts, interactions with strangers, and especially in my business. In real estate there are so many little details in every transaction, and being in tune with every minor adjustment has made all of those details flow better than ever before.

I trust that sharing this may inspire you to discover a small change that won’t take much effort but will have a big, positive effect on your life and the people around you. We underestimate the power of our words and actions to impact ourselves, strangers, or familiar faces. The smallest changes can truly make the biggest difference.

With gratitude,
Kris