The small and the sacred
The sweet truth is that lasting transformation is the result of small acts, done repeatedly. It's such good news.
Are you seeking big leaps and shortcuts?
You are not alone if you secretly (or not so secretly) wish for change that doesn't require a whole lot of work. Personal development is often oriented toward the language of big leaps and massive, instant transformation - however, that isn't how most change happens. The narrative of instant and lasting transformation is appealing because it plays to our ardent wish that we could gloss over (or completely avoid) the sloggy, sometimes difficult (or even boring), day-to-day choices and actions that lead to real and lasting transformation.
Most change is rooted in small acts.
Despite our societal desire for instant gratification, the truth is that the small choices we make day after day become the fabric of our lives, after its all said and done. And these small acts are sacred. Not in the religious sense, but (as Merriam Webster says), "entitled to reverence or respect."
Your desire is worthy of your reverence.
The shifts you would like to experience in your life are infinitely worthy of your devotion - the small, sacred acts that day by day make you and make a life. What might that look like, you ask?
The woman who no longer wants to feel the anxious knot in her stomach when she goes to the store, or out to eat, wondering if there is enough money in her checking account or on her credit card? She takes the small, sacred step of tracking her money and knowing exactly what is happening with her money day by day, finding peace, and crafting a new relationship with money.
The woman who feels ambivalent about sharing her work and using her voice to market and tell people how she can help? She takes the small, sacred step of courageously connecting with her audience each week and letting them know exactly how they can work with her, gaining courage and experiencing the joy of more of the work she loves (and the money that goes along with that).
The woman who has chronically hustled or overworked to the point of burnout? She takes the small, sacred step of slowing down and re-visioning her days with an eye to rest and pleasure, learning the art of restoration and the power of choosing a rhythm that is more aligned with her energy.
I have lived these scenarios.
I've been in each of these situations and found transformation in the small and sacred day-to-day action. I've celebrated the same kind of incredible shifts with clients who finally dropped the mythical story of quick fixes and instant transformation to finally treat themselves and their desire for change with reverence and devotion.
Yes, I have had magical moments of incredible shifts, but most of the change I've experienced has been built on surrendering my fervent wish for an easy fix and instead devoting myself to the small, sacred acts that answer the question - who do I want to be and what small act of devotion can I take today to move toward my desires?
So now it's your turn - is there some way you've been looking for a quick fix? Something you desperately want to avoid? Some way that you want instant transformation? What is the small, and sacred, act of devotion that you might commit to that could change everything?
Thank you for this, Nona. My small sacred act of devotion is to "peek within." As I type this I am in the Northeast with family and old friends. As we talk about life over the last 20 or so years, I feel where I have made significant progress and where I have built a bench to sit on where I have been stuck. The various benches are built to cover up the pandora's boxes beneath. If I don't see the lids of the boxes, I will not see the boxes and I can just sit there and say, "Hey, this is where I am, right?" I think that is the best metaphor for how I have hidden important things but not urgent things from my best and highest wisdom. Your post makes me think to "just take a peek." There is nothing to fear here, right? It is always warm and welcoming in your space! Thank you.