Reinvention Doesn’t Have to Be Big

Not everyone wants to build a business empire or move abroad. We’re done changing the world and maybe just a wee bit done with changing ourselves. Many of us just want to finally enjoy having time for ourselves, doing things we’ve always wanted to do. You know, all those ideas you toyed with in your daydreams.

Reinvention doesn’t have to be big by any means. But you know what it should be? It should be happy.

And that means not stressing and definitely NOT breaking a sweat! In fact, studies have found that small changes are more effective. I’m old enough to remember when people in the US discovered the Japanese concept of Kaizen—making small incremental changes, striving for 1% improvement each day rather than taking giant steps. Of course, the US being the US, we got bored with that and bought things that promised immediate, amazing results which never delivered on their promise. You’d think we’d learn.

So, a gentle reminder that not only the longest journey begins with a single step—short walks do, too.

Small Ways to Reinvent Yourself and Your Life

1. Change Your Morning Routine – Swap scrolling for stretching, or add a 5-minute walk outside before coffee. (LISTEN: I walk and sometimes manage to jog about 5k five days a week BEFORE coffee. If I can do it, anyone can do it.)

2. Learn a New Skill in Bite-Sized Chunks – Apps like Duolingo or YouTube tutorials make daily learning quick and painless. I practice Portuguese for twenty minutes every day and 95% of the time do an extra ten minutes because I’m already on the app.

3. Revamp Your Wardrobe—Just a Little – Try a new color you’ve never worn, or buy one bold accessory that feels “new you.”

4. Start a Tiny Habit – Drink a glass of water before every meal, write down three things you’re grateful for, or read one page a day of a book you’ve been “meaning to get to.” And no, I can’t read just one page of a good book. But one page gets you started.

5. Switch Up Your Surroundings – Move your furniture around, add a new plant, or hang one fresh piece of art. I “tidied up” my little courtyard and now I sit out there with my morning coffee several days a week.