The greatest difference that Microsteps have made to my work and personal life is that they’ve made me more deliberate about my actions, thoughts, and goals. Instead of being a slave to my deadlines, I feel I’m starting to take control of my work. It’s allowed me to be more conscious and controlled in what I do. Microsteps start with building awareness around some of your unhealthy habits, and I find that once I can identify them, it’s much easier to take steps toward replacing them with better habits.
Other than Microsteps, the biggest contributor to my well-being lately has definitely been movement. It wakes up the brain, inspires the heart, and reminds the body that time is finite. When we’re spending so much time sitting at a desk or staying inside, it’s easy to skip movement or exercise. But when I make the time for it, I can tell that there’s a huge boost in my physical and mental state.
Recently I’ve found that connecting with others through uplifting or funny videos has been very effective. In particular, the Thrive Resets have been phenomenal — they’re simple, short, and yet so meaningful. I’ve shared these with everyone and they all love them! Because they’re so short, you always have time to watch them. And because they reduce stress so well, they’re very enjoyable to watch and use.
I’ve learned so much about myself through using Thrive’s resources, and one of my takeaways has been that we, as sentient beings, are naturally sensitive and emotional, and yet we are also so much more intellectually powerful than we realise. It’s this combination of the emotional and the logical that makes us human. When we can use one to control the other, we are in a good space.
To build off of that idea, a lot of the logical things we do can help regulate our emotional state. For example, don’t be at the mercy of other people’s agendas and deadlines. Be clear about what you can and cannot do. Never compromise on quality, it will make you miserable to let yourself down. Stand up for yourself and know your worth. Doing all of these things will make you more confident and true to your values, which will ultimately make you happier. One of the things that always brings me joy is breathing in the beautiful scent of my horse — it’s grounding like nothing else on earth and takes me out of my overthinking, over-analytical, over-critical head. Everyone can find something in their own life that helps them reset from stress in a similar way.