The Power of Tiny Shifts: 5 Life-Changing Habits in Just 7 Seconds

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Mid-year can feel like a weird in-between—goals set in January are distant memories, and summer's supposed lightness often gets lost in the chaos of daily life. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, drained, or stuck in the swirl of “what now?”—this episode is your breath of fresh air.

In this power-packed conversation, Holly Curby shares 5 transformative habits that take just 7 seconds or less—backed by neuroscience and grounded in Scripture. These tiny, intentional actions can reset your mindset, lower stress, and bring peace—right in the middle of the mess.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why mid-year burnout is real—and what to do about it
• The power of micro-habits to rewire your brain
• How faith and neuroscience intersect in daily transformation
• Simple shifts you can do in the car, at the sink, or in a moment of overwhelm
• Scriptures that support small beginnings and daily renewal

 The 5 Tiny Shifts:

1. The Breath & Bless Shift
   Take a deep breath and thank God for the moment. This calms your nervous system and grounds you spiritually.
2. The Compliment Shift
   Speak kindness—to someone else or yourself. It changes your brain and your relationships.
3. The Gratitude Shift
   Spot one thing you’re thankful for and say it aloud. Gratitude literally rewires your mind.
4. The “What Matters” Shift
   Ask: What actually matters right now? This clears out mental clutter and brings clarity.
5. The Name It & Release It Shift
   Identify your emotion—then release it in prayer. As Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the Lord…”

These aren’t productivity hacks. They’re quiet, sacred choices that create real, lasting change. Whether you're deep in a meltdown or simply feeling "meh" halfway through the year, these tools are designed to help you re-root in peace, purpose, and presence.

• Romans 12:2 – "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
• Zechariah 4:10 – "Do not despise these small beginnings…"
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – "Give thanks in all circumstances…"
• Psalm 46:10 – "Be still and know that I am God."
• Galatians 6:9 – "Do not grow weary in doing good…"

Know someone in the messy middle of their year? Share this episode with them—your share might be their shift.

Tag @hollycurby on Instagram and let us know which shift made a difference in your day.
Subscribe + review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to support the show and help more listeners find it.

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Visit www.hollycurby.com for more information and to sign up for the monthly Holly's Happenings e-newsletter. Holly's Highlights podcast and the opinions and ideas shared within it are for entertainment purposes only. The advice should be confirmed with a qualified professional.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hi, friend, welcome to Holly's Highlights, a podcast
designed to encourage, inspireand equip you to intentionally
live your life full of purpose.
I'm your host, holly Kirby,motivational speaker, leadership
cultivator, marketingstrategist and personal
cheerleader.
Let's check out today'shighlights.
This episode is brought to youby Facelift embracing hope

(00:24):
through your heartaches.
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through a fresh lens of faith,growth and personal
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Whether you're navigatingchange or simply craving a
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With every chapter You'll findengaging reflection exercises,
powerful takeaways and evenamazoncom.

(00:45):
Connect with me atwwwhollykirbycom to inquire

(01:09):
about bulk purchasing, speakingengagements or simply to learn
more.
Let's be honest as we prepare toenter July, it can just feel
like a weird month.
It's not the beginning ofanything.
It's not the end of anything.
It's kind of like that strangemiddle ground, you know, right
between where you thought you'dbe by now and where you're still

(01:32):
hoping to go.
Well, mid-year hits hard andthe goals you set in January
might just feel like a distantmemory.
The energy you had in springit's faded and summer's supposed
to feel light and free.
But many of us may feel like weare dragging, overloaded,
drained, stuck in the swirl ofdaily life and wondering is

(01:53):
anything I'm doing actuallymaking a difference?
Well, if you've been feelingoff or like your soul is on
autopilot, this episode is foryou.
Romans 12 2 reminds us do notconform to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by therenewing of your mind.
That renewal, it could beginwith the tiniest of actions,

(02:13):
because you don't need a fullreset, you just need a small
shift.
Science shows that even sevenseconds, just seven seconds, of
intentional thought or actioncan begin to rewire our brain,
and scripture echoes this too.
Do not despise these smallbeginnings, for the Lord
rejoices to see the work begin.

(02:34):
Zechariah 4.10.
Science backs it, scripturesupports it and well, my own
life proves it that lastingtransformation doesn't start
with giant leaps.
It starts with such tiny shifts, the kind you can make in the
middle of a meltdown or on aMonday.
Powerful changes.
They don't come from massiveoverhauls, but they can come

(02:58):
from quiet, sacred moments thattake less time than scrolling
past a TikTok.
So you don't need a new job, ora new body, or a new plan.
Even Think about it.
A single breath, a kind word, awhispered prayer, a moment of
gratitude, that's all it takesto start rewiring your mind,

(03:20):
reshaping your mood and evenredirecting your day.
So today I wanna walk youthrough five tiny but mighty
shifts that I use nearly everyday.
These are the daily habits thathave helped me show up when I'm
running on empty or I need tofind clarity when I feel stuck,
and breathe deeper when lifejust feels a bit too much.

(03:43):
These are tools I've used onthe best days and the breakdown
days.
They've carried me throughstressful mornings, tense
conversations and, yes, trust me, they work.
These shifts aren't loud orflashy In fact, I kind of had to
figure out what name to evenassociate with it to best
communicate them to you but theyare life-giving, and sometimes

(04:06):
that's exactly what we need toget through that middle stretch
of the year.
So you might be in your car orwashing dishes, or maybe even
hiding in your pantry eatingchocolate.
That's okay, no judgment here.
Wherever you are, this episodeis for you.
So let's dive into the fiveshifts that could literally
change your life, simply sevenseconds at a time.

(04:29):
Don't let their simplicity foolyou, though.
Tiny shifts create big ripples.
So, number one the breath, andbless shift Right now, wherever
you're at Right now, whereveryou're at.
Pause Now, take a deep breathwith a steady breath in and

(04:52):
exhale slowly.
Now say to yourself I'm doingit.
No-transcript.
That moment of pause, that'spowerful.
According to the AmericanInstitute of Stress, deep
breathing lowers cortisol levelsand increases clarity in under

(05:14):
a minute.
And Psalms 46.10 tells us bestill and know that I am God.
Now I've used this on days whenI put in a 12-hour workday if
it's running kids from here tothere and not skipping a beat,
where the go-go-go of the dayhad me a little impressed at
meeting every need and deadline.
And yet that moment to breathe,and then thank God for that

(05:36):
moment to do so, brought a senseof renewal.
This is your reset button, asacred micro moment in the
middle of chaos.
A breath, a blessing, abeginning.
Number two the compliment shift.
Say one kind thing to someoneyou love, or even to yourself.

(05:57):
Yes, I said to you.
I have literally looked myselfin the mirror and said you're
doing great, mama.
But this could even be a textto a coworker acknowledging I
see your hard work, or anuplifting I'm proud of how far
you've come to a child.
Research from Harvard showsthat positive affirmations and
compliments activate the rewardcenters in the brain.

(06:20):
This builds trust andconfidence and even connection.
Kindness is contagious, myfriends.
So is courage.
Proverbs 16, 24 says graciouswords are a honeycomb, sweet to
the soul and healing to thebones.
Speak life, but don't forget todo so to that person in the

(06:40):
mirror too.
Number three the gratitude shift.
Look around, spot one thing,just one, that you're thankful
for, and then say it out loudMany a day.
Mine is for the squirrelsrunning around from tree to tree
I just love squirrels.
Or even for the bird bathing inthe puddle.
As I'm stuck in slow traffic onthe way to a meeting Perhaps

(07:04):
for you it's warm coffee in yourhands Simply say thank you for
whatever you see.
This can even be applied towhen you're having to do chores
that can get us in a little bitof an attitude.
So as we're loading dishes,maybe just say thank you that we
have plumbing that has abilityto even have a dishwasher to be

(07:24):
able to wash those dishes.
Or as you're doing the laundry,just being thankful that we
have people to love to clothe,or again for the modern
conveniences of a washer anddryer.
Studies from UC Davis inNorthern California show that
people who practice dailygratitude experience 25% more
happiness and lower stresslevels.

(07:46):
Gratitude literally rewires thebrain toward optimism and
resilience.
First Thessalonians 5.18 saysgive thanks in all circumstances
.
Now notice this is not for allthings, but in all things, even
in the messy, even in themundane, give thanks.

(08:08):
If you want to go deeper onthis topic or if you need more
examples of gratitude or justmore encouragement there, you
can look back on every seasonhere, on Holly's Highlights and
around November.
So toward that end of the 20s,21, 22, 23 episode, we cover
different topics on givingthanks and gratitude.

(08:30):
Number four the what mattersshift.
Are you feeling overwhelmed?
Well, whisper or silently.
Ask yourself the simplequestion what actually matters
right now?
See when your brain is spinning.
This question brings you back.
It declutters your mind andnarrows your focus and brings
peace.

(08:50):
Decision fatigue, which wediscuss in greater detail in
season four, episode two, isvery real.
The shift in your mentalclarity is a checkpoint.
Jesus modeled this beautifullyIn Luke 10, 41 through 42, he
said to Martha you're worriedand upset about many things, but
few things are needed, orindeed only one.

(09:12):
You know, just today I was atthe gas station filling up my
car with gas and I was thinkingof my to-do next checklist.
Well then, suddenly Iimplemented this shift and it
was so refreshing to actuallyhave a wake-up moment where I
simply enjoyed the warmth of thesun upon my cheek, the
stillness that seemed to bearound me, and suddenly I felt
myself enjoying and soaking up,just standing there, let that

(09:36):
whisper or that question toyourself cut through the noise,
focus on the one thing thatmatters most in the moment, and
then number five.
Then name it and release it.
Shift, feel like something'soff.
Don't shove it down, don't numbit.
Name it.
I feel anxious, I feel lonely, Ifeel stretched too thin.

(10:00):
Whatever it is.
Then breathe, acknowledge itand even say I release this.
Or, in my case, I release itthrough faith by saying God, I
give this to you.
See, you're not weak forfeeling or having a feeling.
It's actually strength to speakit.
Psychologist Dr Dan Siegel fromUCLA calls this name it to tame

(10:25):
it.
Neuroscience backs it up too.
Simply identifying an emotionreduces its intensity and
increases emotional regulation,or emotional intelligence too.
Psalm 55, 22 tells us cast yourcares on the Lord and he will
sustain you.
Don't carry it alone, let go ofit.
My friend One named feeling ata time.

(10:50):
So maybe July isn't aboutreinventing everything.
Maybe it's about reroutingyourself in what matters most,
not chasing a whole new life,but noticing what's already good
, what's already working, what'salready within reach.
These tiny shifts, they're morethan habits.

(11:10):
They are quiet acts of faith,of healing, of choosing peace in
a world that really pushespressure.
Mid-year doesn't have to meanburnout.
It can mean becoming slowly,steadily and intentionally.
Galatians 6-9 reminds us.
Let us not grow weary in doinggood, for at the proper time we

(11:33):
will reap a harvest if we do notgive up.
So don't give up.
Choose one shift, just one.
Now.
I've used these in traffic jamsand before or after hard
conversations on thoseteary-eyed mornings.
They work.
So I would encourage you try ittoday and tell me how it goes.
Tag me on Instagram at HollyKirby or send me a message about

(11:56):
which shift met you right whereyou were.
And hey, if this episode gaveyour soul a breath or perhaps
your face a facelift.
If only there was a book outthere that could offer more in
detail on that.
If only there was a book outthere that could offer more in
detail on that.
Well, I would invite you, oreven plead with you, to share

(12:18):
this episode with a friend,because someone you know is
sitting in the messy middle too,and you sharing might be their
shift.
As Mother Teresa said, not allof us can do great things, but
we can do small things withgreat love.
So remember your story matters.
Every little shift adds up, andthe middle of the year it's
still a beautiful place to beginagain.

(12:41):
Until next time, keep shining,keep persevering.
You're doing better than youthink and I'm here cheering you
on.
Thank you for joining me onthis journey of life.
I hope that today's highlighthas been encouraging, inspiring
and equipping so you can go outand live your life full of

(13:01):
purpose.
I'd be honored if you'd take amoment to leave a review or,
better yet, subscribe.
We can also stay in touch byjoining my email list at
hollykirbycom, that's H-O-L-L-Y,c-u-r-b-y dot com.
Until next time.
Make it a great day for a greatday.