May 3, 2025 • 29 mins
Small daily actions compound over time to completely change the trajectory of your life, whether in health, career, finances, or relationships.
• Trying to change everything at once leads to burnout and failure
• Starting small creates achievable wins that build momentum
• Shifting perspective during challenges is crucial for finding forward momentum
• Habit stacking combines new habits with existing routines for easier adoption
• The 5-minute rule makes new habits feel achievable and non-threatening
• Gratitude practice is foundational to creating a fulfilled life
• James Clear's "1% better each day" approach creates remarkable cumulative improvement
• "If the first step feels too hard, it's not the wrong goal—it's the wrong size"
Join us next week for our bonus episode featuring Dan Heffley, former Army Ranger who experienced a catastrophic stroke at 31 years old, sharing his 20+ year recovery journey and lessons on resilience.
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Books referenced on the podcast.
Atomic Habits by James Clear (paid link)
Atomic Habits for Kindle
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck (paid link)
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sherry (00:00):
All right, welcome back .
This is it the podcast byThriving Yinzers, where we talk
about tools for buildingresilience, conquering overwhelm
and creating a life that feelsgood.
Jodi (00:11):
And I'm Jodi.
Today we're diving into howsmall actions today shape the
life you're creating fortomorrow.
Changing the way you thinkabout your daily habits,
decisions and mindset cancompletely change the trajectory
of your life.
Sherry (00:25):
In the first segment, today we're going to be talking
about the power of compoundactions, because we really do
underestimate how much smallactions add up over time, and
whether it's your health, career, finances or relationships.
Everything that you do today issetting the foundation for your
future self.
I think of it like plantingseeds what you water and nurture
(00:46):
now determines what will growin the future, and you
definitely get more of what youput your energy towards.
Would you agree with that, Jodi?
How does this show up in yourlife?
Jodi (00:55):
Yeah for sure, the small step thing is really big for me.
I had to work on it and it cameto me in a really sort of in
your face way.
I had had a therapy session andI was talking to my therapist
about how I feel like I keepsetting myself up for failure
and disappointment by wanting tomake these big changes like a
full throttle until I'm burntand sliding backwards.
(01:17):
And she stopped me and she saidwell, this is something that
you bring up in relation to someof your kids.
You worry about how they takeon like really big tasks or want
to make big changes, moving outof state or having a new career
, going back to school insteadof starting small.
And she actually stopped andshe pulled back notes from
(01:41):
previous therapy sessions whereI'm talking about all these
concerns, and she just kind oflooked at me like, um, and
seriously it was like cold waterto the face and I thought, well
, no wonder they're notlistening to me.
I'm not, I'm not taking my ownadvice, I'm not living my own.
Sherry (01:57):
I don't know if that's saying calling us out on our own
BS.
Jodi (02:01):
No, it definitely is, and sometimes we need that right.
Like I need to be called on onmy bullshit I definitely do and
just taking that and thinkingabout it and really that's when
I started changing and lookingat my day to day habits and I
started to think I keep feelinglike something's missing in my
life, I keep feeling like I needto do something different, but
(02:21):
what I wasn't doing was thissimple day-to-day things that
make the biggest difference.
Concentrating on Sleep,drinking enough water.
Sherry (02:51):
Right?
It's supposed to be so simple,but we like to overcomplicate it
.
And I like that the therapist,brought that to your attention
'cause I, I see that also inrelationships.
You need your friends who don'tjust wink and nod and smile and
pat you on the back.
You need the ones that willcall you out on your bullshit
too.
Jodi (02:54):
Absolutely
Sherry (02:55):
.
But I think when we get in ourminds that we want to change and
do better for ourselves, we'lltry to change everything at once
, and then we crash and burn,like you said, and then we mess
up and we end up giving upbecause we tell ourselves it's
too hard, this isn't for me.
I suck, you know I suck at this.
I can't do this.
Yep.
(03:15):
All the negative self-talktakes over and then I think the
key in what you're saying isthat you can achieve those big
results, but they come throughvery small changes to start with
and then, once you have thosein place, you can build upon
those because they are morerealistic and achievable.
Jodi (03:34):
Right and honestly, when you start small and you do small
achievable things that stack up, you get that sense of
accomplishment.
You start to feel better everysingle time you achieve
something small, that if you setthe bar too high then you're
not going to meet your goal andthen you feel like a failure and
that sense of failure justkeeps compounding and you know
it just goes from there.
Sherry (03:56):
Yep, and I'm sitting here shaking my head that nobody
can see.
So my commentary is that Ithink that you actually said two
things that are key takeaways.
Starting small is definitelykey, but what you said about
looking at it through adifferent lens is also so
powerful.
It's all about perspective.
Really, just like aphotographer does, when the view
(04:18):
isn't quite right, you changethe lens and it gives you a new
perspective.
I never really gave that muchthought until I didn't have a
choice but to start small, andat the same time, it was a shift
in perspective that got megoing in the right direction so
that I could start.
I talked in the last episodeabout having a series of
cerebellar strokes, and one ofthe things that was affected was
(04:39):
my balance.
So starting small for me atthat time was taking literal
small steps around my house andthen around the yard and
eventually around theneighborhood, and then after a
while, I even did a hike in thewoods at night in the middle of
winter, on my birthday.
Then that led to a discovery ofa new source of joy that I
never would have known had I notbeen put on a literal new path.
(05:00):
Nighttime hiking is amazing andI never would have discovered
it if I was still stuck in myold routines or if I had let the
fear of trying take over.
Jodi (05:09):
Right, and the secret is just start.
It doesn't matter how small,progress isn't about giant leaps
, it's about that first step,however tiny it may seem.
Sherry (05:18):
Yeah, like starting walking around my house one step
at a time.
If someone had suggested atthat time that I do a night hike
, I would have laughed oractually, more likely, cried,
because that was out of thequestion in those early days.
But starting small gave memomentum and momentum kept me
moving forward and after a whilemy balance improved enough for
(05:38):
me to be more comfortableleaving the house.
And then, with the support ofan amazing friend, I started
going to a yoga class for peoplewith brain injuries.
My friend drove me to and fromclasses, but also participated
in class as a caregiver.
And that ended up being aprofound experience that I
consider such a major part inchanging the trajectory I was on
(06:00):
during one of the moredifficult periods of my life.
Jodi (06:03):
And so you're saying you knew you had to start somewhere
by putting one foot in front ofthe other, literally even if you
didn't know where the stepswere taking you.
Sherry (06:11):
It was those first small steps that I took in the
living room that eventually ledme to that class, with the help
of my friend.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
And the night hiking challenged my brain and my
balance in every step.
It was hard as hell, but it wasexactly what I needed.
Each stumble ended up being astep towards finding my strength
and regaining my balance.
Sherry (06:31):
And it was that yoga class that gave me a new
perspective, which opened thedoor to the next phase of
getting healthier, a little bitat a time.
Jodi (06:39):
But you didn't know that at the time, right.
Sherry (06:42):
No, because it's so hard to see when you're in the
middle of it.
But all of that wouldn't havecome if I allowed myself to
focus on what I couldn't do.
Instead, I thought about howfreaking grateful I was.
Cerebellar strokes make up onlytwo to three percent of all
cases and they were located in atight space at the back of the
brain, very close to thebrainstem which controls your
(07:04):
breathing and heart rate, so itcan become deadly fast.
So I knew I was extremely luckyI got care in time, but it did
change a lot.
I had to relearn balance,coordination, patience, patience
with my body and patience withmy mind.
I'm still working on some things, but I recognized that moment
could have been the end of mystory and I focused on keeping
(07:26):
things in perspective, stayingpositive and grateful.
I thought about the many peoplewho have suffered through so
much and I especially thoughtabout the inspiring story of a
friend who had a catastrophicstroke over 20 years ago at a
very young age, losing theability to use his right side
and much, much more.
But he continues to defy theodds and is still working hard
(07:49):
every single day and is stillmaking strides.
We're actually going to havehim come on as a guest in the
next episode.
I thought about another friendwho lost the ability to
communicate verbally and howpainfully difficult that must be
.
I thought about all the waysthat things could have been so
much worse, and I decided tostart with gratitude and build
on that step by step, because inthis journey I learned that a
(08:12):
shift in perspective is soimportant when you're trying to
find your way through hard times.
Jodi (08:17):
Yes, you have to look for something good, something
positive to build from, and onceyou master one small step, you
feel accomplished and empoweredto start the next step.
Sherry (08:28):
And everything shifts for the better when you count
your blessings.
And that's where your power is.
At first finding gratitudethrough a shift in perspective
and then tapping into thosecompounding effects.
When you start with somethingsmall so that you will be able
to have a string of wins puttogether, those small wins can
(08:51):
lead to huge results.
That's the power of compounding, and you never know where those
initial steps will lead.
The thing is, it all startswith the decision to start.
Jodi (08:55):
Every choice we make, big or small, adds up, shaping the
direction of our lives over time, positive choices build
momentum towards growth, whilenegative choices can quietly
stack up, keeping you stuck evenwithout realizing it
Sherry (09:11):
True, and I have to bring up that question that we
all ask in school when will Iever use this?
Remember telling your mathteacher I'll never use this in
real life?
It turns out that one of themost valuable lessons from
school was actually the power ofcompounding.
Whether it helps your moneygrow or keeps you stuck in debt,
the same principle applies tolife.
(09:32):
Every choice we make is eitherbuilding us up or tearing us
down.
You're either moving towardsbetter or worse, and if you want
to be moving towards a morefulfilling life, starting with
gratitude will set thefoundation to begin taking those
small steps towards a brighterfuture.
And then, from there, you startbuilding new habits that help
you to grow, and when you dothat, you begin to crowd out the
(09:53):
habits that are actuallyholding you back.
Jodi (09:56):
Let's talk about how that looks when you want to change
some of your everyday habits, tostart growing or getting better
.
Research has shown that peoplewho feel fulfilled have certain
habits in common.
One of those habits is readingor listening to something
enriching.
Each day it sharpens yourthinking, grows your vocabulary
and strengthens your mindset,like someone who started reading
10 pages a day and, before youknow it, has read dozens of
(10:18):
life-changing books.
But what if that feels like toomuch?
What would you tell someone whofeels overwhelmed by that goal?
Sherry (10:25):
I would again say start small.
Choose a commitment that you'remore likely to stick to.
Maybe it's just two pages a day, or maybe it's not even reading
the book, maybe it's listeningto a book.
That's where I started.
This feels easy, and then itremoves the mental barrier of
needing lots of time, or eventhe motivation, because you're
(10:47):
only asking yourself to committo something for a very short
amount of time.
So then, three things come withthat.
You leverage your momentum.
Often, once you start, you'llnaturally read more than two
pages, but even if you don't,you've still made more progress
than where you were the daybefore.
The second thing is to beconsistent and be non-negotiable
(11:09):
with yourself.
The goal is to show up daily tobegin to build that habit.
So over time, those smallsessions add up and that turns
reading into a natural part ofyour routine.
And then stacking the habit.
This one is just really sopowerful.
If you were trying to read more, you could pair reading with an
existing habit that you alreadydo every day.
(11:31):
So I started listening toaudiobooks and, after learning
about habit stacking from JamesClear's book Atomic Habits, I
(11:51):
started stacking the necessaryhabit for my health, which was
taking a walk while listening toaudiobooks and it was really
powerful because it kept mecommitted to walking and reading
.
So by compounding these smalldaily reading moments, you'll
gradually increase your readingtime without feeling overwhelmed
.
And watching your progress growcan be motivating, and that can
(12:14):
apply to any new habit you'retrying to build into your life.
Jodi (12:17):
And you know those small daily habits, like yesterday was
a great example.
I've been trying to get upearlier because I have so much
on my plate and I know I want tobe a great example.
I've been trying to get upearlier because I have so much
on my plate and I know I want tobe a certain way.
I want to make sure I'm beingintentional and I've been having
a hard time sleeping.
It's something I'm working on,so I got up just five minutes.
Just five minutes earlier I dida five-minute morning
(12:39):
meditation and it's becomenon-negotiable and originally I
would have said, oh, I got toget up an hour earlier.
Now I know five minutes andfive minutes has made a
difference and now I have madethat my thing.
I don't miss my morning fiveminute meditation and days like
yesterday when I really didn'twant to get moving.
That got me, that got my assmoving and it got me out the
(13:01):
door.
Sherry (13:02):
Right.
So you're giving yourself anachievable starting point with
five minutes, and once you'regetting those little benefits
from those five minutes, thenyou may increase the time that
you get up earlier.
Jodi (13:13):
Absolutely.
I could see that my next stepwill be 15.
And once 15 feels good andthat's working, then we'll go to
30.
Right, I'll probably end upsleeping better by then too,
once you do start to exercisethat muscle of getting up a
little bit earlier.
Sherry (13:29):
those few minutes really add up to something
bigger.
One thing that I found helpfulfor myself is, if you do have
trouble waking up is to try toput your phone or your alarm far
enough away that you have toget up and walk to it to turn it
off.
It's actually not good to haveyour cell phone by your head
while you're sleeping anyway.
So there there's two wins.
Jodi (13:49):
Good point.
but I have found that to behelpful.
Yeah, I mean even eating healthier.
You know if you're somebody whowants to eat healthier but you
feel overwhelmed and you see allthis information about these
overhaul diets.
So now you have to do all thisextreme stuff and cut out whole
food groups.
You don't have to do that.
There are ways to start smalleven there.
I don't have great answers here.
Sherry (14:10):
One thing I do know is, instead of trying to overhaul
everything at once just like wetalked about, starting by making
one small change at a time,building your diet up one layer
at a time, in ways that aredoable and don't feel
overwhelming, so that you'reless likely to quit.
It's really a lifestyle change,so you really need to find
things that are easy to stick toand then go from there.
Jodi (14:32):
And you have a good example, don't you?
Sherry (14:34):
I started with a single nut yeah, a nut.
Since I have Hashimoto, I havea Brazil nut every day because
they are rich in selenium, whichis a mineral that helps the
thyroid, and it was very easy tostick with.
So I started eating one dailywhen I was first diagnosed in
2017, and I have stuck with that.
I still eat one every day, so Iconsider that a win, because it
(14:57):
was small enough to start andbecause it was a small, easy
tweak, I've been able to stickto it long term.
I've always done better atsticking with changes in diet
when I just change one or twothings at a time.
Jodi (15:10):
For me, I just have to start with water, just drinking
of water.
You really do end up feelingfuller.
You eat less
Yeah, but what is it aboutwater too?
Because it's the simplest thingthat we can all do for
ourselves, yet we make it sofreaking hard.
yeah, I mean I put it in my head that I hate it, I hate
drinking water, but if there'slemon in there and you just
you've got to stop thinkingabout it, you just do it.
(15:31):
Just do it and don't thinkabout it.
It is stupid easy, and itscheap.
Sherry (15:34):
Yeah sometimes the things that are stupid, easy, or
sometimes the hardest to justdo.
So how do you get there fromhere sounds like all those
things move your needle closerto better, not worse.
If we could look into thefuture, I think we'd see a
healthier, stronger, morefulfilled person.
But what if you're listeningright now and you have no idea
(15:55):
what you want your eye to looklike in five years?
Where do you even start?
I think we're all caught on autopilot so much that
we don't really take the timeto think about things like this.
But I think that you start byreflecting on how you feel right
now and how you want to feel.
Do you want to feel moreconfident, healthier, more
financially secure, moreconnected to others?
(16:16):
What is it for you?
Like for me, I knew exactly howI didn't want to feel and I
began taking steps, not towardssomething new, but away from how
I didn't want to feel.
Jodi (16:28):
Right, I love that and I think that's really true.
And I think too, what helps meis thinking, and it sounded so
corny the first time somebodysaid it to me.
But they said think about yourfuture self.
You look at yourself five yearsfrom now.
What do you see, what do youwant to see, and you know, and
the feeling thing helps me a lottoo, and I think that once you
(16:49):
have that idea, you can startthinking then a little more
clearly about what actions couldbring that feeling and that
goal into your life.
Sherry (16:58):
Ask yourself what activities am I doing that make
me lose track of time because Ienjoy them so much?
Do more of that.
Or what habits or situationscause me stress or frustration?
Do less of that, or dig alittle deeper, and maybe some
hard conversations need tohappen.
Also ask yourself if my lifestayed exactly the same for the
(17:20):
next five years, would I behappy?
Why, or why not?
Jodi (17:26):
And if a clear vision doesn't come right away, focus
on one small positive change nowand eventually that clarity
will come.
It really will.
However it comes, it'll come,whether it's sitting with a
therapist or whatever.
If you just start small and Iknow it sounds like such a load
of bullshit, but it really it'sa game changer.
It just really is.
Sherry (17:45):
Let's talk about a couple of ways where you can
start small if you're not surewhere to start.
We'll give a couple examplesand maybe just pick one and try
it out for the next two weeksand just see what happens.
Try writing down at least onething that you're grateful for
each day.
And there's a reason why peopletalk about gratitude so much.
There are common behaviors andmindsets that show up over and
(18:07):
over in people who are living afulfilled life, and gratitude is
the thing at the top of thatlist.
When someone feels at peace,content and aligned with their
purpose, it always starts withgratitude.
Jodi (18:19):
Sure, and when you're in a negative space, it's hard to
think about things that you feelgood about or you're happy
about or grateful about, andwhen you force yourself to think
about those things, just one ofthem can help.
And I never thought I could doit, but I started using notes on
my phone and before I go to bedat night I just make a quick
note about one good thing thatmade me smile or happy.
(18:40):
And if that doesn't come, Ilook at a picture of someone I
love and I like that suggestionof using your phone too.
Sherry (18:48):
I have a planner and theoretically I'm supposed to
write three things down everyday, but sometimes we get out of
routine and our habits fallaside.
But Jodi just gave us a safetynet.
Jodi (19:00):
Yeah, I mean honestly that I was using the planner thing
as my excuse to not do thegratitude journaling, because I
have planners all over the place, I lose my notebooks and I'm
like it's just too much work,but your phone's always near you
.
Most people always have theirphone near them and I'm like you
know what?
I'm just going to do this.
I'm just going to use the phoneand I'm going to use my notes
(19:20):
and I'm going to pop it in thereand all my other excuses are
gone now.
Sherry (19:24):
It really is just, it can be okay, I don't have my
phone, I don't have my planner,but I can lay here and I can
send a positive thought towardssomebody I'm grateful for.
Yes, I don't need anything todo that, and it's really just
all about helping your mindsetreframe so that you begin to see
more of the good in your life,because there's always something
(19:45):
there to be grateful for.
Jodi (19:47):
Every chance that you wake up is a chance to have a good
day, so if you can think ofnothing else, there is that too.
You woke up.
Sherry (19:54):
Went on a tangent there and back to helping us get
ourselves together.
This whole podcast centersaround helping break down
overwhelm and building a moreresilient mindset when you have
things piling up in your life.
You often see things piling uparound you at home, and so the
second suggestion to possiblytry is to start creating a new
(20:17):
habit of just setting a timerfor five minutes and do nothing
but declutter your home in justthose five minutes.
Because when you're lookingaround and you see a doom pile
here and a doom pile there andclothes that need folded and
toys that need put away, thefeeling is overwhelmed.
And if you can give yourselfjust five minutes to focus on
(20:41):
that, you're helping to build ahabit that, over time, will
create a more organized andstress-free living space.
I said five minutes.
In my house, the kids do 10.
We called it 10-minute tidy.
I set the timer for 10 minutesand we do nothing else but just
go around the house and pickthings up.
That's a good idea, and at theend of 10 minutes you will have
(21:05):
at least accomplished something.
Your house will be a littlemore peaceful and you might even
find that you're motivated todo more.
But you have to make it a partof the day and, just like we
said earlier in this podcast, if10 minutes feels like too much,
do five.
Jodi (21:19):
And I mean, I know that there's been times when, when
I'm really overwhelmed, I go tomy junk drawer and I purge and
then just throw a bunch of stuffout and I make it neat and I
feel like I do that with myclothes.
Sometimes, too, I'll be like,okay, I'm just going to
reorganize one drawer because Iknow it's going to make me feel
like I've done something.
Sherry (21:37):
And you have at least one space in your home that
feels more calm and peacefulRight, small, short things.
Speaking of short walking orsome sort of physical activity
really should be anon-negotiable for all of us.
But if you haven't had anyphysical movement in your
routine, then taking a shortwalk, even just five minutes of
(21:59):
walking, that can be a firststep.
It clears your mind, it boostsyour mood, it wakes up your body
and you don't need to changeyour whole life to do it.
Put on your shoes and take thatfirst walk.
Jodi (22:11):
no, matter how short.
Yes, you're just one step awayfrom momentum.
I actually keep a post-it noteon my desk that says if it's too
hard, the first step isn'tsmall enough.
In other words, if the firststep feels overwhelming, it's
not the wrong goal.
It's not the wrong goal, it'sjust the wrong size.
Starting small isn't a sign ofweakness.
It's how real change begins.
Shrink the step until it feelsdoable.
Momentum doesn't have to comefrom giant leaps.
(22:33):
It comes from showing up insmall, manageable ways.
The point isn't how far you go,but that you've actually begun.
I love that.
Sherry (22:42):
Let's talk about some resources that can really help
not just get you going, but keepyou motivated to keep going.
I've mentioned James Clearbefore when talking about habit
stacking.
He's the author of AtomicHabits.
He was once a college baseballplayer.
He suffered a serious headinjury and his recovery was slow
(23:02):
, but he focused on making tinyimprovements, which he described
as just 1% better each day.
He started small and when I sayhe started small, he started
making his bed and going to thegym for just a few minutes and
writing just a little every day.
And then, over time, those tinyhabits compounded and he went
(23:23):
on to become a bestsellingauthor, helping millions improve
their lives with the sameprinciples that he used to
rebuild his, and I found so muchpower in his book.
This is one of the books that Ilistened to in my early
recovery, when I couldn't evenread a book with practical
(23:43):
strategies that make it easierfor anyone to build better
habits, break bad ones andcreate systems that support
lasting change.
I feel like he just gets it.
Jodi (23:53):
I agree.
And the way that he describeshabit stacking.
I actually just made a tweakbecause of that, where I used to
fill a great big jug full ofwater like a 32-ounce, 40-ounce
bottle, and now instead I keeplike a regular glass and then I
get up once an hour and I gofill it.
Sherry (24:10):
So I'm walking from my desk to the kitchen, at least
one hour and it's not many steps, but it's at least keeping me
moving Right, because before youknow it, hours have gone by and
you haven't moved.
When James Clear talked aboutjust going to the gym for a few
minutes, the point really wasn'tto work out.
It was to build the identity ofsomeone who shows up.
(24:31):
Then, once going to the gymbecame an automatic part of his
routine, the workouts naturallygot longer, and the hard part
wasn't the workout, it was justgetting there.
But by lowering that barrierthe habit was given a chance to
take root.
Jodi (24:46):
It's a perfect example of his idea Make it so easy.
You can't sing now.
Starting small isn't a weakness, it's a strategy.
Sherry (24:53):
The key takeaway with all of it is that it's not about
perfection.
It's about the progress.
Set a vision for yourself.
Get clear about what you wantyour life to look like in five
years.
Break it down into small steps.
Identify little things that youcan do daily, or even weekly,
that align with where you'retrying to go.
Stay accountable.
And then you have to rememberto celebrate your progress.
(25:15):
I have a spot marked on mycalendar that literally says
celebrate your wins.
You got to recognize andappreciate the progress that
you're making along the way.
Jodi (25:25):
Right, and as a bonus tip, habit tracking apps or setting
calendar reminders to stay ontrack really really helps.
Sherry (25:32):
The goal isn't to be perfect.
It's to keep moving forward,even when progress feels slow.
So remember that you can't giveup just because you messed up
one day.
You start again the next day.
Jodi (25:42):
On an upcoming podcast, we'll discuss how to use SMART
goals to define and achieve yourgoals, but for now, just start.
Find one or two small tweaksthat can get you moving in a
better direction from whereveryou are now, track your progress
, celebrate your wins, giveyourself grace and to me that's
the most important one and startagain when you step off track.
Sherry (26:01):
I can't resist being cheesy here.
Jodi (26:03):
You're not a drag off, you're a thriving yinzer, the
best thing about the future isthat it's built by the actions
we take today.
No matter where you're at inlife, you have the power to make
choices that'll create a better, stronger, more fulfilled
version of yourself, and we'dlove to hear your stories.
If you've made a small changethat landed big results, please
send us a message.
(26:23):
Your journey could inspiresomeone else today.
Speaking of inspiration.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Before we close it out today, we want to remind you
to make sure you are subscribedto follow us on Apple Podcasts,
spotify or your favoritepodcast platform.
You don't want to miss nextweek's bonus episode, where we
interview Dan Huffley, formerArmy Ranger, who experienced a
catastrophic stroke at just 31years old more than 20 years ago
.
His recovery is more than astory of physical healing.
(26:49):
It's a powerful reminder thatresilience is what comes from
meeting our challenges with grit, giving ourselves grace and
making the choice to keepshowing up.
Jodi (26:58):
Thanks for tuning in.
If you enjoyed this episode, besure to subscribe, share it
with a friend and followThriving Enders for more tips on
resilience and growth.
Sherry (27:06):
Until next time, keep going.
Keep growing, because this isit.
Yen's got this.
This podcast is a product ofThriving Yenzers LLC, a home
services business that helps youreclaim your time and space.
They conquer overwhelm bytackling your to-do list with
services like organizationalcoaching, home decluttering,
in-home laundry service andpersonalized lifestyle
assistance.
(27:27):
To learn more, visit us atthrivingyenserscom.
If you or someone you know isin crisis, please reach out to a
trusted professional or crisishotline in your area.
Help is available 24-7,nationwide at the
988-SUICIDE-IN-CRISIS lifelineDial 988 to connect with a
trained crisis counselor forfree and confidential support.
If you're local to thePittsburgh area, resolve Crisis
(27:47):
Services offer 24-7 crisisintervention and stabilization
services to all Allegheny Countyresidents.
You can reach them by calling1-888-796-8226.
If you are struggling withmental health, addiction, grief
or any other serious personalchallenges, we encourage you to
seek support from a qualifiedprofessional.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Okay, here comes the legalese, the oopsies and the
yinzerese.
Sherry (28:10):
This podcast is for informational and entertainment
purposes only.
The content shared is based onpersonal experiences and
perspectives.
Nothing shared on this podcastshould be considered
professional advice.
Thriving Yinzers LLC, its hostsor any associated parties are
not liable for any actions takenor consequences arising from
the information provided.
The views expressed by thehosts and guests are their own
(28:30):
and do not necessarily reflectthose of any organizations or
affiliations today's lesson inyinzer ease nebby, n-e-b-b-y
definition, nosy, always inother people's business example.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Quit being so nebby and mind your own shit show,
because life isn't perfect andneither are we.
Here's the shit that didn'tmake the cut.
Are you recording already?
Sherry (28:51):
This is it, the podcast .
Already screwed it up
Jodi (28:53):
.
And the moose that would be thedog making all the crazy noises
.
Sherry (28:57):
Oh, does he want out?
Speaking of inspiration, beforewe close it out today, we want
to remind you what day, howabout you?
How about that?
How about that?
(29:19):
Anyway, oh, okay.
Jodi (29:22):
Right Moments.
Oh my God
Sherry (29:26):
this is all good.
Okay, okay, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
My God, this is all good, okay.
Oh oh, oh, oh, oh, okay, it'sokay, it's okay.
Jodi (29:33):
Right, it's yeah, I'm going to just hold this to my
face.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
First word of First Yinzer YInzer word, Yinzer word,
All right, welcome back .
This is it the podcast byThriving Yinzers, where we talk
about tools for buildingresilience, conquering overwhelm
and creating a life that feelsgood.
Jodi (00:11):
And I'm Jodi.
Today we're diving into howsmall actions today shape the
life you're creating fortomorrow.
Changing the way you thinkabout your daily habits,
decisions and mindset cancompletely change the trajectory
of your life.
Sherry (00:25):
In the first segment, today we're going to be talking
about the power of compoundactions, because we really do
underestimate how much smallactions add up over time, and
whether it's your health, career, finances or relationships.
Everything that you do today issetting the foundation for your
future self.
I think of it like plantingseeds what you water and nurture
(00:46):
now determines what will growin the future, and you
definitely get more of what youput your energy towards.
Would you agree with that, Jodi?
How does this show up in yourlife?
Jodi (00:55):
Yeah for sure, the small step thing is really big for me.
I had to work on it and it cameto me in a really sort of in
your face way.
I had had a therapy session andI was talking to my therapist
about how I feel like I keepsetting myself up for failure
and disappointment by wanting tomake these big changes like a
full throttle until I'm burntand sliding backwards.
(01:17):
And she stopped me and she saidwell, this is something that
you bring up in relation to someof your kids.
You worry about how they takeon like really big tasks or want
to make big changes, moving outof state or having a new career
, going back to school insteadof starting small.
And she actually stopped andshe pulled back notes from
(01:41):
previous therapy sessions whereI'm talking about all these
concerns, and she just kind oflooked at me like, um, and
seriously it was like cold waterto the face and I thought, well
, no wonder they're notlistening to me.
I'm not, I'm not taking my ownadvice, I'm not living my own.
Sherry (01:57):
I don't know if that's saying calling us out on our own
BS.
Jodi (02:01):
No, it definitely is, and sometimes we need that right.
Like I need to be called on onmy bullshit I definitely do and
just taking that and thinkingabout it and really that's when
I started changing and lookingat my day to day habits and I
started to think I keep feelinglike something's missing in my
life, I keep feeling like I needto do something different, but
(02:21):
what I wasn't doing was thissimple day-to-day things that
make the biggest difference.
Concentrating on Sleep,drinking enough water.
Sherry (02:51):
Right?
It's supposed to be so simple,but we like to overcomplicate it
.
And I like that the therapist,brought that to your attention
'cause I, I see that also inrelationships.
You need your friends who don'tjust wink and nod and smile and
pat you on the back.
You need the ones that willcall you out on your bullshit
too.
Jodi (02:54):
Absolutely
Sherry (02:55):
.
But I think when we get in ourminds that we want to change and
do better for ourselves, we'lltry to change everything at once
, and then we crash and burn,like you said, and then we mess
up and we end up giving upbecause we tell ourselves it's
too hard, this isn't for me.
I suck, you know I suck at this.
I can't do this.
Yep.
(03:15):
All the negative self-talktakes over and then I think the
key in what you're saying isthat you can achieve those big
results, but they come throughvery small changes to start with
and then, once you have thosein place, you can build upon
those because they are morerealistic and achievable.
Jodi (03:34):
Right and honestly, when you start small and you do small
achievable things that stack up, you get that sense of
accomplishment.
You start to feel better everysingle time you achieve
something small, that if you setthe bar too high then you're
not going to meet your goal andthen you feel like a failure and
that sense of failure justkeeps compounding and you know
it just goes from there.
Sherry (03:56):
Yep, and I'm sitting here shaking my head that nobody
can see.
So my commentary is that Ithink that you actually said two
things that are key takeaways.
Starting small is definitelykey, but what you said about
looking at it through adifferent lens is also so
powerful.
It's all about perspective.
Really, just like aphotographer does, when the view
(04:18):
isn't quite right, you changethe lens and it gives you a new
perspective.
I never really gave that muchthought until I didn't have a
choice but to start small, andat the same time, it was a shift
in perspective that got megoing in the right direction so
that I could start.
I talked in the last episodeabout having a series of
cerebellar strokes, and one ofthe things that was affected was
(04:39):
my balance.
So starting small for me atthat time was taking literal
small steps around my house andthen around the yard and
eventually around theneighborhood, and then after a
while, I even did a hike in thewoods at night in the middle of
winter, on my birthday.
Then that led to a discovery ofa new source of joy that I
never would have known had I notbeen put on a literal new path.
(05:00):
Nighttime hiking is amazing andI never would have discovered
it if I was still stuck in myold routines or if I had let the
fear of trying take over.
Jodi (05:09):
Right, and the secret is just start.
It doesn't matter how small,progress isn't about giant leaps
, it's about that first step,however tiny it may seem.
Sherry (05:18):
Yeah, like starting walking around my house one step
at a time.
If someone had suggested atthat time that I do a night hike
, I would have laughed oractually, more likely, cried,
because that was out of thequestion in those early days.
But starting small gave memomentum and momentum kept me
moving forward and after a whilemy balance improved enough for
(05:38):
me to be more comfortableleaving the house.
And then, with the support ofan amazing friend, I started
going to a yoga class for peoplewith brain injuries.
My friend drove me to and fromclasses, but also participated
in class as a caregiver.
And that ended up being aprofound experience that I
consider such a major part inchanging the trajectory I was on
(06:00):
during one of the moredifficult periods of my life.
Jodi (06:03):
And so you're saying you knew you had to start somewhere
by putting one foot in front ofthe other, literally even if you
didn't know where the stepswere taking you.
Sherry (06:11):
It was those first small steps that I took in the
living room that eventually ledme to that class, with the help
of my friend.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
And the night hiking challenged my brain and my
balance in every step.
It was hard as hell, but it wasexactly what I needed.
Each stumble ended up being astep towards finding my strength
and regaining my balance.
Sherry (06:31):
And it was that yoga class that gave me a new
perspective, which opened thedoor to the next phase of
getting healthier, a little bitat a time.
Jodi (06:39):
But you didn't know that at the time, right.
Sherry (06:42):
No, because it's so hard to see when you're in the
middle of it.
But all of that wouldn't havecome if I allowed myself to
focus on what I couldn't do.
Instead, I thought about howfreaking grateful I was.
Cerebellar strokes make up onlytwo to three percent of all
cases and they were located in atight space at the back of the
brain, very close to thebrainstem which controls your
(07:04):
breathing and heart rate, so itcan become deadly fast.
So I knew I was extremely luckyI got care in time, but it did
change a lot.
I had to relearn balance,coordination, patience, patience
with my body and patience withmy mind.
I'm still working on some things, but I recognized that moment
could have been the end of mystory and I focused on keeping
(07:26):
things in perspective, stayingpositive and grateful.
I thought about the many peoplewho have suffered through so
much and I especially thoughtabout the inspiring story of a
friend who had a catastrophicstroke over 20 years ago at a
very young age, losing theability to use his right side
and much, much more.
But he continues to defy theodds and is still working hard
(07:49):
every single day and is stillmaking strides.
We're actually going to havehim come on as a guest in the
next episode.
I thought about another friendwho lost the ability to
communicate verbally and howpainfully difficult that must be
.
I thought about all the waysthat things could have been so
much worse, and I decided tostart with gratitude and build
on that step by step, because inthis journey I learned that a
(08:12):
shift in perspective is soimportant when you're trying to
find your way through hard times.
Jodi (08:17):
Yes, you have to look for something good, something
positive to build from, and onceyou master one small step, you
feel accomplished and empoweredto start the next step.
Sherry (08:28):
And everything shifts for the better when you count
your blessings.
And that's where your power is.
At first finding gratitudethrough a shift in perspective
and then tapping into thosecompounding effects.
When you start with somethingsmall so that you will be able
to have a string of wins puttogether, those small wins can
(08:51):
lead to huge results.
That's the power of compounding, and you never know where those
initial steps will lead.
The thing is, it all startswith the decision to start.
Jodi (08:55):
Every choice we make, big or small, adds up, shaping the
direction of our lives over time, positive choices build
momentum towards growth, whilenegative choices can quietly
stack up, keeping you stuck evenwithout realizing it
Sherry (09:11):
True, and I have to bring up that question that we
all ask in school when will Iever use this?
Remember telling your mathteacher I'll never use this in
real life?
It turns out that one of themost valuable lessons from
school was actually the power ofcompounding.
Whether it helps your moneygrow or keeps you stuck in debt,
the same principle applies tolife.
(09:32):
Every choice we make is eitherbuilding us up or tearing us
down.
You're either moving towardsbetter or worse, and if you want
to be moving towards a morefulfilling life, starting with
gratitude will set thefoundation to begin taking those
small steps towards a brighterfuture.
And then, from there, you startbuilding new habits that help
you to grow, and when you dothat, you begin to crowd out the
(09:53):
habits that are actuallyholding you back.
Jodi (09:56):
Let's talk about how that looks when you want to change
some of your everyday habits, tostart growing or getting better
.
Research has shown that peoplewho feel fulfilled have certain
habits in common.
One of those habits is readingor listening to something
enriching.
Each day it sharpens yourthinking, grows your vocabulary
and strengthens your mindset,like someone who started reading
10 pages a day and, before youknow it, has read dozens of
(10:18):
life-changing books.
But what if that feels like toomuch?
What would you tell someone whofeels overwhelmed by that goal?
Sherry (10:25):
I would again say start small.
Choose a commitment that you'remore likely to stick to.
Maybe it's just two pages a day, or maybe it's not even reading
the book, maybe it's listeningto a book.
That's where I started.
This feels easy, and then itremoves the mental barrier of
needing lots of time, or eventhe motivation, because you're
(10:47):
only asking yourself to committo something for a very short
amount of time.
So then, three things come withthat.
You leverage your momentum.
Often, once you start, you'llnaturally read more than two
pages, but even if you don't,you've still made more progress
than where you were the daybefore.
The second thing is to beconsistent and be non-negotiable
(11:09):
with yourself.
The goal is to show up daily tobegin to build that habit.
So over time, those smallsessions add up and that turns
reading into a natural part ofyour routine.
And then stacking the habit.
This one is just really sopowerful.
If you were trying to read more, you could pair reading with an
existing habit that you alreadydo every day.
(11:31):
So I started listening toaudiobooks and, after learning
about habit stacking from JamesClear's book Atomic Habits, I
(11:51):
started stacking the necessaryhabit for my health, which was
taking a walk while listening toaudiobooks and it was really
powerful because it kept mecommitted to walking and reading
.
So by compounding these smalldaily reading moments, you'll
gradually increase your readingtime without feeling overwhelmed
.
And watching your progress growcan be motivating, and that can
(12:14):
apply to any new habit you'retrying to build into your life.
Jodi (12:17):
And you know those small daily habits, like yesterday was
a great example.
I've been trying to get upearlier because I have so much
on my plate and I know I want tobe a great example.
I've been trying to get upearlier because I have so much
on my plate and I know I want tobe a certain way.
I want to make sure I'm beingintentional and I've been having
a hard time sleeping.
It's something I'm working on,so I got up just five minutes.
Just five minutes earlier I dida five-minute morning
(12:39):
meditation and it's becomenon-negotiable and originally I
would have said, oh, I got toget up an hour earlier.
Now I know five minutes andfive minutes has made a
difference and now I have madethat my thing.
I don't miss my morning fiveminute meditation and days like
yesterday when I really didn'twant to get moving.
That got me, that got my assmoving and it got me out the
(13:01):
door.
Sherry (13:02):
Right.
So you're giving yourself anachievable starting point with
five minutes, and once you'regetting those little benefits
from those five minutes, thenyou may increase the time that
you get up earlier.
Jodi (13:13):
Absolutely.
I could see that my next stepwill be 15.
And once 15 feels good andthat's working, then we'll go to
30.
Right, I'll probably end upsleeping better by then too,
once you do start to exercisethat muscle of getting up a
little bit earlier.
Sherry (13:29):
those few minutes really add up to something
bigger.
One thing that I found helpfulfor myself is, if you do have
trouble waking up is to try toput your phone or your alarm far
enough away that you have toget up and walk to it to turn it
off.
It's actually not good to haveyour cell phone by your head
while you're sleeping anyway.
So there there's two wins.
Jodi (13:49):
Good point.
but I have found that to behelpful.
Yeah, I mean even eating healthier.
You know if you're somebody whowants to eat healthier but you
feel overwhelmed and you see allthis information about these
overhaul diets.
So now you have to do all thisextreme stuff and cut out whole
food groups.
You don't have to do that.
There are ways to start smalleven there.
I don't have great answers here.
Sherry (14:10):
One thing I do know is, instead of trying to overhaul
everything at once just like wetalked about, starting by making
one small change at a time,building your diet up one layer
at a time, in ways that aredoable and don't feel
overwhelming, so that you'reless likely to quit.
It's really a lifestyle change,so you really need to find
things that are easy to stick toand then go from there.
Jodi (14:32):
And you have a good example, don't you?
Sherry (14:34):
I started with a single nut yeah, a nut.
Since I have Hashimoto, I havea Brazil nut every day because
they are rich in selenium, whichis a mineral that helps the
thyroid, and it was very easy tostick with.
So I started eating one dailywhen I was first diagnosed in
2017, and I have stuck with that.
I still eat one every day, so Iconsider that a win, because it
(14:57):
was small enough to start andbecause it was a small, easy
tweak, I've been able to stickto it long term.
I've always done better atsticking with changes in diet
when I just change one or twothings at a time.
Jodi (15:10):
For me, I just have to start with water, just drinking
of water.
You really do end up feelingfuller.
You eat less
Yeah, but what is it aboutwater too?
Because it's the simplest thingthat we can all do for
ourselves, yet we make it sofreaking hard.
yeah, I mean I put it in my head that I hate it, I hate
drinking water, but if there'slemon in there and you just
you've got to stop thinkingabout it, you just do it.
(15:31):
Just do it and don't thinkabout it.
It is stupid easy, and itscheap.
Sherry (15:34):
Yeah sometimes the things that are stupid, easy, or
sometimes the hardest to justdo.
So how do you get there fromhere sounds like all those
things move your needle closerto better, not worse.
If we could look into thefuture, I think we'd see a
healthier, stronger, morefulfilled person.
But what if you're listeningright now and you have no idea
(15:55):
what you want your eye to looklike in five years?
Where do you even start?
I think we're all caught on autopilot so much that
we don't really take the timeto think about things like this.
But I think that you start byreflecting on how you feel right
now and how you want to feel.
Do you want to feel moreconfident, healthier, more
financially secure, moreconnected to others?
(16:16):
What is it for you?
Like for me, I knew exactly howI didn't want to feel and I
began taking steps, not towardssomething new, but away from how
I didn't want to feel.
Jodi (16:28):
Right, I love that and I think that's really true.
And I think too, what helps meis thinking, and it sounded so
corny the first time somebodysaid it to me.
But they said think about yourfuture self.
You look at yourself five yearsfrom now.
What do you see, what do youwant to see, and you know, and
the feeling thing helps me a lottoo, and I think that once you
(16:49):
have that idea, you can startthinking then a little more
clearly about what actions couldbring that feeling and that
goal into your life.
Sherry (16:58):
Ask yourself what activities am I doing that make
me lose track of time because Ienjoy them so much?
Do more of that.
Or what habits or situationscause me stress or frustration?
Do less of that, or dig alittle deeper, and maybe some
hard conversations need tohappen.
Also ask yourself if my lifestayed exactly the same for the
(17:20):
next five years, would I behappy?
Why, or why not?
Jodi (17:26):
And if a clear vision doesn't come right away, focus
on one small positive change nowand eventually that clarity
will come.
It really will.
However it comes, it'll come,whether it's sitting with a
therapist or whatever.
If you just start small and Iknow it sounds like such a load
of bullshit, but it really it'sa game changer.
It just really is.
Sherry (17:45):
Let's talk about a couple of ways where you can
start small if you're not surewhere to start.
We'll give a couple examplesand maybe just pick one and try
it out for the next two weeksand just see what happens.
Try writing down at least onething that you're grateful for
each day.
And there's a reason why peopletalk about gratitude so much.
There are common behaviors andmindsets that show up over and
(18:07):
over in people who are living afulfilled life, and gratitude is
the thing at the top of thatlist.
When someone feels at peace,content and aligned with their
purpose, it always starts withgratitude.
Jodi (18:19):
Sure, and when you're in a negative space, it's hard to
think about things that you feelgood about or you're happy
about or grateful about, andwhen you force yourself to think
about those things, just one ofthem can help.
And I never thought I could doit, but I started using notes on
my phone and before I go to bedat night I just make a quick
note about one good thing thatmade me smile or happy.
(18:40):
And if that doesn't come, Ilook at a picture of someone I
love and I like that suggestionof using your phone too.
Sherry (18:48):
I have a planner and theoretically I'm supposed to
write three things down everyday, but sometimes we get out of
routine and our habits fallaside.
But Jodi just gave us a safetynet.
Jodi (19:00):
Yeah, I mean honestly that I was using the planner thing
as my excuse to not do thegratitude journaling, because I
have planners all over the place, I lose my notebooks and I'm
like it's just too much work,but your phone's always near you
.
Most people always have theirphone near them and I'm like you
know what?
I'm just going to do this.
I'm just going to use the phoneand I'm going to use my notes
(19:20):
and I'm going to pop it in thereand all my other excuses are
gone now.
Sherry (19:24):
It really is just, it can be okay, I don't have my
phone, I don't have my planner,but I can lay here and I can
send a positive thought towardssomebody I'm grateful for.
Yes, I don't need anything todo that, and it's really just
all about helping your mindsetreframe so that you begin to see
more of the good in your life,because there's always something
(19:45):
there to be grateful for.
Jodi (19:47):
Every chance that you wake up is a chance to have a good
day, so if you can think ofnothing else, there is that too.
You woke up.
Sherry (19:54):
Went on a tangent there and back to helping us get
ourselves together.
This whole podcast centersaround helping break down
overwhelm and building a moreresilient mindset when you have
things piling up in your life.
You often see things piling uparound you at home, and so the
second suggestion to possiblytry is to start creating a new
(20:17):
habit of just setting a timerfor five minutes and do nothing
but declutter your home in justthose five minutes.
Because when you're lookingaround and you see a doom pile
here and a doom pile there andclothes that need folded and
toys that need put away, thefeeling is overwhelmed.
And if you can give yourselfjust five minutes to focus on
(20:41):
that, you're helping to build ahabit that, over time, will
create a more organized andstress-free living space.
I said five minutes.
In my house, the kids do 10.
We called it 10-minute tidy.
I set the timer for 10 minutesand we do nothing else but just
go around the house and pickthings up.
That's a good idea, and at theend of 10 minutes you will have
(21:05):
at least accomplished something.
Your house will be a littlemore peaceful and you might even
find that you're motivated todo more.
But you have to make it a partof the day and, just like we
said earlier in this podcast, if10 minutes feels like too much,
do five.
Jodi (21:19):
And I mean, I know that there's been times when, when
I'm really overwhelmed, I go tomy junk drawer and I purge and
then just throw a bunch of stuffout and I make it neat and I
feel like I do that with myclothes.
Sometimes, too, I'll be like,okay, I'm just going to
reorganize one drawer because Iknow it's going to make me feel
like I've done something.
Sherry (21:37):
And you have at least one space in your home that
feels more calm and peacefulRight, small, short things.
Speaking of short walking orsome sort of physical activity
really should be anon-negotiable for all of us.
But if you haven't had anyphysical movement in your
routine, then taking a shortwalk, even just five minutes of
(21:59):
walking, that can be a firststep.
It clears your mind, it boostsyour mood, it wakes up your body
and you don't need to changeyour whole life to do it.
Put on your shoes and take thatfirst walk.
Jodi (22:11):
no, matter how short.
Yes, you're just one step awayfrom momentum.
I actually keep a post-it noteon my desk that says if it's too
hard, the first step isn'tsmall enough.
In other words, if the firststep feels overwhelming, it's
not the wrong goal.
It's not the wrong goal, it'sjust the wrong size.
Starting small isn't a sign ofweakness.
It's how real change begins.
Shrink the step until it feelsdoable.
Momentum doesn't have to comefrom giant leaps.
(22:33):
It comes from showing up insmall, manageable ways.
The point isn't how far you go,but that you've actually begun.
I love that.
Sherry (22:42):
Let's talk about some resources that can really help
not just get you going, but keepyou motivated to keep going.
I've mentioned James Clearbefore when talking about habit
stacking.
He's the author of AtomicHabits.
He was once a college baseballplayer.
He suffered a serious headinjury and his recovery was slow
(23:02):
, but he focused on making tinyimprovements, which he described
as just 1% better each day.
He started small and when I sayhe started small, he started
making his bed and going to thegym for just a few minutes and
writing just a little every day.
And then, over time, those tinyhabits compounded and he went
(23:23):
on to become a bestsellingauthor, helping millions improve
their lives with the sameprinciples that he used to
rebuild his, and I found so muchpower in his book.
This is one of the books that Ilistened to in my early
recovery, when I couldn't evenread a book with practical
(23:43):
strategies that make it easierfor anyone to build better
habits, break bad ones andcreate systems that support
lasting change.
I feel like he just gets it.
Jodi (23:53):
I agree.
And the way that he describeshabit stacking.
I actually just made a tweakbecause of that, where I used to
fill a great big jug full ofwater like a 32-ounce, 40-ounce
bottle, and now instead I keeplike a regular glass and then I
get up once an hour and I gofill it.
Sherry (24:10):
So I'm walking from my desk to the kitchen, at least
one hour and it's not many steps, but it's at least keeping me
moving Right, because before youknow it, hours have gone by and
you haven't moved.
When James Clear talked aboutjust going to the gym for a few
minutes, the point really wasn'tto work out.
It was to build the identity ofsomeone who shows up.
(24:31):
Then, once going to the gymbecame an automatic part of his
routine, the workouts naturallygot longer, and the hard part
wasn't the workout, it was justgetting there.
But by lowering that barrierthe habit was given a chance to
take root.
Jodi (24:46):
It's a perfect example of his idea Make it so easy.
You can't sing now.
Starting small isn't a weakness, it's a strategy.
Sherry (24:53):
The key takeaway with all of it is that it's not about
perfection.
It's about the progress.
Set a vision for yourself.
Get clear about what you wantyour life to look like in five
years.
Break it down into small steps.
Identify little things that youcan do daily, or even weekly,
that align with where you'retrying to go.
Stay accountable.
And then you have to rememberto celebrate your progress.
(25:15):
I have a spot marked on mycalendar that literally says
celebrate your wins.
You got to recognize andappreciate the progress that
you're making along the way.
Jodi (25:25):
Right, and as a bonus tip, habit tracking apps or setting
calendar reminders to stay ontrack really really helps.
Sherry (25:32):
The goal isn't to be perfect.
It's to keep moving forward,even when progress feels slow.
So remember that you can't giveup just because you messed up
one day.
You start again the next day.
Jodi (25:42):
On an upcoming podcast, we'll discuss how to use SMART
goals to define and achieve yourgoals, but for now, just start.
Find one or two small tweaksthat can get you moving in a
better direction from whereveryou are now, track your progress
, celebrate your wins, giveyourself grace and to me that's
the most important one and startagain when you step off track.
Sherry (26:01):
I can't resist being cheesy here.
Jodi (26:03):
You're not a drag off, you're a thriving yinzer, the
best thing about the future isthat it's built by the actions
we take today.
No matter where you're at inlife, you have the power to make
choices that'll create a better, stronger, more fulfilled
version of yourself, and we'dlove to hear your stories.
If you've made a small changethat landed big results, please
send us a message.
(26:23):
Your journey could inspiresomeone else today.
Speaking of inspiration.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Before we close it out today, we want to remind you
to make sure you are subscribedto follow us on Apple Podcasts,
spotify or your favoritepodcast platform.
You don't want to miss nextweek's bonus episode, where we
interview Dan Huffley, formerArmy Ranger, who experienced a
catastrophic stroke at just 31years old more than 20 years ago
.
His recovery is more than astory of physical healing.
(26:49):
It's a powerful reminder thatresilience is what comes from
meeting our challenges with grit, giving ourselves grace and
making the choice to keepshowing up.
Jodi (26:58):
Thanks for tuning in.
If you enjoyed this episode, besure to subscribe, share it
with a friend and followThriving Enders for more tips on
resilience and growth.
Sherry (27:06):
Until next time, keep going.
Keep growing, because this isit.
Yen's got this.
This podcast is a product ofThriving Yenzers LLC, a home
services business that helps youreclaim your time and space.
They conquer overwhelm bytackling your to-do list with
services like organizationalcoaching, home decluttering,
in-home laundry service andpersonalized lifestyle
assistance.
(27:27):
To learn more, visit us atthrivingyenserscom.
If you or someone you know isin crisis, please reach out to a
trusted professional or crisishotline in your area.
Help is available 24-7,nationwide at the
988-SUICIDE-IN-CRISIS lifelineDial 988 to connect with a
trained crisis counselor forfree and confidential support.
If you're local to thePittsburgh area, resolve Crisis
(27:47):
Services offer 24-7 crisisintervention and stabilization
services to all Allegheny Countyresidents.
You can reach them by calling1-888-796-8226.
If you are struggling withmental health, addiction, grief
or any other serious personalchallenges, we encourage you to
seek support from a qualifiedprofessional.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Okay, here comes the legalese, the oopsies and the
yinzerese.
Sherry (28:10):
This podcast is for informational and entertainment
purposes only.
The content shared is based onpersonal experiences and
perspectives.
Nothing shared on this podcastshould be considered
professional advice.
Thriving Yinzers LLC, its hostsor any associated parties are
not liable for any actions takenor consequences arising from
the information provided.
The views expressed by thehosts and guests are their own
(28:30):
and do not necessarily reflectthose of any organizations or
affiliations today's lesson inyinzer ease nebby, n-e-b-b-y
definition, nosy, always inother people's business example.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Quit being so nebby and mind your own shit show,
because life isn't perfect andneither are we.
Here's the shit that didn'tmake the cut.
Are you recording already?
Sherry (28:51):
This is it, the podcast .
Already screwed it up
Jodi (28:53):
.
And the moose that would be thedog making all the crazy noises
.
Sherry (28:57):
Oh, does he want out?
Speaking of inspiration, beforewe close it out today, we want
to remind you what day, howabout you?
How about that?
How about that?
(29:19):
Anyway, oh, okay.
Jodi (29:22):
Right Moments.
Oh my God
Sherry (29:26):
this is all good.
Okay, okay, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
My God, this is all good, okay.
Oh oh, oh, oh, oh, okay, it'sokay, it's okay.
Jodi (29:33):
Right, it's yeah, I'm going to just hold this to my
face.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
First word of First Yinzer YInzer word, Yinzer word,
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