August 20, 2025 Overwhelm from Taking on Too Much: Why Trying to Change Everything at Once Backfires
Your life does not get better by chance it’s good it gets better by change” - Jim Rohn
Listen to audio, or read this meditation:
Oh my friend, let me tell you about the time I decided to become a completely new person... on a Monday!
I was going to wake up at 5 AM, run three miles, meditate for 30 minutes, eat only vegetables, drink a gallon of water, write in my journal, read for an hour, and reorganize my entire house. All while being the most patient, loving person on the planet.
Can you guess how long that lasted? If you said "about three days," you're being generous!
Here's the thing about our brains: they love big dreams but hate big changes all at once. It's like trying to learn piano, guitar, drums, and violin simultaneously. Sure, you might become a musical genius, but more likely, you'll just make a lot of noise and give up frustrated.
When we try to overhaul our entire lives overnight, we're asking our willpower to work overtime without a break. Think of willpower like a phone battery - it starts strong in the morning but gets drained with every decision and challenge throughout the day.
If you're using up all your willpower trying to remember ten new habits, there's nothing left when temptation comes knocking. And trust me, temptation always comes knocking!
The beautiful truth is that small changes, done consistently, create massive results over time. It's like compound interest for your life! One tiny improvement, repeated daily, becomes a powerful force that transforms everything.
I learned this lesson the hard way, and now I follow what I call the "One Thing Rule." I pick ONE habit to focus on for at least a month before adding anything else. It feels almost too simple, but that's exactly why it works.
When you master one small habit, something magical happens. You build confidence in your ability to change. You create momentum. You prove to yourself that you can stick with something. That success becomes the foundation for the next habit, and the next one after that.
Remember, the goal isn't to impress anyone with how much you can handle. The goal is to create lasting change that makes your life better, happier, and more fulfilling.
Here’s your Action Step: Choose ONE small habit you want to build - something so tiny it feels almost silly. Maybe it's drinking one extra glass of water, writing three sentences in a journal, or doing five push-ups. Commit to just that one thing for the next 30 days. Once it feels automatic, then you can add something new. Always remember, slow and steady wins this race!
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