Episode 21 - Transform Your Life: Small Steps to Big Changes
Experience the power of transformation in Episode 21 of A New Life Story podcast: "Transform Your Life: Small Steps to Big Changes."
In this episode I’ll help you navigate through overwhelm and emotional turbulence. You’ll discover how small, intentional steps can pave the way for profound personal growth. In this article you’ll learn more about practical tools for managing overwhelm, setting intentions, and embracing gratitude in this transformative journey.
Setting Intentions
Setting intentions is a powerful tool that serves as a guide for pointing you in the direction you want to go. Setting intentions is a way to align yourself with your desired path of growth and transformation. When you set intentions, you are essentially declaring to yourself and the universe what you want to achieve or manifest in your life.
When setting intentions, it is beneficial to do a bit of reflecting. This reflection involves considering what is working for you, what is not working, and how you want to feel as a result of these new intentions. By reflecting on these aspects, you can gain clarity on the direction you want to move towards and the changes you want to make in your life.
Moreover, setting intentions is not just about stating what you want to achieve but also about visualizing the desired outcome. It’s important to visualize how you want to feel and what you want to experience as a result of your intentions. This visualization process helps in embodying the intention and making it more real and tangible.
Additionally, setting intentions is not a rigid or strict process. During this process give yourself grace and be gentle with yourself as you work towards your intentions. It is a practice that involves taking small steps and making gradual changes. By setting intentions and allowing yourself the space to grow and evolve, you are paving the way for transformation and personal development in your life.
Breathwork and Mindfulness
Practicing breathwork and mindfulness can be powerful tools in managing overwhelm and emotions, as discussed in the podcast episode. The host emphasized the importance of slowing down and taking time to connect with oneself throughout the day. By incorporating simple breathwork techniques like the box breath, four-seven-eight breath, and belly breathing, individuals can bring themselves back to the present moment. These techniques help regulate emotions and calm the mind, especially in times of stress and overwhelm.
Additionally, mindfulness practices such as grounding, body scans, and gratitude were highlighted as effective ways to stay present and centered. Grounding practices, like putting your feet on the floor or going outside barefoot, can help individuals feel connected to the earth and reduce feelings of anxiety. Body scans and gratitude exercises encourage individuals to focus on their senses and express gratitude for the present moment, fostering a sense of calm and awareness.
By incorporating these practices into daily routines, individuals can cultivate a greater sense of self-awareness and emotional regulation. Again, if this is a new practice you’ll need to give yourself grace and be gentle during the learning process, as these practices are meant to be a journey of self-discovery and growth. Overall, practicing breathwork and mindfulness can serve as valuable tools in managing overwhelm and emotions, allowing individuals to navigate challenging situations with greater ease and clarity.
Affirmations
Affirmations are a powerful tool for transforming our mindset and beliefs. In the podcast episode, the host introduced a more holistic approach to affirmations by expanding them to include not just "I am," but also "I do, I love, I speak, I see, I understand." This expanded version of affirmations allows for a more comprehensive and integrated practice of self-affirmation.
When we say "I am," we are affirming our identity and self-worth. This is a common form of affirmation that many people are familiar with. However, by incorporating "I do," we are affirming our actions and behaviors. This can help us focus on the positive actions we take in our daily lives and reinforce those behaviors.
"I love" is a powerful addition to affirmations as it emphasizes self-love and compassion. By affirming love for oneself, we cultivate a positive and nurturing relationship with ourselves. This can be especially beneficial in building self-esteem and self-acceptance.
"I speak" and "I see" bring attention to our communication and perception. Affirming that we speak with intention and clarity can help improve our communication skills and relationships. Similarly, affirming that we see clearly can enhance our perception of ourselves and the world around us.
"I understand" is a valuable addition to affirmations as it emphasizes comprehension and insight. By affirming that we understand, we acknowledge our ability to grasp concepts, learn from experiences, and gain wisdom.
By incorporating these additional elements into affirmations, we create a more holistic approach to self-affirmation. This expanded version allows us to address different aspects of our being, including identity, actions, emotions, communication, perception, and understanding. Ultimately, practicing these holistic affirmations can lead to a more balanced and empowered sense of self.
In this episode, I cover:
[00:05:00] The three chairs concept.
[00:08:44] Adolescent phase and self-discovery.
[00:13:41] Conscious adult concept.
[00:18:30] Breathwork for mindfulness practice.
[00:20:38] Conscious breathing techniques.
[00:24:12] Practicing gratitude.
[00:29:09] Setting intentions through visualization.
[00:30:45] Visualization and setting intentions.
[00:37:00] Connecting with your inner self.
[00:39:52] Small steps lead to big changes.
Quotes:
"Setting intentions is really the guide for pointing you in the direction that you want to go." - LaShonda Walker
“It's really the adolescent is where that fear begins to come online and that fear then can oftentimes lead to overwhelm.” - LaShonda Walker
"The adult comes to say, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Okay, let me observe this situation. Let me slow this down. Let me get some facts around this situation." - LaShonda Walker
"One of my favorite sayings is, I've heard this from another speaker, Devi Brown, she's great. You cannot breathe a past breath and you cannot breathe a future breath. You can only breathe the breath in this present moment." - LaShonda Walker
"The practice of gratitude is so powerful that sometimes when you first hear it, you might say, well, really, gratitude?" - LaShonda Walker
"My intention is to go in this direction of practicing or beginning the practice of slowing myself down, of getting into the present moment." - LaShonda Walker
"You're not going to get it right every single time. The adolescent is going to show up and probably bulldoze you and take over." - LaShonda Walker
"Sometimes we think it's this big thing, and it's not. It's so not. It starts small. It really does." - LaShonda Walker
"What do you have the capacity for right now? It's all about taking small steps and small steps lead to long destinies and big, big changes in your life." - LaShonda Walker