Baby Steps

It’s ever so exciting when your baby learns to stand, and then….that first step! We clap. We congratulate. We laugh. We make such a fuss. We may even shed a tear. That single step. So life changing!

Bethany on my wedding day, having just learnt to walk.

My daughter Eliza took her first steps in Dubai airport when we were moving to England. She learnt to walk to the applause of air hostesses.

I can’t imagine a parent wanting or demanding that empowering transformation of a single step to be, for example, a marathon. We celebrate the baby step as a huge step.

So why is it that when we, as adults, come to take life-changing baby steps in our lives do we tend to dismiss them as insignificant? Maybe we even give up. Why bother when a small step won’t make any apparent difference? These steps are opportunities for growth and self-discovery. The quiet devotion of these simple movements leads to our resurrection. The heart of change lies in their foundation. I’m an advocate of gradual change. I know what it’s like to have ‘the big dream’ and want it all at once. But equally I know that if you want things to change in your life you shouldn’t underestimate your baby steps.

Examples of Baby Steps

The body

Perhaps you’re wanting to lose weight. Say, for example, you have five stone to lose. How overwhelming is that? Five stone! It might seem impossible. But how would it feel to lose one pound, and keep it off? Would that feel like success? That’s all weight loss is, really, one pound/kilo at a time. That IS doable, right?

For a decade now, my body has carried extra weight as a result of an unbalanced hormonal system. When I finally made the connection between a low thyroid output and the weight gain, I was able to take baby steps. Every single day I take baby steps. It’s slow, and yes, bloody frustrating at times to see so little ‘reward’ given that I eat a wholefood, plant-based diet.

My baby steps include things like daily exercise (walking, gym, aquafit, swimming, dynamic control and stretch classes). My baby steps include not eating gluten (it slows the thyroid right down). My baby steps include being kind to myself regardless of what my hormones are or aren’t doing. My baby steps include religiously taking plenty of kelp tablets, as well as other supplements to augment my healing journey.

Those baby steps, small as they are, led to 19 pounds coming off. They were slow to be released. I can’t tell you how many times I have wanted to give up! There are more pounds to come off, but I know this: baby steps will lead the way.

Money
Perhaps you’re always dreading checking your account balance or your heart sinks whenever you look in your purse. I read recently that the way we do money is the way we do life. Let’s change the word money to ‘values’.
What are your values?
What do you prioritise in your life?
Is integrity important to you?
How about honesty?
Kindness?
Transparency?
What if the way to increase your monetary wealth was to let go and trust?
What if the baby steps were about letting go of fear around money and seeing it as a currency of love?
What if, each day, you opened your heart to deliberately receiving?
What if, each day, you asked yourself ‘how you do life’?
Do you do life with a big open heart?
Do you do life with a smile on your face?
Do you do life with trust?
Do you have faith in life?
What if you trusted that life would bring you what you needed?

To change our financial situation is, like weight loss, achieved one pound (cent) at a time. To grow your money means expressing gratitude for everything in your life.

Communication
Do you speak before you think? Maybe you don’t speak because you’re scared of saying something wrong? Maybe you long to write a book? Communication is fundamental to how we co-exist with other humans. Developing our communication skills so that we’re clear, confident and calm when speaking (or writing) is empowering for all concerned.

Baby steps might include learning to slow down and listen fully to another before opening your mouth.

Baby steps might be about speaking your truth even though you’re shaking.

A baby step might be writing 100 words of the novel that you’re too scared to write.

Baby steps might be having a heart-to-heart with your beloved about matters that are important to you.

Baby steps all the way.

Home

Home is where the heart is. It’s our sacred place. It’s where we undress from the world and let go. Perhaps you find yourself frustrated that the kitchen is always filled with dirty dishes. A baby step might involve committing to leave the kitchen clean each night: all dishes washed and put away. Benches cleaned. Floor swept. And how amazing the next morning to walk into an oasis of calm! Regardless of the state of the rooms in your house, you can change them, through baby steps, to create a peaceful haven that nurtures everyone who lives there.

Children
Are the kids driving you nuts? Maybe you’re yearning to create a piece of art but don’t feel you have time. Baby steps. Baby steps will lead you to discover solutions to how you can enjoy being with your children.
Is it to do with time?
Space?

Make the changes you wish to see one step at a time.

Want to be creative? Clear the space. Ten minutes to yourself to create art is a great baby step. In two months from now maybe you’ll have created an hour. Don’t put off your creativity because you perceive things are getting in the way.

Create your day.

Health
What baby steps can you put in place to nurture mind, body and soul?

Marriage
What does your marriage need to thrive? Rather than blaming your partner, look at your role in the relationship. What growth are you bringing? What baby steps will allow you to nourish each other?

Go through all the areas of your life, reflecting on where you’re happy and content, and those spaces and places you’d like to reform, rebuild and re-envision. Write down 5 baby steps for each, then stand up on those tottery feet and take a step. A single step.

As the Chinese proverb says: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Give to life what you want life to give to you.

So, be kind to yourself. Your moment of power is in that step.

I’d love to hear what baby steps you’ve taken in your life. ~ Veronika x