One-degree Turns
How are you doing, dear one? How’s the start of the year feeling for you?
With all the messaging about “new year, new you,” I’d like to offer a different take: How can you approach the new year curious about how to keep spiraling closer to your truest self?
When I was exploring this for myself, my intuition offered up one simple instruction:
Look at your defaults.
What do you default to when you’re tired? Achy? Overwhelmed? What about when you’re enjoying something? Excited? Hungry? Worried about money?
(For me, in order: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, heating pads on the couch, Instagram, Instagram, Instagram, brie on gluten-free baguette, and nothing. Cool cool cool.)
Listen, each of those decisions is neutral. There’s nothing wrong with any of them.
And yet – when you think about what your 90-year-old self would encourage you to do, a different course of action may emerge. Not because you “should,” but because other choices may help you get closer to your truest self.
Here’s the trick: make tiny incremental changes, or “one-degree turns.” It’s gentle on your nervous system, which goes a long way toward making it sustainable.
One-Degree Turns
What might that look like?
Keeping a favorite magazine or enticing book next to your couch. Play with flipping through that for 5 minutes before turning on the TV.
Stretching for 5 minutes while your heating pad warms up.
A few rounds of 4-7-8 breathing before picking up your phone.
Feeling into all five senses of the experience, rather than (or before) posting an IG story.
Keeping a can of beans in the cupboard and starting with that when you’re apathetic about lunch.
Just look at your bank accounts once a day.
One-degree turns are perfect for any situation where you feel stuck or can’t get traction. So often, if you find yourself in that state, it’s because your nervous system misinterprets “familiar” as “safe.” In that case, making big, sweeping changes can sometimes backfire, causing you to freeze and revert to the familiar. By taking baby steps, you take the time to demonstrate to yourself that these changes are safe.
Where are you being pulled to allow more of your truest self shine through?
I always love hearing what’s coming up for you, so hit reply and let me know! And if this is the year you’re ready to step into your vibrant, aligned, and free self, let’s talk. I’d love to help you along that journey.
My 3-month 1x1 coaching program is discounted through Tuesday, January 16. If you schedule a vision casting call before that, I’ll honor the reduced rate for you.
