Small Things, Big Year

Every December, the world encourages us to reinvent ourselves. We’re nudged to set big resolutions, make sweeping promises, and emerge from the holidays somehow transformed. But in reality, most of us enter January simply hoping for a quiet moment and a fresh cup of coffee.

So this year, I’m opting for something different. I’m creating a micro-list instead of a bucket list.

I’ve started thinking about things, not in terms of resolutions but as gentle shifts. Small choices that feel grounding instead of overwhelming. Little habits that fit into real life instead of competing with it.

Here’s a sampling of some of my small things:

• Watch the sunrise more often
• Stretch for one minute each morning
• Take Dusty, our rescue dog, for a walk through a different local nature preserve or park each month
• Devote more time to painting
• Drink more water
• Work through my shelf of books, or finally give them away
• Buy BOGOs at Publix to donate to House of Hope at least once a month
• Spend more time with my favorite girlfriends (you know who you are)
• Put my phone away during dinner
• Watch the sunset more often  

Small things may not sound dramatic, but they create momentum. They are sustainable. And over time, one tiny shift leads to another. In the end, you didn’t reinvent yourself. You just gently course-corrected into a life that feels more like you.

That feels like a better way to start the year.

So while other people are crafting color-coded resolution spreadsheets, I’ll be over here choosing my handful of small things. And who knows. With enough of them, it just might turn into a pretty big year.

Are you still making big resolutions, or might you try a less stressful micro-list this year? I’d love to know what’s on your list. Send me an email at stacy@fireflyforyou.com and let me know.