Life Notes with Sheldon
Life Notes with Sheldon
Small Wins Lead to Big Breakthroughs: How to Restart Your Momentum
Ever feel like you're spinning your wheels in life with no traction? That frustrating sensation of being stuck in neutral, trapped against a wall, or simply unable to move forward can leave us feeling helpless and lost.
In this soul-stirring episode, we unpack practical strategies to break free from life's persistent ruts and jumpstart your energy, motivation, and joy once again. Rather than waiting for dramatic breakthroughs or magical solutions, we explore how consistent small wins create the momentum needed for meaningful change. From making your bed to sending that overdue email, these tiny victories signal to your brain that progress is possible.
We dive deep into how changing your physical environment can rewire your thinking, why breaking digital addiction patterns liberates creative energy, and how reconnecting with your core purpose realigns your daily choices with what truly matters. Learn why even five minutes of movement can transform your biochemistry, how reaching out to a friend creates ripples of positive change, and why facing one brave thing each week can shatter the inertia holding you back.
Most importantly, you'll discover that being stuck doesn't mean you're broken—it simply signals it's time for change. Through powerful stories and actionable advice, this episode offers the roadmap you need to get off the sidelines and back into the game of life as your best self. The perfect moment to start isn't when everything aligns perfectly—it's right now, with whatever small step feels most accessible today.
Welcome to Life Notes with Sheldon, where we talk about ways to get off the sidelines and back into the game of life as your best you.
Speaker 1:Hello friends, and thank you for joining me on Life Notes with Sheldon, where we talk about ways to get you off of the sidelines back into the game of life as your very best self. Hope you're having a beautiful summer day, so happy that this beautiful weather is here Again in the lovely four corners where we are recording and where we are. You know, do you ever feel like you're stuck in neutral or just spinning your wheels, sometimes not able to get traction in life? Today we're talking about how to break the cycle, jumpstart your energy and your motivation and your joy. You know, when you get in a rut, sometimes you feel like everything is just a loss, you're not moving forward, you don't know what to do. Just making a decision can be really difficult. Some people describe it as being trapped up against a wall, stranded. Whatever your version of it is, it's not a fun place to be when we're stuck, when we don't feel like we're moving forward. You know, in our fast-paced society we sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that if we're not moving forward swiftly, we're not progressing, and that's not what it is. But the human race and every human has that desire to be moving forward on something, to be progressing. We have that natural human need to do that. So if you're feeling that way, or you felt that way, or maybe you're feeling that very way right now, I want to encourage you to start today, and start every day, with a small win. This could be making your bed, this could be going for just a five minute walk, or doing one thing that's overdue, that you need to do first thing in the morning. Right, you've been needing to empty the trash and it's getting really full. Get it done. You've been needing to clean your kid's bathroom. That's horrible. Or something that is bugging you. That's overdue. It could be an overdue work email, an overdue thing that you know you've needed to respond. You need to send that estimate. You need to send that uncomfortable email asking for accountability. Whatever it is, start the day with a small win, and it doesn't have to be big. It doesn't have to be big. And so you know, I challenge you to start that day with a small win and share with a friend, family member keep you accountable or even me, reach out to me on Facebook. I want to know what your small win is. What's that small win that may help you get out of a rut? So pick that small win and do it. Do it now if you can, but if not, do it first thing in the morning. Get that out of the way and get it started.
Speaker 1:You know, we sometimes are hard on ourselves and we feel like, if we're not accomplishing some great task or engaged in some kind of great manifest destiny, that we're failing. But you know, every large earth changing life, impacting development or technology or wonder drug or whatever it is, it didn't just happen. There wasn't this just immediate breakthrough. It was a series of, you know, mundane small steps and small wins. You know, knowing they needed to work on that formula, knowing they needed to do that research, and just getting those small wins along the way that eventually led to the breakthrough. But you know, we see the headlines come out and all we see is the breakthroughs revolutionary new diabetes drug out, revolutionary new cancer drug, new technology to fuel whatever it is right. We see these big headlines and sometimes we mistakenly think that you know that just happened. There was just this breakthrough. But we don't account for all of those small little steps and all those small little wins along the way.
Speaker 1:And if we're stuck in a rut looking for that breakthrough, it's not just going to happen. It's not just going to come to you. Your fairy godmother is not going to come and tell you what to do, grant all your wishes. You're probably not going to win the lottery and you should stop playing it. You're not going to win the jackpot. Chances are stacked against you. It's going to be the small and simple things, and those small little things you do every day, and those small wins. You know.
Speaker 1:Another thing that you can do is to change our scenery. Sometimes, you know, just taking your work outside for a little bit, take your laptop, go on your deck, your patio, wherever it is, go to a park and and and breathe and do your work somewhere else. Sometimes we get trapped in a spot and we get trapped, um, not just mentally but physically, by our surroundings and we're not being productive there. We have to move ourselves to a different place. Take ourselves out of the situation and just changing the scenery a little bit Maybe working from your favorite coffee shop, taking a different route home, taking a drive, going out in a different room to do some of your work it can rewire your thinking, it can help us kind of get out of the box that we're stuck in and it can spark creativity.
Speaker 1:You know, an interesting thing that I've shared before and I'll share again is that sometimes some of the CEOs that are groundbreaking and innovative have said that their greatest breakthroughs of their people happen often when they're vacationing, far away from work, and they've been able to free themselves from being stuck in that trap that they were in or that dead end. And they have these insights, these bursts of creativity, and they're able to come back into the grind and be able to apply those things because they got out of that box that they were in. And so sometimes our trapping can be just that we're stuck in a box, we're stuck in the same place doing the same thing and we don't know what the next step is. And just a small little change of scenery can help us. Just a small little change in our view can make a tremendous difference. So the next time you're feeling stuck at work, go for a little walk, go for a five minute walk, go take your work somewhere else for a little bit, and you'll find that you'll be able to re-engage that creativity, maybe have that burst of creativity or problem solving that you're looking for, but you'll at least get out of that box that you feel is closing you in and keeping you trapped.
Speaker 1:Now another thing when you're feeling trapped, when you're feeling stuck, when you're feeling like you're just spinning your wills, you gotta interrupt some of these negative patterns that are causing this. Sometimes you're just on autopilot and, friends, if you're on autopilot, you're not navigating. And if you're not navigating, you've abdicated the control that you have over your destination to whatever it is you've autopiloted in your life. And so many of us are running around on autopilot. But worse, autopilot at full throttle where we are going and going and going and going brakes, next speed. But on this autopilot thing where we just feel like cogs in the wheel, you know we feel like the rat running the wheel and running the wheel and like we just constantly have to do it.
Speaker 1:So, change your morning routine, change something up. Listen to new music. You know I've designed a couple of playlists on iTunes and I have one for peace. When I just want to have peace in my life, I have my peace playlist. I have a feel good playlist. When I hear a song that makes me feel good, I put it on my feel good playlist. And when I want to feel good and I'm feeling great, I put it on and it helps me. I have a classical focus one. When I need to focus, I have a sleep one. Just changing your music, changing those little things, can interrupt those negative patterns.
Speaker 1:Taking a social media break, taking the constant checking the news break, taking a break from that for a little while, put a, put a block on your phone or delete the app, whatever it is your favorite social media thing you find yourself just going into and wasting time. You know, I had a painful realization with social media and my phone. I really did. It was a scary wake up call that changed how much time I'm spending on the screen. My family was having this little conversation and I thought I was right there, kind of in the midst of it, and I checked my phone because there was one of those annoying little dings and I looked at it. And then I started looking at something else because that was interesting. I looked at a news thing and pretty soon I was in Facebook and then I was you know who knows where else, right there in the same room, and I realized that eight minutes had gone by and I was completely unaware of what happened.
Speaker 1:I didn't recall any of the conversation from when I started getting into my phone and I realized that I had robbed myself of that connection. I had taken myself, you know, like I'm just a zombie. I'm there around my family, but I'm stuck in this digital device and I don't even remember what I got from it. What useful information did I receive by looking at my stupid phone or looking at the news or looking at my socials at that time? What did I get that could possibly be worth that time with my loved ones and my family? And so I realized how these things just rob us of connection, rob us of productivity, rob us of the opportunity to get unstuck, because the chances of you finding the way to get unstuck on Facebook or by checking the news or checking your phone are really slim, unless you're using some tools and apps designed for that. But how many of us are really doing that when we just check our phone randomly? So what's one habit that you're going to press pause on this week? What is one thing that you're going to press pause on this week? What is one thing that you're going to do, one habit that you find yourself just going into autopilot, that you just feel you're going into this thing that you do, whether it's the news checking, the Facebook checking, whatever it is. What's that one habit that you're going to press on pause? And I challenge you to determine what that is and to do this.
Speaker 1:Another thing we can do is reconnect with our purpose. Ask yourself what really matters to me, what gives me energy, what gives me purpose, what gives me joy. You know, asking yourself that can help you change relationship dynamics. It can help you change your employment, can help you change you know your pathway in life. If you have to ask, you know what really matters to me, and when you do this, you might find that some of your work pressing things at work become less pressing. Some of your pressing doubts and worries and fears become less pressing because you see how they're encroaching on your relationship, encroaching on your self-growth, encroaching on your joy. So take some time and ask yourself what gives me joy, what gives me energy, what makes you happy, and then write down some of those things and start doing them. Start doing them.
Speaker 1:You know, our family took a little trip and we went to the hot springs up in Durango, and if you haven't been to the Durango hot springs, it is truly remarkable place. It's a paradise. It's beautiful the way that they've done. It is like just out of this world, peaceful, and they have these little, you know, mini tubs you can go in that are just natural rock and cascading water, and it's so peaceful. We go with our kids and we get a little drink and sit there and just enjoy the nature, enjoy the beautiful surroundings and enjoy the other people that are there. For the same reason, they're going to relax and to be at peace. And to be at peace. And when we left that place you know we went originally with some friends we just felt so relaxed and energized the next day that we wanted to take our family and we ended up taking him again. Our kids had a recital up in Durango and we took them afterwards and it was just invigorating, it was engaging and, and you know, it was like we're doing something for ourselves that we enjoy. That brings us joy and it's amazing what that did for the next couple of days in our lives and did for our family dynamic.
Speaker 1:It's just taking some time out of the rat race, right? Yes, there's things we needed to do at home. Yes, there's yard work. Yes, there's always something. But, friends, if you're not pressing the pause button in life. You're missing one of the great opportunities to reflect, to re-energize, to change and to pull ourselves out of that box and be able to ask ourselves what matters, what gives me energy, and do some of those things. So write down some of those things.
Speaker 1:Maybe you wanted to go on a bike ride and you haven't been for years. Bike ride is a great thing for the soul, friends, and doesn't have to be a 20 miler. You can bike up the road and back, bike to the store, go to your favorite river trail and go for a little bike ride. You'll be amazed at what it can do for your body and your mind and your spirit. Speaking of your body, even 10 minutes of stretching or dancing in the kitchen or a quick jog or walk can release mood boosting chemicals in your life. Just 10 minutes of it and I would say even less than that, you know a focused five minutes on just stretching, just being just deep breathing, doing these things can release this dopamine and these things that bring us happiness, that bring us peace and that reduce cortisol, reduce stress. So take that time, take five minutes.
Speaker 1:You know people say I don't have time to exercise, I don't have time for me. Well, yeah, you may not have time to go to the gym for three hours, you may not have time for an hour run, but I guarantee you in your day you have time for a 10-minute walk. Everybody in their day can make time for a one-mile walk and you'll be amazed at what it does for you. You know, very, very rarely do I go without walking at least a mile with my dog every day, and the majority of the days I go to Berg Park because the place brings me so much peace. But I find it's just been this habit and I know if I go a day or two without my walk, I know it, I feel it, I'm a little more short, I'm a little more anxious, and being out in nature and just walking does wonders for my mental, physical, even spiritual health.
Speaker 1:So do some of those things, friends. Stop telling yourself that you don't have time. Make the time. Make the time. Turn on your favorite song on the radio, your favorite song of all time. Maybe it's 50s music, whatever 70s, whatever your thing. Turn it on and just dance in the kitchen, kitchen. I swear the looks from you get from your children will be priceless and they need to know that you're a little crazy. It's good for kids to know their parents are a little crazy. Nothing wrong with that. But do something for yourself and do something crazy. Do something fun.
Speaker 1:You know, another thing in life is that, because of social media and all of these connections we have, we sometimes make the mistake of thinking that we're more connected than we've ever been. And you know, sociological research suggests that we are more lonely than we've ever been and more disconnected from actual relationships and actual people. So one challenge I have for you if you're listening to this listener, hang up right now. If you want, just turn the channel, turn the radio off or wherever you're listening, turn this off and call a friend. Right, you're listening to me right now. Just just turn it off, pause it off. Turn it on after the phone call, if you want.
Speaker 1:Maybe it'll last longer, but maybe there's think in your mind who's that one person I'd like to connect with or I need to connect with, who's that one person who's been on your mind and you've been worrying about? Call them, give them a call out of nowhere and just say hey, ben, how you doing? Hey, jane, how's things, how's life? I was just checking, I was thinking about you. We miss that, friends. We are missing it.
Speaker 1:We are in desperate need of that in society today, and you can make that difference, and not only will it make a difference for them, but it will make a tremendous difference for you. Don't believe me, try me. Do it right now, seriously, and I want to hear about how it made a difference in your life, because there's an interesting thing that happens with these things, friends, when we call people, we'll find that, amazingly, we sometimes call when they need it most and you know, we never know which one of us can be in a crisis situation, in some kind of trauma or some kind of drama. It happens out of nowhere, as much as we try and stay out of it. Call and check on someone, call and check in, call that friend, call that family member.
Speaker 1:Another thing we can do when we're stuck to get unstuck is to do one brave thing Face that one fear, have that one hard conversation or take that one leap of faith right. It doesn't have to be cliff diving, it doesn't have to be skydiving. It could be making that confrontative call that you need to. You know, calling out that person, you know there's something that you don't like that you're needing to be addressed, that you need to have that uncomfortable conversation. Make the phone call. Make the appointment. Okay, maybe there's something for your health that you've known you needed to do. You're afraid to go to the doctor. Call and make the appointment. Call and convince yourself. Call and get connected and get accountable to where you have to do it.
Speaker 1:What's something that could be brave that you might do in life? Maybe you want to ask that person out and you've been afraid to go for it. Make the phone call. Maybe you've been wanting to connect with an old friend. Maybe I don't know what it is. Maybe you've been wanting to, whatever it is, do something brave, because if we're not doing anything brave, what are we accomplishing? How are we challenging ourselves? What's that one hard thing you're going to do?
Speaker 1:You know a friend of mine calls it his big hairy goal. He says we all need a big hairy goal. Big hairy goal, something that scares us in life, something His big hairy goal. He says we all need a big hairy goal. Big hairy goal, something that scares us in life, something that intimidates us. Maybe go find a big hairy goal in your life. Find that thing that like, wow, this scares me, but I need to do it and take that first step to getting it done.
Speaker 1:Make that first appointment, make that first call. Do what you got to do. What's your brave thing this week, friends? What's it going to be? What's that thing that you're fearing or what's that thing that you haven't wanted to do or you've been too afraid to do? Do it now. Take that first step. Pencil in the appointment, call and make the appointment, set yourself up for it. Pay the fee for the class, whatever it is. Set yourself up for it. Pay the fee for the class, whatever it is. Get it done.
Speaker 1:And then, friends, sometimes we just got to give ourselves a reset. You know, it's okay just to step back from the situation. It's okay to rest, it's okay to take a nap, it's okay to reset, it's okay to retreat and just give ourselves time to figure it out or not even work on the problem. There's so many people I know friends and family and ourselves at times that are so stressed and so overloaded. I'm amazed at what happens when we just take time to retreat, take time to step back, take time to sit and watch the beautiful sunshine.
Speaker 1:You know, the other day I just took some time. I was busy, had things to do. My kids were on the trampoline and I went and jumped with them. They loved it. I used to do it a lot more when they were a little bit younger. Now they're bigger and I'm afraid they're going to hurt me and it could be that I'm kind of older and, and my biggest, you know, goal in life is to avoid injury post, you know, mid 40. And but I did it, I sat there and after a while, you know, we just we just sat there and we laid back and we just looked at the clouds and we identified things that we saw. One saw a lion, saw look like a guy with big ears, saw a, you know these shapes and things, and it was wonderful, it was so great, it was so relaxing and it was like you know it was. Somehow we just paused time and that's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1:If you haven't been able to do that to just have this pause in time, a moment you'll never forget, a moment you wouldn't have normally had, and take that time and just pause and just be and just enjoy, and you will find that that will do wonders for your organization, wonders for your soul, wonders for your family, wonders for your life, and it can be a wonderfully powerful way to get unstuck. It's like four-wheel drive You're stuck in the mud. This is the four-wheel drive friends. Take a break, take a reset. A couple ideas a digital detox where you get away from your phone for a while, lock it up, close your app, stay off Facebook, stay off socials for a certain time. Maybe you journal. Just take some time to write down your feelings, write down your fears, write down what you're going through. You'll find it's just powerful. In engaging that right and left brain and writing down some of those things, we can really have some breakthroughs.
Speaker 1:Spiritual reflection, you know, an attitude of gratitude. We've heard that gratitude determines our altitude, but it's so true. If you'll just take time every day, or as many days as you possibly can, to just give thanks to God, give thanks to your family, give thanks for this incredible opportunity you have to live and breathe again. Against all odds. We're here again and we get to enjoy another beautiful day. Do we realize what an immense blessing that is? I hope so, because having gratitude for that can help you get unstuck, can keep you from getting stuck as much, and can help you help others along the way. Friends ruts don't mean that you're broken. They're just signals that it's time for a change. And the best part is that you don't have to wait for the perfect moment to start. But I would suggest that the perfect moment is right now, until next time. Moment is right now, until next time. Life Notes with Sheldon.
Speaker 2:Thank you for joining me and thank you for all you do for the world. Friends, you have been listening to Life Notes with Sheldon. Listen every week for a brand new note on life. We hope that we have given you a way to get off the sidelines and back into the game of life as your best you.