Tiny habits and small victories.

I've got so much I want to talk about, yet, I haven't been doing it. A lot has happened since I last posted and I have a story about why it's time to get back to writing and rambling about Design and my work. I promise to make this as interesting as possible.

I had a short 5 session Health Coaching class over the past 5 weeks. My work (Northwestern Health Sciences University, NWHSU for short-I mean, there is no way I'm typing THAT out every time), offers a new online degree in Health Coaching, and the students needed volunteers to have coaching sessions with, so as to complete their requirements for graduation. I wanted to help, so I signed up.

I admit, I was pretty skeptical and cynical at first. I've never really been that interested in the whole life or career coaching, and I figured this was just going to be the same stuff. Buuuuut, this old dog learned a some new tricks and I got A LOT out of it. The student I was paired with lives in Iceland, and being a big fan of Iceland, I enjoyed the initial introduction and greetings. When she asked me what I was looking for in the sessions, I said I have felt a lack of balance in physical exercise and in mental health. I feel I have a good work-life balance and spiritual-life balance, but Covid, teenagers, the current state of politics in the United States and climate disruption has caused a mental unbalance in my life.

The first session went as I assumed, and I was still not convinced. Buuuuut, my coach was pleasant, professional and genuine. I felt like she was truly listening. So, I decided to put my skepticism and cynicism aside and do the work.

As I did the work we talked about, I found it to be a sort of eye opening. Even after the first session, I started to take a deeper look at myself and what was causing my unbalance, and what I could do to bring the balance I was lacking, into my life. It was also amazing to realize how some of the same lessons and practices I use as a Designer, could be applied to myself. Stick with me, I'm getting to the payoff and I'm almost done rambling.

As a young Designer, I was taught to approach every project with the same amount of care and ambition. Whether it was a logo, brochure, magazine or a simple postcard, each one deserved the same attention to detail and use of my design skills to make it the best it could be. That simple postcard is important to someone and their project. Sometimes it's part of a bigger picture and that simple postcard can be the make or break part of the project. I've passed this lesson down to Designers who have worked for me, and to students and interns I have mentored. But, how did this relate to my health coaching?

My health coach and I talked about tiny habits and small victories. They are part of what helps bring about balance. Paying attention to simple things, setting small attainable goals and starting tiny habits (like getting my blog started again), resulted in victories. The mental exercises, and self reflection that I was giving the same amount of attention to as the big stuff in my life, began to help me find that balance I was looking for.

I need to leave you with more than just a story. Let's do one of my exercises. You may know this one, but humor me. Sit down and put your feet on the floor and relax. Take a deep breath. Find 5 things around you that you see. Now 4 that you hear. 3 that you can touch. 2 that you can smell. 1 that you can taste.

That's it. You've now centered yourself and focused on you, but you've also made yourself aware of your surroundings. As a Designer, you should do this often, I bet you'll find the balance in your design that you've been looking for.