Hello! 👋 

Welcome to Issue 3 of the Chronic Evolution weekly newsletter.

I became a first-time kitten mum a few short months ago–and I’ve been learning a lot of new things ever since.

I’ve learned that feeding her breakfast at 6am just once means I never have to set an alarm clock again. (A paw in the face does the trick just fine.)

I’ve learned that she comes to snuggle on the couch with me at 8:30am, followed by a leisurely morning of sunbathing and bird-watching. Then comes a mid-day snack, which she’s quite vocal about if (heaven forbid) it slips my mind.

In short, I’ve learned she’s a creature tiny house panther of habit.

It’s from her that I’ve drawn the inspiration for today’s issue. Because even the most unremarkable of habits play an extraordinary role in our daily lives. Let’s explore that together.

3 Unremarkable Micro Habits That Are Helping Me Live an Extraordinary Life

The tiny, seemingly unimportant things will lead to your success–or be your downfall.

Most people think it’s the grand gestures that are the most remarkable–the sexy, heart-pounding decisions that give you an adrenaline rush and leave you feeling on top of the world.

Sure, they’ll get you high for a moment, but they’re not what has the biggest impact on your life.

If you want to become the best version of yourself, you need to focus on the small stuff behind those big moments.

Consider the author who hits the top of the New York Times Best Sellers list and is giddy with excitement. Heart pounding. Tearful social media videos about how they’re honored to get here. A smile so wide it feels like it’s going to fall off their face.

But you know what you don’t see? The early mornings and late nights dedicated to writing. The dinner invitations or days at the beach they turned down to focus on work. The frustration of staring at a blank page, then pushing onward anyway.

It’s the routine–the micro habits–that get them past the tears, the crushing fear, and the insecurities about not being good enough through to the finished product.

Without micro habits, there never would have been a book to celebrate in the first place.

As a self-professed self-improvement junkie, I’ve hopped on the micro habit train faster than a cheetah on rollerskates. My goal is to become 1% better every day – and here are the three unremarkable habits I’ve adopted that are making the most difference for me.

1. Visualize your desired future (4 minutes)

I embarked on a 7-day creative visualization adventure with Mike Dooley a few months ago, and I haven’t stopped visualizing since.

Those who know my story know I’m not new to visualization. Along with other forms of mindfulness, it was a pivotal ingredient in the holistic cocktail I used to eliminate my chronic pain. But there’s something next-level about listening to Mike’s soothing voice guide me through a visualization. It was nice–nicer than I expected. And I haven’t missed a day since I purchased the course.

Here’s how to try this for yourself:

1. Decide on your desired goal. This could be reducing pain, improving a relationship, meeting your soulmate, getting a raise, or landing a new job. You get the idea.

2. Take a few moments to write out a scene as if your goal had already come true. What are you doing? Who are you with? Where are you? How do you feel?

3. Settle down somewhere comfortable and set a timer for 4 minutes. Spend that time visualizing the scene you just came up with. Focus on the emotional aspect of it and how you feel. Try to get into the right mindset so you’re in a place where you fully expect this to work.

4. Once the time is up, that’s it. Go about your day. Don’t try to visualize more than once a day or add extra minutes. You’ve set the intention, and now the best thing you can do is continue living and enjoying your life as it is now.

2. Stretch it out – fascial style (15 minutes)

I recently stumbled upon The Human Garage on Instagram. And oh boy, am I ever glad I did! Their mission is to open-source healthcare and teach people how to heal–in just 15 minutes per day with no equipment, no expensive practitioners, and no confusing jargon.

They have 1-day, 3-day, 7-day, and 28-day fascial stretching programs available online at no cost. I’ve worked through the first three and am about to start the 28-day reset. Since starting, the biggest thing I’ve noticed is less stiffness in my back and shoulders.

I spend a lot of time on my laptop in a…umm, less than ergonomic seating position. Glances towards the couch. Since I started fascial stretching every evening before bed, I sleep more soundly and experience less stiffness in my back throughout the night and upon waking.

My mum has also been trying the exercise for varicose veins (available on Instagram) and has noticed an improvement–her legs aren’t getting as tired as they used to.

Here’s how to try this for yourself:

1. Go to humangarage.net.

2. You can dive right into trying out the fascial maneuvers there or sign up for one of their reset programs at no cost.

3. Drink lemon water (5 minutes)

Every month, my friend and I meet to go over our goals for the next 30 days. It helps keep us on track and accountable to one another. This month, can you guess what was on both of our lists? Yep, drink more water.

But not just any water–I’m starting my days with 20 ounces of freshly squeezed lemon water.

According to Anthony William (a.k.a. Medical Medium), “Lemon water is the perfect way to hydrate, purify, and revitalize your body each morning. Water coming straight from the tap or a bottle has lost its vitality and its innate living structure. By adding fresh squeezed lemon juice, you “wake up” the water and bring it back to life.”

This water is good for me, it tastes amazing, and the fresh lemon makes my kitchen smell good. That’s what I call a win.

Here’s how to try this for yourself:

1. Follow Medical Medium’s lemon water recipe.

All of the habits above work best when you approach them mindfully. Take a moment to stop and truly think about what you’re doing. When visualizing, expect it to work. When stretching, feel yourself breathe into the tight muscles, allowing them to loosen. When preparing your lemon water, thank the lemons for their healing properties and picture the water nourishing your cells as you sip it.

None of the people or programs I’ve mentioned are sponsored. They’ve genuinely helped me, so I believe they’re worth sharing.

I hope this inspires you to try them out, too, or at least to experiment with a daily routine that works for you. Whatever you choose, try sticking to it for the next 30 days. And remember, no matter what micro habits you decide on, it helps if you expect miracles while you’re at it.

Here’s to your chronic evolution.

See you next time,

Carly 

P.S. Know someone who would enjoy this newsletter? When you refer just two people, I’ll send you a complimentary copy of my e-book: How To Reduce Chronic Pain Naturally.

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