Small Steps To Make Big Changes To Your Health

When you think about it, our bodies are amazing.

They’re fleshy miracles that can move, grow, feel, and heal in ways that even the best scientists out there still don’t quite understand. But, when it comes to taking care of these incredible vessels, we often don’t give it the right kind of attention it deserves. So, here’s how small steps can mean big changes to your health. The day-to-day choices we all make influence what happens later in life, including poor physical and mental health.

On a recent episode of The Darin Olien Show,

I sat down with Rory Cordial, the exceptional healer, and physical therapist to the stars. 

“I definitely am doing what I love. So, I’m so lucky for that. I think like, my brain naturally is creative in different ways. The fact that I’m working with the body there is nothing to me more creative because we’re all so unique.”

Physical Therapy is something he has dedicated his life to, and I wanted to share some of his amazing tips for creating a healthy body and mind by using just a few simple pointers.

Show Yourself Some Gratitude

People are more likely to focus on what they don’t like about themselves. It’s time to start looking for what we do like about ourselves.

Not to sound too woo-woo here, but maybe we all need to be a bit more grateful and bask in the glory of the miracle of our bodies. “We can be so judgmental and harsh- not happy with the look of our body, the state of our body, etc.,” says Rory.  

But, “Gratitude is huge,” he explains. “If you can just put your mind to understand the miracle of the body and just being grateful for the body we have,” your overall health and wellbeing can skyrocket into a better place- and there’s a lot of scientific evidence to back it up. 

One 2003 paper published by the godfathers of gratitude, Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, found that those who expressed appreciation for as little as ten weeks, reported better physical health, deeper sleep, fewer headaches, less stomach pain, and even clearer skin.

Being grateful shifts your focus away from what you lack in life, and instead highlights the incredible things you have.

Keep Moving

While many people see it as a chore, exercise is one of the most beneficial things you can have in your life. Not only can it help get your body in shape, but it’s perfect for the mind too. 

“If there was one pill that everyone could take to help everything- inflammation, the brain, your heart, your heart rate, your cardiovascular, everything- it’s exercise.” 

Even I have to admit, it is the greatest bio-hack, ever!

“It doesn’t even take much,” Rory explains. If you don’t regularly exercise, then start small. Go for a walk around the block once a day, every day. After a few days, before you know it, you’ll end up igniting a playful explorative side of your nature all through the power of movement. 

“Just move. Move more. Move today.” 

Know Your Direction

We, humans, love habits. But when it comes to healthier habits all too often, we let “being too busy” override things. We’re too busy to work out, too busy to do yoga – you get the idea.

But, having a little clarification on where you want to be heading in your health goals can be beneficial in creating a healthier lifestyle. Rory says, whittling down your life goals can help build direction. “It’s important to me to have a healthy body, and how do I do that?” he asks. “I think you have to sit down and write it out.” 

We’re not asking for a full-on gym regime here. Instead, you want to look at healthy activities like gentle movement, walking at an increased pace, going outdoors and exploring nature, or even getting up and down off the floor using bodyweight exercises.

Commit, Commit, Commit!

It’s January 1st, and you’ve made your New Year’s resolution. What are the chances you’ll still be sticking to it six months down the line? (Listen to this Fatal Conveniences™ episode for more on why New Years Resolutions often fail)

When it comes to your health, you’re in it for the long haul. You have to get your mind into shape, and engage in a little mental (and little physical) discipline. 

“My wife and I right now, she’s doing 30 days of yoga, I’m doing 30 days of Qigong, and it’s kind of not a negotiation,” Rory says. “She got sick on day 15, I was with her, and I stopped, so we both stopped. Then we had to start over.” What he learned from this is, it was hard to pick up from where they had left off. They had lost their momentum.

You have to take charge of your mind and body, and commit yourself fully, come hell or high water, to a goal.

“If you believe in that momentum,” he explains, “in 20, 30 days, you’re in a new body. You see the world differently.”

So, what will be your commitment? 

Your commitment doesn’t have to be exercise based. You could strive to commit yourself to get a solid eight hours of sleep a night or even introduce more nutritious foods into your diet for an extended period of time. It’s your health commitment, you just have to stick to it. 

I think we can all understand that our health matters. But when it comes to taking care of our mind and bodies, we don’t always have the necessary knowledge or tools to reach our ideal sustainable, good health. So, begin by showing yourself some love. Appreciate yourself and the vessel you’ve been blessed with and get active wherever, whenever in a way that suits you. Follow a planned direction to give yourself an attainable goal and commit to it. That’s how small steps can mean big changes to your health.