When I was young, I used to play a game with my grandfather called Spare Change. We would go out to run the errands together and every store we went into, he would pay in bills and put all the change in his shirt pocket.
When we got back to my grandparents house, whatever was in that pocket was mine to keep. I was always surprised to see how many tiger tail ice cream treats I could buy when I added up all the pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.
What if you thought about time this way – and the limiting belief we often have – I don’t have time to make any significant changes right now?If you tuck away the bits and pieces of moments you have in your day and your week like my g
randfather tucked away the coins, you would be surprised what you can accomplish. Sustainable change comes from making different, doable choices over a long period of time so it becomes a way of life, woven into the fabric of your day or week.
At first you will need to make conscious effort to include it and having accountability with someone outside of yourself can support you in this. Eventually, you will notice that it is no longer an effort but a natural piece of your life that comes easily and is completely internalized in who you are. There is an incredible sense of peace and accomplishment when you reach this moment.
Ask yourself, what area in your life can you see that if you spent fifteen or thirty minutes a day a few times a week you could create a shift for yourselves?
Spare change is about making a commitment to set aside time to create one smaller but meaningful different action that when you get to the end of your week and you’ve spent an hour writing, walking, singing, meditating, having fun, connecting with your partner or your children (not with the TV on) you will look back and feel very happy with the choice you made to create this as a priority.
