Small Shifts: The practice of 1%
For most of my life, I’ve tended to be either all in or all out, so when the idea of small shifts was first introduced to me, it didn’t exactly knock my socks off. Maybe you feel this too? In a world where big, life changing, overnight transformations sell, it can be hard to trust that the slow way really is the fast way.
But leaning into small shifts (a practice I learned from Red School) has been transformative both for me and the folks I’ve worked with. I’m not usually one for a 3 point plan but for ease here’s what it can look like:
Dream into what the ‘ideal’ scenario would be.
Ask your self: What’s 1% of that? - Something small and immediately possible.
Do that.
For example:
With our activism and work in the world: Visioning for the change we want to co-create, and then starting with what’s an immediately doable action in alignment with that, however small.
With Rest: Listening in to what your body needs and giving yourself at least 1% of that. Sometimes care giving and needing to survive within a capitalist system means we can’t always stay in bed when we might want to, but we can usually carve out mini moments for rest through the day to honor our needs in some way.
In my little neurodivergent family we all have very different, often opposing needs, maybe you relate to that in a certain area of your own life? It’s an ongoing practice to be in support of the needs of others and the collective, whilst not completely loosing sight of our own.
Sometimes it’s there in that one long exhale, a few moments with the sound of the birds, the warmth of the cup in your hands, that small action you just took towards a more just world, 1% at a time.
This practice isn’t about offering yourself, others, and what you care about the bare minimum. For those of us with the most privilege, it’s definitely not about finding ways to adjust to an unhealthy and unjust society without actively challenging it. None of our self care practices should be about that loves.
In the way I hold it, it’s about building capacity and noticing the possibilities that are already here, right now. The beauty of the 1% shift is that it’s like planting a seed, when we nurture it, it grows.
It’s also a form of titration, which is super important for nervous system recovery, we want to go at a pace that isn’t too fast or overwhelming. Expanding our edges just 1% at a time is sometimes exactly what’s needed.
For example if stopping to rest feels overwhelming, you can introduce just a tiny amount. Maybe for a couple of minutes to start with, noticing what happens in your experience as you do, and resourcing as you go. Little by little, you can build on that and expand your capacity to experience rest, at your body’s pace.
So today's invitation my love, is to pop this simple question in your back pocket for when you need it:
'What's the 1% here?'