Today, I want to talk about one of my favorite topics to implement in both my personal and professional life: the impact of small changes. When we’re in the thick of OCD, anxiety, and scary thoughts, we can get so caught up in the big picture that we lose sight of the tiny, nuanced changes we could make right here, right now. Let’s dive into how these small changes can really make a big impact when it comes to your anxiety and personal growth.

Here’s a little preview of what we’ll cover:

• The science behind small changes
• Real life examples of the power of small changes
• Why small changes matter
• 4 practical tips for making small changes today

The Science Behind Small Changes

Our brains are amazing and adaptable thanks to neuroplasticity. This concept means that your brain can form new connections and neural pathways when you introduce new habits or routines. Even small changes over time, if done consistently and repetitively, can trigger these new pathways, helping you develop healthier responses and reduce anxiety and stress. Essentially, yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Over time, consistent and repetitive new habits can strengthen new neural pathways, making them more dominant than the old ones.

Think of it like planting seeds. Each small change is a seed that, as long as you’re consistent, grows into something much larger and more impactful. It’s those small, evidence-based actions that can lead to real transformation over time.

The Atomic Habits Analogy

In the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, there’s a powerful analogy about the impact of small changes. Imagine a plane on a flight from Los Angeles to Maine. If the plane is just an inch off course, it might not seem like much initially. However, over the long journey, that inch can lead the plane to land in Florida instead of Maine. This analogy highlights how small changes can lead to significantly different outcomes over time.

Real-Life Examples of Transformation

Sarah’s Story

Sarah struggled with intrusive thoughts that made her life unbearable. She started simply by labeling her intrusive thoughts as just thoughts. This small shift, rooted in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), helped her detach from the anxiety those thoughts caused. Over time, it led to a lot less reactivity and more peace of mind.

Mike’s Journey

Mike incorporated a daily exposure task into his routine, using principles from exposure and response prevention (ERP). He faced a small fear every day, starting with touching a doorknob with his pinky without washing his hands afterward. Over time, he gradually moved on to holding the doorknob and touching other surfaces without increased anxiety or rituals. His fear of contamination decreased significantly.

Why Small Changes Matter

Manageability

When you’re dealing with anxiety and intrusive thoughts, the last thing you need is another overwhelming task. Breaking bigger tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces makes them more achievable, reducing stress and procrastination.

Building Momentum

Plus, success in one small area can cause a ripple effect, encouraging you to tackle other areas in your life. Overcoming one challenge can build your confidence and create positive momentum.

4 Practical Tips for Making Small Changes

Start with Awareness

The first step in making meaningful changes is to start with awareness. Begin by simply noticing your anxiety triggers and the intrusive thoughts that come up. This should be a non-judgmental awareness, where you observe without criticizing yourself. Keeping a journal or using the notes app on your phone can be really helpful for this. Jot down your triggers and thoughts as they occur. This will help you recognize patterns and understand the frequency and types of anxiety you’re experiencing. Without this awareness, it’s challenging to make any substantial changes because you’re not fully aware of what needs to be changed.

Implement a Tiny Exposure Task

Exposure tasks are a cornerstone of exposure and response prevention (ERP), an evidence-based treatment for OCD and anxiety. Choose something small that you can face daily. This could be as simple as making eye contact with someone if you have social anxiety, or delaying a ritual or compulsion by a few seconds if you struggle with OCD. The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety completely but to change your response to it. By taking these small steps, you gradually build resilience and reduce the power of your anxiety over time. The key is consistency and repetition, which help to rewire your brain and form new, healthier neural pathways.

Practice Cognitive Diffusion

Cognitive diffusion is a technique from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) that involves stepping back from your thoughts and viewing them as just thoughts, not truths. When an intrusive thought pops up, label it as a thought. For example, instead of saying “I’m going to fail,” you say, “I’m having the thought that I’m going to fail.” This small change helps you detach from the thought and reduces its power over you. Some people find it helpful to give their anxiety a silly name to further distance themselves from it. This might not work for everyone, but if it works for you, it can be a powerful tool in reducing anxiety.

Use Values to Guide Your Actions

Reflect on what’s truly important to you and let those values drive your small changes. For instance, if maintaining relationships is a core value, but anxiety and intrusive thoughts have made social interactions challenging, you might push yourself to attend a social event even if you feel anxious. Letting your values guide your actions helps ensure that the changes you’re making are meaningful and aligned with what you truly care about. This alignment can provide additional motivation and make it easier to stick with the changes over time.

Conclusion

Transformation doesn’t always require big monumental changes. Small, consistent actions can lead to significant personal growth. If you’re loving the idea of these small actionable steps leading to a big difference, check out my upcoming Seven Day Breakthrough Challenge. It’s $17, and you can find more details and sign up here.

Start small, stay consistent, and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve. Tune in next week as we dive into mindsets that support small changes and help you maintain your progress. Until then, keep pushing forward and remember: small changes can lead to really big results. You’ve got this. Keep doing all the hard things.

Keep doing all the hard things. Bye for now.

👏 Unlock your free 40-minute video on “5 Must-Know Strategies for Handling Anxiety and Intrusive Thoughts”: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🧠 Start your transformation today with the Mental Compulsion Mini Course referenced in this episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/mental-compulsions⁠

💪 Ready to conquer OCD/anxiety? Explore The OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint – with or without a therapist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

DISCLAIMER: Please keep in mind that Jenna is not your therapist. She does not provide you with individualized recommendations or advice. The information provided is intended as educational information only. Jenna cannot tell you what you should do, what you shouldn’t do, or give recommendations based on your unique situations or circumstances. Nothing on this page or Site should be construed as therapeutic recommendation or personalized advice. If you are in need of such services, please consult with a physician or other medical provider right away to determine the best course of action for you. We are not responsible for your use of this page, this website, or the contents within. NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU READ OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEBSITE AND CONTENT. For more information, please read the Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimer. Your continued use of this platform, this page, and the contents within constitutes as your agreement with this agreement.

© 2024 Jenna Overbaugh, LLC, All Rights Reserved

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jennaoverbaughlpc.com/terms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jennaoverbaughlpc.com/privacy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jennaoverbaughlpc.com/disclaimer⁠⁠