Tiny Shifts That Made a Big Difference (From My Clients)
When we think about changing our lives, it’s easy to imagine it has to be big.
A bold leap. A new career. A radical reinvention.
But for the women I work with, change often begins much more quietly. It doesn’t start with quitting your job or rewriting your life—it starts with a tiny shift. One small choice that creates just enough space for something new to take root.
Here’s what that can look like in real life…
💬 “I stopped checking my emails after 6pm.”
This client was stuck in a cycle of over-responsibility. Every evening, she’d glance at her inbox ‘just one more time’—and end up replying to things that could easily have waited.
Her shift? She removed her work email account from her phone. She could still access it on her laptop if something major came up. But that one small act of friction was all she needed to reclaim her evenings.
The result? She slept better. Woke up fresher. And started her days feeling clearer, calmer, and more in control.
And, as it turned out, this was the first step in a series of shifts. It wasn’t just about emails. It was about reminding herself she didn’t have to always be ‘on’ to be valuable.
💬 “I started saying no. Once a week.”
This client didn’t identify as a “people pleaser”—but she was drowning in yeses. Meetings she didn’t need to be in. Volunteering for tasks others could do. Always being available.
So, she gave herself a weekly challenge: say no to one thing. Just one. That simple act began to rewrite her sense of boundaries—and built the muscle of permission.
💬 “I went for a walk every morning before opening my laptop.”
This wasn’t about fitness—it was about energy. One client realised she was starting her day already depleted, jumping straight from school drop-off into work mode.
She decided to reclaim the first 20 minutes of her morning. No email. No news. Just movement, fresh air, and quiet. It was the first time in months she’d started her day by tuning into herself, not her to-do list.
Within a week, she felt a shift in how she showed up for everything else.
💬 “I started going back into the lab one day a week.”
This client, a senior researcher, leading a team in a busy science lab. Since the pandemic, she’d been working from home—and at first, she loved it. The autonomy, the flexibility, the quiet time to work on grants. But over time, she noticed something was missing.
She felt flat. Disconnected. Like she was ticking boxes but losing sight of the spark that made her love science in the first place.
Her shift? She chose one day a week to return to the lab—not because she had to, but because she wanted to reconnect with the parts of her role that lit her up.
She found herself re-energised, reconnecting not only with the work itself, but also with her passion for teaching, mentoring, and having spontaneous, curious conversations with her team. The kind of conversations that reminded her why she became a scientist in the first place.
It wasn’t about going back to how things were. It was about reclaiming a version of herself that had gone quiet.
She realised she wasn’t just missing the lab—she was missing the joy of science, the spark of teaching, and the version of herself who came alive through both.
💬 “I reached out to someone I admired.”
This client had spent years stuck in a loop of busyness—so focused on getting through the urgent tasks of the day that she rarely made time to connect with people who could expand her world.
Her shift? She blocked out one hour a week to reach out to someone she respected. A colleague in a different team, a former colleague. A podcast guest. Someone doing something that sparked curiosity.
The first conversation reminded her what she was capable of—and opened a door she hadn’t even known was there.
That small commitment helped her move from isolated and reactive to connected and intentional.
These shifts weren’t radical. But they were real.
They didn’t just change how my clients spent their time. They changed how they felt about themselves. They created movement, clarity, and self-trust. And those are the foundations that make bigger changes possible down the line.
What might your tiny shift be?
It could be as small as taking a lunch break without guilt. Turning off notifications for one hour. Asking yourself one different question. The point isn’t perfection—it’s permission. A signal to yourself that something matters. That you matter.
What’s one thing you could try this week—just once?
Want a little help?
If you’re thinking “I know something needs to change, but I’m not sure what or how…”—you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.
Sometimes the first step isn’t a big decision, it’s simply a conversation.
I offer a free 30-minute discovery call where we can explore what’s feeling off, what’s calling for your attention, and whether coaching might be the right support for you right now.