#2 Change Is Hard. Until It Isn’t.
“Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you're willing to stick with them for years”
– James Clear
💛 LIFE NOTE
Look, at first, I thought the concept of routines and habits were … kinda boring. 😒
I thought they made life more complicated, taking the fun away... you know what I mean.
Yet, since everybody I look up to was talking about habits and all, I decided to give it a go.
What’s the worst that could happen?!
Over the past 8 months, I’ve been experimenting with different new, small habits. 🧪
I have to say, I couldn’t have been more wrong!
What I've learnt is that not only small habits allow us to overcome procrastination.
They also help us reduce decision fatigue, leaving more space for fun! 🤩
Once we dial in the actions we know we need to take, the change feels easier!
I guess, it’s similar to leveling up in a video game. 🎮
We don’t go straight to the boss. We first learn our character’s abilities.
Overall - whether we like it or not , “the only constant in life is change.”
Learning how to effectively deal with, or drive change, is a skill worth developing - especially for your career in Tech (where everything changes so fast 🤖).
So buckle up my friend !
Today’s Career Notes is all about that: Change is hard - Until it isn’t! 🔥
Let’s do this ⚡️
PS: I hope this post inspires you 👩🏻🔬 to identify one small thing you can do to ignite the change 😌
👩🏻💻 CAREER NOTE
Do Your Career a Favor, Start Something Today
What’s one thing you’ve been meaning to change, but struggle to make concrete, satisfying progress on?
Why do you think that is? 🤔
Here’s a thought - and how you can get moving.
Last Friday, I had a minor surgery. 💉
I’m all good, in case you wonder
One thing that surprised me tho - right after the surgeon was done - was my reaction to what was a rather simple, pretty much expected, recovery requirement that goes like this:
Post procedure care: “Do not do any intense workout for 2 weeks.” 😱
I don’t know about you, but my relationship with sport over the past 10 years has been quite … unstable to say the least. 🫤
Normally, I’d be like “Sure, no worries. I barely work out anyway. This is the perfect excuse!”
But Friday felt like… freaky Friday 🫣
I was like: “What do you mean by intense? Is it 2 weeks or more like 10 days?”
I literally found myself arguing to reduce what felt like a proper sentence.
Negotiating more walking in lieu of running.
That was so weird! 🤯
Who is she?!?! who’s this sports addict!?!
Because if I draw you my relationship with working out , it’d look like this:
Simplified chart of Audrey’s relationship with sport rated 1-10, where 1 would be inexistent and 10 excellent over the years
💪 Strong start - in my youth.
📉 Clear decline - once I landed my first job.
🔄 Followed by repeated (failed) attempts to regain interest in the matter - especially after I moved abroad.
⚡️ Until I managed to slowly (but surely) re-ignite the spark - like a year and a half ago.
All leading to this strange urge to NOT “not workout for 2 weeks!” 🥊
My brain was going all out on plan Bs.
no running —> more walking
no strength training —> more walking on the treadmill (to maintain the habit to go to the gym)
no push ups —> wait couple days, then just do 10/day
So I wondered. Why?
What could have possibly changed that made me react like this? 🤨
Once I drew the chart, the answer was pretty obvious…
A year and a half ago, I decided that regular workout were no longer an option.
They had to be part of my life - forever! 🎯
A decision I made after months of shoulder & right-wrist pain, caused by lack of muscle in my back and bad posture at work. 🤕
I made it part of my new identity → I am an active person. 🙋🏻♀️
A person who takes care of their physical (and mental) health.
Because of that identity shift - coupled with small consistent actions, I’m now able to prioritize movement in my day-to-day. Without overthinking. Even if it means adapting the intensity for a while. Like walking > running for the next two weeks. 🙌
Today, I’m proud of my one and a half younger self who decided to hire a PT.
A PT who kept her accountable to show up & work out.
To show up & learn how to use those machines.
To show up & do the hard thing, consistently.
Thanks to my younger self, I could now experience the real change.
What felt SO HARD back then, has now become part of who I am. How I show up for myself. 💛
So… YES! Change - IS - hard! Until it isn’t. 🎯
Whatever it is you’ve been struggling with, but wanting to do. You can do it! 🫵
What if you shifted gears ❓
Ask yourself:
What kind of person achieve what I’m after?
What kind of person do I have to be(come) to get there?What’s the smallest action I can take today to start?
Who can help me?
Ultimately, change doesn’t happen over night. Much like my fitness journey, change isn't defined by grand gestures alone, but by the constant cultivation of our new identity. 🪴
By asking ourselves who do we need to be to achieve our ambitions, and by taking those small, consistent "walks" even when the "sprints" feel out of reach, we build an unshakeable foundation for long-term results.
Embodying the identity of the professional we aspire to be.
Watching our tiny steps leading to our dream reality - at our own pace. 🌻
I’d love to help you start small, drive results. Whether it is for you, or your team.
What are you procrastinating on? What are you struggling with?
Until next time, remember: You've got this! 💪
I’ve got you.
Your friendly, Tech Career Energizer ⚡️
PS: I’m not really a fast reader, but I love reading non fiction books. Especially on topics around productivity, career growth, performance, leadership, collaboration .. and a few other things.
These days, I’m reading Atomic habits by James Clear 📘
A New York best seller and international reference when it comes to self-development.
It’s about small, intentional and consistent actions - aka habits, that lead to big results. 🚀
If you're curious about the power of habits, I'm sure you'll love it too. 🪴
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