One Tiny Habit that Changed the Tone of My Week
- Carrie Woodcock
- Jan 6
- 5 min read
Covered Topics:
One Tiny Habit
One tiny habit that helped me this week was getting out of bed instead of hitting snooze three times—and giving myself enough time to truly prepare for my day.
That meant getting up early enough to shower, shave my legs, do something with my hair instead of throwing it into a ponytail and rushing out the door, and putting on a little makeup. It meant taking time to look back at the goals I had set the day before—what I did accomplish, what I didn’t, and why. It also meant a few quiet minutes to journal and reflect before the day officially began.
Favorite Recipe to Begin My Day
Because I gave myself that extra time, I was also able to make a protein shake to take with me to work and take my vitamins before the day started.
That small shift—getting up just a little earlier—helped me feel more grounded, more prepared, and more intentional as I moved into the day. Starting my morning with protein, veggies, and fruit sets the tone for better nutrition choices the rest of the day. When I take care of myself first thing in the morning, I’m far more likely to stay on track.
I'm eager to share this recipe with you today because it's not only a favorite of mine, but I also believe it's one of my secret tricks for getting back on track when my habits are off course.
Recognizing Progress
I’m feeling good about getting back to basics, decluttering my life (in many ways), and finding my rhythm again—but I’d be lying if I said it’s been easy to stay motivated. So this week, I also took time to reflect on how far I’ve come.
I pulled out my habit tracker from last January. This time last year, I was using a walker to get around and could barely shower on my own. I wasn’t sleeping through the night until the end of January. After my total knee replacement, I was in rough shape—hurting and completely exhausted. Recovery took far longer than I ever expected, and even now my body is still healing.
But here I am, a year later, slowly finding my way back to myself.
Now I’m able to work out again. I can stand as long as I want without pain. And I reminded myself of a promise I made during that hard season: I would never take my mobility for granted. So every time I don’t feel like getting on my elliptical, I remember that promise. I remember where I was—and how far I’ve come.
Monday Meditation
I’ve mentioned it before, but I teach a Monday Morning Meditation Workshop each week. One of my favorite parts of that class is the preparation. I create daily reflections for participants to use throughout the week, all centered around the theme of our meditation. Sitting down on Monday mornings to reflect, write, and prepare truly sets the tone for my entire week.
This week’s discussion was especially powerful, and I want to share the themes with you.
Our daily reflections focused on:
The idea that we have the power to create our own lives
Recognizing that we are not victims—our lives didn’t simply happen to us
Understanding that while we can’t control every circumstance, we always have control over our response
Noticing how easily we place blame outside ourselves when we’re unhappy
Reclaiming our power by choosing how we want to live
Recognizing abundance and challenging self-limiting beliefs
Intentionally focusing on beauty, goodness, and what’s going right—because what we focus on expands
Remembering that emptiness is filled from within, not by quick fixes outside of ourselves
Listening to, trusting, and honoring our intuition—our inner guiding voice
During our discussion, we shared examples of situations that felt out of our control and explored where we did have choice. Shifting our focus to our responses helped us regain a sense of agency and steadiness.
We also talked about the tools we each turn to when we feel overwhelmed—exercise, meditation, getting outside, connecting with our support networks, photography, and other creative outlets. These are the things we already know help us feel better, and yet sometimes forget to reach for when we need them most.
Lastly, we discussed listening to that inner voice—the one that tells us when something is off, even if we can’t yet name it. Sometimes acknowledging that feeling is enough. We don’t need immediate answers. With time, reflection, journaling, conversation, and trust, clarity comes.
We ended the workshop with a guided meditation. If any of this resonates with you, you’re welcome to listen to the meditation I prepared.
Appreciating Beauty, Goodness, and Abundance
When the workshop ended, I felt calmer, more grounded, and more hopeful about the week ahead. I walked away determined to spend more time reflecting, to move through my days with intention, and to consciously notice the beauty around me. I reminded myself that while I may not have everything I want, I have so much to be grateful for right now.
Guided Journaling: Reclaiming Your Power
Waking up earlier positively impacts my day by giving me time to journal and reflect, which clarifies my thoughts and fosters a positive mindset. Guided journaling offers a supportive way to slow down and reconnect with myself, reducing mental overwhelm and enhancing self-awareness. It encourages purposeful reflection, helping identify what I can control and challenge limiting beliefs. Over time, this practice nurtures self-trust and emotional balance, reminding me that meaningful change starts with small, intentional moments of reflection.
If you've been eager to start journaling but often find yourself staring at a blank page unsure of what to write, here are some guided journaling prompts centered on reclaiming your power, as mentioned in our Monday Morning Meditation, to help you begin.
Whether you try the guided meditation, whip up my morning shake, dive into the journaling prompts, or just have something beautiful or positive that you feel like sharing this week, I’d love to hear from you! Send me a message—I can’t wait to hear about your experience.
Wishing you a week filled with beauty, positive thoughts, and moments of clarity.If you can find even a small way to notice the good this week, I promise—the rest will follow.
With warmth and intention,
Carrie
Carrie Woodcock
Founder, Total Transformation
NBC-HWC Health Coach
ACE Personal Trainer, & Behavior Change Specialist
PN Level 1 Nutrition Coach
Mental Well-Being Certified Fitness Professional
Not an expert with everything figured out—just a woman who gets lost, gets frustrated, doubts herself, and still believes deeply in growth, hope, and people.
I’m walking this path the same way you are: one honest step at a time.