Why the Small Things in Life Matter So Much & How to Reprioritize Them

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh

One of George's favorite sayings that has really stuck with me is this: “How you do the small things in life is how you do all things.”

Not only is that a powerful maxim we should all think about in the context of our own lives, his statement also got me thinking about the role “small things” should play in our lives.

For example, have you ever found yourself stuck in a "waiting" mindset? What I mean by that is, rather than focusing on and experiencing gratitude for where you are in the present, you find yourself perpetually longing and waiting big, shiny, new things to come along.

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"I'll be happy when I finally have a relationship."

"When I get that new job, everything will be perfect."

"All I need is a new place to live, and then I'll be locked in."

"One day I'll have the life I've always dreamed of, but until then ..."

Looking ahead and planning for the future is key to possessing a growth mindset, but taken to the extreme, we run into problems. Specifically, we fail to recognize that we're living our lives fully and completely right now, while also overlooking the small things that are happening in our lives.

Now, while George's statement and my example of "missing the small things in life" may seem different on the surface, they share a distinct and important commonality. They're both related symptoms of the same larger root problem that many of us suffer from without even realizing it.

While BIG moments and BIG milestones certainly matter, the beauty of life (and often the true measure of our character) are found most often (and in greater abundance) in the "small things."

⚡ Go Deeper: How to Set Healthy Expectations to Cultivate Confidence, + Self-Trust

When I say small things, I want to be clear on what I’m talking about — small things can be small, seemingly insignificant choices, small events that pale in comparison to the milestones or achievements we seek, small actions or activities we engage in every day without thinking. 

Join George and I this week as we devote a big amount of attention to the small things. Together, we explore the concept of how you do small things is how you do all things, and how focusing on the small things can lead to a more fulfilling life. We also discuss the consequences of overlooking small things and the benefits of cultivating a reverence for them, as well as share practical tips for maintaining focus on the small things and appreciating their value.

Small Things Takeaways + Highlights

• Knowing the difference between milestones vs. destinations helps us appreciate the journey, not just where we're trying to go.
• Incorporating mindfulness into daily life can profoundly change how one perceives and experiences the world. By being fully present and engaged, individuals can appreciate the nuances of their experiences, leading to a deeper appreciation of life's small joys and a reduction in stress and anxiety.
• Cultivating a reverence for the small things teaches the value of simplicity, showing that happiness does not always stem from grand achievements or possessions but often from simple, everyday experiences.
• Think about getting a smile from someone you don't know, feeling the sun warm on your face, someone doing something nice for you, taking a quiet minute to yourself, or that happy feeling you get when your favorite song comes on. These small things happen daily, and even though they might seem tiny, they help shape how we feel and go through life.
• Small things matter so much because they accumulate to define the quality of our daily lives. Each small choice or experience, though seemingly inconsequential on its own, contributes to a larger tapestry that shapes our overall well-being and perception of life.
• The little things we do every day without thinking, like brushing our teeth or saying thank you, turn into habits. These habits shape our lives more than we might realize. When we make good small choices, they add up to good habits, which make our lives better.
• Giving our full attention is like a special present we can offer ourselves and the people around us. It means really diving into whatever we're doing or whoever we're talking to, which makes our work better and our connections with others stronger.
• This conversation is really important because it helps us see that life isn't just about the end results but also about how we get there and the experiences we share along the way.

Questions We Discuss

• Why is this conversation important to our collective beyond your default journey?
• “How you do the small things in life is how you do all things.” Where did that come from, and did you always believe that?
• Whether we’re talking about small choices we make or small experiences that seem inconsequential at the time, why do these small things matter so dang much?
• What are the consequences of overlooking or missing the small things?
• Why do we think folks so often overlook the small things?
• Have we ever lost focus on the present day choices and happenings because we were too focused on the future or didn’t realize the power of a present moment?
• How do we maintain presence and focus in the current moment?
• How can people better focus on the small choices and happenings in their lives?

Creators and Guests

Host

George B. Thomas

A catalyst for growth!

What is Beyond Your Default?

What Is Beyond Your Default? "Everyone keeps telling me I should be happy, but I'm not." “I feel stuck.” “I have a calling, but where do I start?"

Right now, you have a choice. You can continue living within your default norms, playing it safe, clocking in and out every day, and scraping by to achieve what's supposed to make you happy hopefully. Or you can choose to accept the challenge of living beyond your default. Stop wishing to live your "best life” and start living your best life. Success leaves clues. And they're waiting for you to discover them.

George B. Thomas: 00:03

Here's the big one that I think might really connect with some folks. I know I have fallen prey to it, but listen, that keeping up with the Joneses, that ish has to stop. Like, comparison with others and this tendency to compare ourselves with others, especially in the context of social media, what they've just purchased, like, the highlight reel of their life can impact our self esteem and our contentment. This comparison that we all fall prey of can create feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, dissatisfaction. I mean, you just don't even enjoy your own experiences, your own achievements because you're so well the Joneses, you know, mine was okay, I guess, but the Joneses and this can prevent you from appreciating your own unique journey your own gifts your own value that is happening every single day with every experience that you have.

Liz Moorhead: 01:07

Welcome back to beyond your default. I'm your host, Liz Morehead. And as always, I am joined by the one, the only, the man, the myth, the legend, George b Thomas. How are you this morning?

George B. Thomas: 01:17

I'm doing great.

Liz Moorhead: 01:19

You're doing great. Tell me about Yeah.

George B. Thomas: 01:21

I have Tony the Tigger. I'm doing great.

Liz Moorhead: 01:24

Oh, boy. That's either

George B. Thomas: 01:26

I woke up

Liz Moorhead: 01:26

this morning. For it this episode?

George B. Thomas: 01:28

I have my coffee. I'm not in a lot of pain. I can feel the air in and out of my lungs. Yeah. I'm doing great.

Liz Moorhead: 01:38

I'm noticing a theme in your answers, George. I'm noticing a theme. Do you wanna know what theme I'm noticing?

George B. Thomas: 01:44

What theme are you noticing?

Liz Moorhead: 01:46

It reminds me of a phrase. It's the term that we are going to be talking about this week, the small things. Because you just told me a big list of things that make you feel great about this morning, but it's the little things. Right? The air in your lungs, the fact that you're healthy

George B. Thomas: 02:04

and doing well. That on purpose.

Liz Moorhead: 02:07

May have done that on purpose. Well done. I really like it. A plus. Okay.

Liz Moorhead: 02:11

So, George, this week, we are talking about the small things. In fact, I wanna open this with one of your favorite sayings that I've heard you say quite a bit ever since I've known you, which is how you do the small things in life is how you do all things in life. And I started thinking about that language that you used. I think it's something that it's a powerful maxim that I think all of us should think about in the context of our own lives. Right?

Liz Moorhead: 02:37

But it also got me thinking about the role that small things should play in our life overall. For example, I don't know if you've ever had seasons like this in your life, but I know I have succumb to seasons where I feel like I'm waiting. I'm waiting to start living. I'm longing to be somewhere else except the present. Things will be great as soon as x, y, or z are true, or we're waiting for big things to come along.

Liz Moorhead: 03:05

So we completely overlook the small things in our lives. And so when I say small things, I wanna be very clear. I'm talking about quote unquote seemingly insignificant choices. Small events that happen every day that may compel in comparison to big milestones or achievements that we seek out or small activities or actions that we engage in every single day. Similar to the ones that you said.

Liz Moorhead: 03:30

Right? How we do the small things is how we do the big things. And so this is what I wanna talk about today. Because although your statement and my broader idea of missing the small things in life seem different on the surface, they share a commonality. While big milestones and big moments certainly matter, the beauty and often the true measure of our character are often found in greater abundance within the small things.

Liz Moorhead: 03:57

Now I already know you're excited about this particular conversation, but I would love to hear why you think this is important to our collective beyond your default journey. That's where I'd like to start today's conversation.

George B. Thomas: 04:10

I think there's four main reasons that I wanna kind of dive into here. And, again, all of these things that we talk about today might seem small, but when they start to combine or layer on top of each other, they become actually something that's very interesting in our life. So to answer your question, why is this conversation important, Especially in this life beyond our default, I think it comes down to awareness. I think it comes down to full attention. I think it comes down to being present and then also this thing in my brain that the only way I know how to unpack it is milestones versus destinations.

George B. Thomas: 04:46

And so when I think about this and let's just start with awareness. Awareness is kind of this foundation for us us as humans to build this meaningful life on purpose. And listen, I know there's a lot of people out there that might be living life all willy nilly, but a life that is on purpose is the life that you're trying to design or be able to be in. It it is the life that gets you to a life beyond your default. It's about paying attention to what's happening inside of us, our thoughts, our feelings, what we do and why we do it, and seeing kind of how this impacts everything around us.

George B. Thomas: 05:25

And when we get better at being aware, we help create a life where people really get each other, care for one another, and we're making choices that are good for everyone, not just for ourselves. And this way, we can contribute in making a society or making the society around us, dare I say, our planet a better place to live. You've heard me kind of have that grandiose thing of why I do what I do in business of, like, if I can impact one person, I can impact their team. I can impact their company. I can impact their city.

George B. Thomas: 05:59

I can impact their state. Hey. So what do we eventually do? We impact the planet because we're helping these individual humans, but we have to be aware of what's going on. The next thing is this idea of giving full attention.

George B. Thomas: 06:13

What I mean by this is when we're giving our full attention, it's like a special present we can offer ourselves and the people around us. I do simple things like flip my phone over if I'm having a conversation, but it means really diving into whatever we're doing or whoever we're talking to, which makes our work better, our life better, our connections better, stronger, because we're giving them the attention that they deserve. And when we focus fully on what we're doing and who we're with, it builds this feeling of respect and a level of togetherness. And trust me, when you're on this life, journey beyond your default, you want some togetherness to bring along the way. The when you finally listen to the episode about the people that you bring, you want this to be part of it.

George B. Thomas: 07:06

Being present in the moment or kind of living in the moment, it lets us fully enjoy what is happening or happens. By the way, being present in these small things that we're gonna talk about, they are very tied together, and they go hand in hand. But here's the thing. Like, so many of us get caught up with, like, well, what's happening next that we don't understand what's happening now. And that's just not a good place to be.

George B. Thomas: 07:34

So being present motivates everyone to really connect with what's around them or around us, creating a life where everyone looks out for each other and appreciates the simple joys. I'm gonna come back to that, by the way. Simple joys in life. This makes everyone's experience together better and more meaningful. K?

George B. Thomas: 07:54

So we gotta kinda understand how these are layering on top of each other as we're thinking about them. Now the milestones and destinations. Knowing the difference between what is a milestone in your life and a destination helps you, me, us, appreciate the journey, not just where we're trying to go. So many times it's about where we're trying to go. We're trying to get here.

George B. Thomas: 08:14

We're trying if I can just become this thing, if I can just get this thing, if I can just be this thing. And when we all focus on these milestones, we create a life that really values the growing along the way, the journey along the way, the moving forward and understanding that every little step, every little step I feel like I could sing a song there. It makes a direction in our bigger journey. And this way of thinking keeps us motivated and helps us build a strong flexible life that values every part of experience, not just the freaking finish line. And, Liz, I have to pause here.

George B. Thomas: 08:51

Because as I was doing the research for this and getting prepped for this conversation beyond your default, historically and moving forward, that people are not visualizing the destination at the top of a mountain. Because at the top of a mountain, there's nowhere to go. And by the way, I have thought of it this way. But as we are going kind of me going through this process of getting ready for this episode, I was like, I wanna put a stake in the ground in this episode to be like, I wanna change that. When I say live a life beyond your default, I want us all to start to visualize a wide open field that holds endless possibilities.

George B. Thomas: 09:39

So, Liz, why does this conversation matter this morning? This conversation is really important because it helps us see that life isn't just about the end results, but also about how we get there and the experiences that we freaking share with others along the way. It's about building a life of being mindful and connecting with others and always getting better. Like, these are these are keys to setting ourselves up for a lasting growth, positive growth. By paying attention to our awareness, giving our full foundation for a life that appreciates every moment, even the small ones, leading to more caring, connecting, and a more satisfying life.

George B. Thomas: 10:24

Dare I say, a How you do the small things in life

Liz Moorhead: 10:31

is how you do all things. How you do the small things in life is how you do all things. Where did that come from? And did you always believe that?

George B. Thomas: 10:42

The first time that I heard it and it stuck was I heard it from a buddy of mine, Mick Hunt, and he was actually ending a video that I was editing. And he said at the end of his video, remember, how you do small things is how you do all things. And I immediately was like, yes. Like, oh my god. That's so dope.

George B. Thomas: 11:05

This is amazing. But why did I connect to it immediately? Like, I'm asking myself that now. In the moment, I was just like, that's the dopest thing ever. I'm gonna steal it.

George B. Thomas: 11:16

I'm gonna start to talk about how you do small things. It's how you do all things, but it just really resonated with me. And you see this statement, how you do small things is how you do all things. It completely fits into my one brick at a time framework. It completely falls into the 1% better each and every day statement that I make all the time.

George B. Thomas: 11:36

And now that I've done some research, was Mick the first person to say that statement? No. But maybe in the way that he did, the way that it impacted me, but I tracked it back to something that Sharon Pearson actually said. Sharon is a life coach, and she's a 6 time best selling author. Books like ultimate you, disruptive leadership, and she's the cofounder and CEO of Global Coaching and Business School, the Coaching Institute.

George B. Thomas: 12:02

By the way, the book Ultimate You looks real interesting to me. I mean, that's kind of what we're trying to create here. That's why we're writing the book. That's why we're doing this podcast. We wanna be the catalyst for humans to be the ultimate them, to live a life beyond your or beyond their default.

George B. Thomas: 12:18

FYI, punchline, I purchased the buck list. I I just like, yep. Let me go ahead and add that to my Audible. I'm gonna be listening to that. But also, Liz, I kept actually traveling down the time vortex around what seemed to be a deeper life principle.

George B. Thomas: 12:35

How you do small things is how you do all things. And the funny thing is, it is a life principle. It does go deeper. In Luke 1610, it says, one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. Matthew 2521 says, his master said to him, well done, good and faithful servant.

George B. Thomas: 13:02

You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. So here's the deal. It seems that how we treat the small things in life is a gateway to a larger existence.

George B. Thomas: 13:17

And I had heard those things before. I had sat in a church and been preached to. I had stood in a pulpit and said these things. But it wasn't until Mick simplified it and said how you do small things is how you did all things is that it just unlocked. It was the unlock button.

Liz Moorhead: 13:37

I've already shared at the start of this episode how I define the small things, but I'd love to hear from you. How do you define the small things, George?

George B. Thomas: 13:46

I got to this point, and I was trying to be real careful because I didn't want people to think like, man, did he take drugs before this recording of this episode? Like but it can be so many different things. Like, for instance, where my brain immediately went was like, it's the breeze blowing on my face. It's the feeling of my feet in the sand. It's the warmth of the sun, a kind word to a stranger.

George B. Thomas: 14:12

It's letting somebody go before me. It's opening a door. It's being polite. It's it's heck, it could be drinking a glass of water if I'm, like, extremely thirsty and the water is very refreshing. I mean, it's funny, Liz.

George B. Thomas: 14:25

When you ask me the question, my brain is transported to something that feels so off subject, but I'm honestly not sure if it is. Because I've said that being human shouldn't be a business differentiator, but being human is a business differentiator. And I think it's the small things. It's the being human of it all. It unlocks us being human.

George B. Thomas: 14:47

It's those small things. So the small things in life are like these little moments or details that might not seem like a big deal, but actually make us happy and feel good inside. And we all know if we're happy and good inside and we have a great relationship with ourselves, what does that do on the external side of it? Think about getting a smile from someone you don't know, feeling the sun you know, the warm sun on your face. Someone just doing something nice for you with zero expectations and trying to get something out of it.

George B. Thomas: 15:18

Taking a quiet moment or minute to yourself, the base of that tree again, or, like, the happy feeling you get when when your favorite song comes on. We've all been there. We're driving down the road. Favorite song comes on, and we're like, it's a small thing, but it has big impact. These small things happen daily.

George B. Thomas: 15:36

And even though they might seem tiny, they help shape how we feel and go through life. They add special little touches to our days, making life richer and showing us how all these little moments connect us to each other, connect us to the universe, connect us even to ourselves. And, Liz, you know when I set out to do this podcast, I wanted to bridge this gap of, like, spiritual, but not hitting people in the face with, like, 2 by fours. But I gotta be honest with you on this one. I was immediately transported to the pulpit.

George B. Thomas: 16:11

When I think about small things, I think about the role of love. I think about joy. I think about peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness. I think about self control and and how those fruits of the spirit, they play a part in these small moments of our life. And this for me, it's about things like a kind word.

George B. Thomas: 16:31

It's like things like a a listening ear, a a soft touch, if you will, when you need a hand up to someone in need or or like I have said historically, leaving them better than you found them. That's where I go. That's again, it's it can be so many things, and it probably is different for each human that's listening to this.

Liz Moorhead: 16:52

Well, whether we're talking about small choices or small experiences or any of the examples that you just gave of small things, I think it's so easy for us to think that, oh, this is inconsequential. This won't matter in the long run. But why do these small things matter so dang much? And what are the consequences are of overlooking them?

George B. Thomas: 17:14

It's funny. They do matter. And I think because, again, where my brain goes is they're the mental building blocks to what is good and right to or for your life. But I have to take pause and say or not because there's two sides of the coin. Two sides of the same coin.

George B. Thomas: 17:35

And it's funny because I've many times in my life, especially the last probably 15, 20 years, have been told this statement. Dude, you always come from a positive intent. You say what you say in business around the fact that humans are gonna be good humans, but not everybody is a good human. And so I have to take pause and realize that today, I'm talking about all the positive ways small things can impact your life, but there's a flip side to this. But for today, let's go ahead and continue down.

George B. Thomas: 18:09

Small things matter so much because and I don't by the way, I feel like I was talking to somebody right there. Anyway, okay. Let's just move on. Small things matter so much because they accumulate to define the quality of your daily life. Each small choice or experience, though seemingly at the time inconsequential, on its own contributes to a larger narrative that shapes the overall well-being and perception of your life.

George B. Thomas: 18:38

Was it a big deal that we watched the world's largest webinar by a company named HubSpot in 2012? No. It could have been easily, like, I'm busy. In the big scheme of things, was it a massive moment in time? Without a doubt.

George B. Thomas: 18:54

By the way, if you're listening to this and you have no clue what I'm talking about, probably a different podcast that we could probably tell the entire story around just fluke things happening and how they could actually be the fluke that changes your life forever. But here's the thing. Why are these small things so dang impactful, which by the way, I I applaud you for using the word dang, in a question on this podcast. It's absolutely amazing. So I think there's 3 things that I wanna talk about here.

George B. Thomas: 19:24

1, there's this term that if I can find a way to use it more in my life, I'm going to, and that's the cumulative effect. I just think it sounds cool. The cumulative effect might even be a book title in the future. I'm really not sure, but you gotta think of it like saving coins in a piggy bank, which by the way, I have one back on my decks there. It's like the, what's the, minions?

George B. Thomas: 19:48

The minions movie. I have a piggy bank that I save coins in. But you think of it as saving coins in the piggy bank. Each small thing you do is like adding a coin over time. All those little bits add up to something big.

George B. Thomas: 20:01

So even the tiny things you do every single day can lead to big changes in your life. And dare I say, it's probably the small things because you keep doing because they're small actually do add up and make the biggest change in your life versus I'm gonna do a New Year's resolution that lasts, like, 11 and a half days or hours. Anyway, moving on. Shaping habits, I think, is where I'm going with this because it's small things and you can shape habits. The little things we do every day, like brushing our teeth or or saying thank you, they turn into habits.

George B. Thomas: 20:34

These habits shape our lives more than we might realize. When we make good small choices, they add up to good habits, which then those habits get us to where we're going. And if they're good again, they get us to a better life. And then I think there's one that's really important, and I've mentioned it a little bit on podcast episodes, but it's this idea of being resilient. Right?

George B. Thomas: 20:59

And so these small things, they're resilience builders. And and when we notice and appreciate the small good things like a sunny day or a friend smile, it helps us feel stronger, more hopeful, especially when times are tough. It's like having a little treasure chest of happy moments that we can remember and feel good about. So so for me, the small things build this vault we can dig into during our lives. Because, again, during the journey, you're gonna have to pull out some things to keep you going.

George B. Thomas: 21:31

You're gonna have to be able to fuel until these small things deposit. Heck, sometimes I even look at it like I'm creating an investment plan for those around me. Because you see, here's the thing that I want people to understand about the small things is they go both ways. There are things that we can leverage, but there are things that others will leverage because we deposited them in their life as well.

Liz Moorhead: 21:54

I have a question for you, and it's something that I am definitely guilty of, but I wanna get your take on it. Why do you think so many folks overlook these small things?

George B. Thomas: 22:03

Your question of why people often overlook the small things, I think there's there's consequences to that. I think there's consequences to overlooking the small things. Listen. If you're overlooking them, you are missing so much in life. Have you ever seen the picture?

George B. Thomas: 22:21

Or maybe it's art, or I think I've even seen it seen it in statue form of, hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. The funny thing is that so many people are living their life this way, but it has nothing to do with evil. Hang in there with me. And if this hits hard, I'll apologize. But if it hits hard, I guess maybe it's supposed to.

George B. Thomas: 22:44

Some people are simply living their life with they have their eyes covered. They have their ears covered, and they keep their mouth shut. And I have to ask you, what kind of life is that? If you're seeing or not seeing, if you're hearing or not hearing, if you're speaking or not speaking, in other words, if you're seeing, hearing, speaking nothing, then what are you doing? And if you're not doing daily small things, you can't reach or achieve the all things of life.

George B. Thomas: 23:17

So, like, why would you just let it pass you by? Why would you let them pass you by? So so I'll dig into why why do I think folks often overlook the small things. Hopefully, they'll stop it when you understand understand the consequences of what it's actually impacting for you and those around you. But everyone is getting swept away by life.

George B. Thomas: 23:37

Listen, this is these are my feelings. Everyone is getting swept away by life. They're so inundated with the narrative they should live versus paying attention to what they are living or more importantly, what they could be living. So many of us are so dang busy thinking about what we're supposed to think instead of what we really think. And then taking action on those things that we think our opinions, our beliefs, our life compasses that we have.

George B. Thomas: 24:08

And so, again, I would watch out for things like a fast paced lifestyle, The relentless pace of modern life, this digital era that we're in can be one of the most significant bear barriers to appreciating the moment, small moments of life and recognizing the value in the smallest aspects of our daily existence. This constant busyness that we many of us has have subscribed to, it had stress and burnout, and and it detracts from the ability to engage deeply with our environment and the relationships and ourself. And, honestly, it leads you've heard of diminished returns, but it leads to diminished capacity for joy and fulfillment, which by the way, if you ask somebody what do they want, they're like, I wanna be happy, yet they're running their face off on this, like, hamster wheel of life. I think part of the goes into this is this idea of digital distraction. It was funny because we went out somewhere over the weekend to some friend's house, and then we were going out to Uptown Charlotte.

George B. Thomas: 25:17

And my wife left her phone at the house, not on purpose, by the way. But there was a moment where, well, should I just go home? Or and one of our friends even said, well, can you go without your phone for the evening? And it was like a conversation. Now my wife was like, I don't need my phone, and she went on with her evening, which I applaud her, by the way, because I have many friends that would have been like, I'll be right back.

George B. Thomas: 25:42

I'm gonna go get my phone because I feel naked right now. But she was like, no. We'll just go on with the day, and she got her phone when we got back home. But in this life that we live where digital devices are, like, ubiquitous to who we freaking are, this constant barrage of notifications and endless online content, like, it's a distraction, and it makes it almost, like, impossible to focus on the present and appreciate the subtleness of what's happening in your life. This digital overload can lead to a disconnection from the physical world.

George B. Thomas: 26:20

Like, it can destroy relationships. It definitely can reduce productivity. Like, listen. My phone is on mute on a completely different desk. It doesn't even live on the desk that I work at because I understand how much it could impact the productivity of my daily life, and it can definitely hinder the ability to find satisfaction in life's simpler pleasures.

George B. Thomas: 26:43

Here's the big one that I think might really connect with some folks. I know I have fallen prey to it, but listen. That keeping up with the Joneses, that ish has to stop. Like, comparison with others and this tendency can impact our self esteem and our contentment. This comparison that we all fall prey of can create feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, dissatisfaction.

George B. Thomas: 27:19

I mean, you just don't even enjoy your own experiences, your own achievements because you're so well, the Joneses, you know, mine was okay, I guess, but the Joneses. And this can prevent you from appreciating your own unique journey, your own gifts, your own value that is happening every single day with every experience that you have.

Liz Moorhead: 27:45

I wanna throw one more in there because as I was listening, I was relating to a lot of the things that you were saying. Right? The busyness component, the keeping up with the Joneses. Let's talk about how attached I am to my phone. You know what I mean?

Liz Moorhead: 28:00

But there is one other category that I found myself particularly struggling with, I would say, over the past 18 months. And that's when something genuinely bad and big happens in your life, whether that is a death, a divorce, you know, some of the big things where it's like where it may reminds me of our toxic positivity episode. Sometimes you just have to sit in the muck, and it's okay to have feelings about what it is that you're having feelings about. But I remember last year as I was crying in my short term Airbnb rental and thinking about all of the ways in which my life was suddenly not what I thought it was going to be, I really struggled. Because what happens is that when you only seek out evidence of failure in your life, that's all you're ever going to find.

Liz Moorhead: 28:50

And so I really had to challenge myself at many points throughout that journey to say, okay, Liz. I know this isn't what you wanted it to be, but just what are three things you are grateful for right now in this moment? Because if you're not careful, you are going to be sitting here, mourning a life that is lost and wishing for a life you have not built yet, and not realizing that, hey, girl, you're 41. You are 41 years old. You are living your life right now.

Liz Moorhead: 29:22

This is your life. So that's the only other category I would throw in there. But I would be curious to hear from you, George. How have you specifically struggled with it in your life? Where have you struggled to stay focused on the reverence of those small things the way you think we should?

George B. Thomas: 29:39

Yeah. It's funny because I wanna give you an OMG moment. Like, I've struggled with them in the past. I will struggle with them in the future. I, shit.

George B. Thomas: 29:51

I'm only human. I struggle with them on a daily basis, like, right now. But I will say that I find comfort in the fact that I at least keep this mindset, this this trigger that I can lean into at the top of the pile. Right? There's a complete pile of things in my brain, but I try to keep this.

George B. Thomas: 30:12

How you do small things is how you do all things towards the top of the pile so I can kinda shift it around, pick it up, and run with it. I I make sure to try to resurface it as much as I can, but I think this is something that everybody will struggle with. I mean, if you just think about the things that we've talked about so far, our culture, the ecosystems, the bubbles that we live in, they are not built to focus on small things. This is a narrative that isn't talked about a lot in personal or I would, dare I say, professional. So that's where my brain goes.

George B. Thomas: 30:51

Yes. I struggle with it. I think I'll continue to struggle with it. I've definitely struggled with it in the past, but at least knowing that I'm trying to keep it top of mind and keep it a focal point, that gives me peace at night.

Liz Moorhead: 31:01

How do you maintain focus and presence in the current moment?

George B. Thomas: 31:05

It's funny. I I make these, like, sound effects when I'm not really sure what I wanna say. I don't know if Seth cuts them out or leaves them in. I think it depends, but I try to remind myself. Right?

George B. Thomas: 31:19

I've tried to make it a a default state that I live in. I've tried to make it a knee jerk response when I catch myself being negative, but I also think that I don't just because this is about small things, I don't want us to envision that this is a small thing because I think that it can actually get complicated. Meaning, when I think about the small things and how I might get better at it or how I at least try to dissect it is I think that there's these and you can Google the term that's about to come out of my mouth, but there's this thing that is the 7 dimensions of wellness. And we've kind of alluded to these in historical podcast episodes where we're, like, physical, emotional, social. But, like, if you break down the 7 dimensions of wellness, it's physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental, and occupational.

George B. Thomas: 32:17

And so when you ask me, like, how do you maintain presence and focus in the current moments? There's a little bit of a framework that one might actually be able to apply to each one of these 7 dimensions of our wellness and look for what is potentially the core 3 to 4 small things that might happen in each one of those. Because it's it's funny. My brain on this one went to, you never see a red car till you buy a red car. Then all of a sudden, you see a bunch of red cars.

George B. Thomas: 32:49

If you knew that physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental, and occupational things were the 7 dimensions of your wellness, and you knew that you purchased 3 to 4 things inside each of those buckets. And because you purchased those things, air quotes, would you see those things more, therefore, keeping them more top of mind. And so, Liz, what have I done this historically? Kind of. Do I definitely wanna build out some type of how does an individual human document in some type of journaling situation 1, 3, 5, whatever the numbers for them, things that they are purchasing or looking for on a daily basis inside of one of those seven areas?

George B. Thomas: 33:37

Yes. I think that would be a great tool for me. I think that would be a great tool for others. Because the true answer, while I try to remind myself, while I've tried to make it a default state, while I've also tried to make it a knee jerk response, when I catch myself in negative moments, your question was how do you maintain presence and focus in the current moment? Many times, I don't.

George B. Thomas: 33:59

Like, many times, I'm like every other human, and I suck at it.

Liz Moorhead: 34:02

How can people better focus on the small choices and happenings in their lives?

George B. Thomas: 34:06

Yeah. I love this question. I wanna hit on 4 things here. Again, I want everybody to think about layers. I started at the beginning, I said it's kinda like layers, which is it goes to my brick, you know, analogy and one brick at a time and you build a wall.

George B. Thomas: 34:22

The first thing is practicing mindfulness. Like incorporating mindfulness into your daily life can change how you perceive and experience the world By being fully present and engaging in the current moment, you can appreciate the nuances of your experiences leading you to a deeper appreciation of life's small joys. Have I said small joys already on this podcast episode? I do believe I have. And a reduction in stress and anxiety.

George B. Thomas: 34:53

I think a way that we can do this also, and I kind of alluded to this in my last, answer is keeping a a some sort of gratitude journal or some type of journal. Acknowledging and appreciating the small things in life can shift focus on what's lacking to what's abundant. And it's so easy for us as humans to come from a place of lack. But if we're documenting it, we can go back and see the abundance. This practice will foster positive emotions, improve mental health, and enhance overall life satisfaction of where we are at, where we're going, who we are, and who we can become.

George B. Thomas: 35:31

I think part of this too, and for some of us, this is difficult. I mean, this is coming from a guy who literally had to be said, when are you gonna show up as a whole ass human? Because I was trying to hide the first half of my life. But I think engaging in reflective practices, you know, reflecting on one's experiences and the small moments that bring joy or meaning can enhance our own self awareness. It can promote again mindful approach to life, which we already talked about mindfulness.

George B. Thomas: 36:01

And this practice can help you, me, identify what truly matters to us, leading us to a more and this is such an important word in this part, leading us to a more intentional life. An intention can equal fulfilling life. And I don't wanna be that guy, but I'm gonna be that guy. I'm gonna mention it for a second time. Get off your damn phone.

George B. Thomas: 36:27

Get away from your computer. Like, find ways to limit digital distraction, like and this is hard for me because, like, I'm preaching to myself on this one a little bit because I work in front of the computer all day. I have a mobile phone that goes with me pretty much everywhere I go, but I'm looking for ways to be able to do this so reducing screen time and being mindful of digital consumption can free up time and mental space to engage more deeply with the real world. And, again, this is gonna foster stronger connections with others. You're gonna be more connected to the environment or ecosystem or society or bubble that you're living in.

George B. Thomas: 37:09

It's gonna allow you more opportunities to notice and appreciate the small things in life. And when you appreciate the small things, those small things turn into the all things. Dare I say, the bigger things that you are then in entrusted with in your life. So, again, limit the digital distraction, reflect on what's happening in life, keep some type of journal, whether it be a gratitude journal, and then definitely practice some level of mindfulness in your day.

Liz Moorhead: 37:40

Okay. Finally, I need to know from you, what do you see as the benefits of cultivating a reference for these small things in life?

George B. Thomas: 37:49

There's been repeat things. You know, one of the things that I've learned in life is when you start seeing the same thing over and over again, when you start hearing the same thing over and over again, it might be because something or somebody is trying to get your attention on the thing that you keep seeing or the thing that you keep hearing. And so while during this podcast, I feel like sometimes people might say, George, you already said that. Probably already said that to you, but it doesn't mean I already said that to somebody else. And what I mean by that is y'all are taking different things away based on who you are from what I say.

George B. Thomas: 38:29

So So so to get to to get to your answer, the benefits. Listen, enhanced well-being, like, should be a focus of your daily life, by the way. Prioritizing well-being is crucial for anyone who is looking to transcend their default state and achieve personal excellence. By appreciating the small things, individuals, you, the listeners, me, Liz, can cultivate a positive mindset and emotional resilience, which are essential for facing challenges and pursuing growth, which is what we're all here for. If you're listening to this podcast, it's literally like the baseline.

George B. Thomas: 39:08

Enhanced well-being provides the energy and mental clarity needed to set and achieve meaningful goals, adapt to change along the way, and navigate the complexities personal development that we're all on. I also think a benefit is greater presence because developing a strong sense of presence is vital for those on a journey to self improvement. Being fully engaged in the present moment allows individuals to harness their full potential, make conscious choices, and respond effectively to the freaking demands of life that no matter how hard we try are gonna keep on coming. Greater presence fosters a deeper connection with ourselves and with others, enabling a more authentic and fulfilling life. And if you need to double down on that, go listen to a podcast episode that we did on the whole freaking topic.

George B. Thomas: 39:56

It also enhances focus on productivity, which are key for achieving personal and professional goals. We gotta be productive. You can't be walking the treadmill to nowhere. You gotta step off of it and get somewhere. I'm just saying.

George B. Thomas: 40:09

The third thing that I'll mention here as we kinda wrap up this bad boy is personal growth. Emphasizing personal growth is essential for us as we seek to surpass our default way of living. When we seek to get past this thing that might have us stuck. Appreciating the small things in life encourages reflection, transformation journey. By valuing the journey as much as the destination, we can embrace these learning opportunities, not failures.

George B. Thomas: 40:49

There's a podcast episode for that as well, but we can embrace these learning opportunities, adapt to change, and cultivate resilience, which again is a huge piece of who we are as we move forward. Personal growth involves continuously expanding your horizon, challenging your limited beliefs, and developing new skills and perspectives. By the way, every time I say the words limiting beliefs, I have to mention that the book by Gay Hendrickson, The Big Leap. If you have not read the book, The Big Leap by Gay Hendrickson, you have to and it might be Hendrix, not Hendrickson. Anyway, we'll put it in the show notes.

George B. Thomas: 41:28

But challenging your limiting beliefs and developing new skills and perspectives, all of which are fueled by the deep appreciation for the nuances, the small things of your life's journey. Now you've heard me say this a couple times in this episode. Joy in simplicity. I just want everybody who's listening to this. If you're driving, wait till you're not driving.

George B. Thomas: 41:50

But if you if you can right now, I want you to find a piece of paper, hopefully not your phone. But if it's your phone and your notes, that's fine. Kinda goes against a couple of things that we said in this episode. But somehow, someway, find a way to just write joy and simplicity down on a piece of paper. Put it where you're gonna see it.

George B. Thomas: 42:08

Maybe it's a couple places. Maybe it's your cubicle at work. Maybe it's your door when you walk in your office. Maybe it's when you sit down in the bathroom. I'm I'm not judging, but write down joy in simplicity.

George B. Thomas: 42:20

Because you see cultivating a reverence, and I'm using that word on purpose, a reverence for the small things teaches the value of simplicity, showing that happiness doesn't always have to stem from grand achievements or massive possessions or keeping up with the Joneses, but often from simple everyday experiences. Simple steps that we take each and every day as we travel this path less traveled by others on a journey to that wide open field that I want you to visualize to a life beyond your default.