Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the idea of making changes in your life? Whether it’s managing difficult emotions, building healthier relationships, or caring for your mental health, it’s easy to believe you need a huge breakthrough to make progress.
But real transformation often starts smaller than we imagine—just 1% at a time.
Why 1% Really Matters
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, calls this the power of marginal gains. Improving by just 1% each day may seem insignificant, but over a year, it leads to 37 times growth through compounding (Clear, 2018). This concept isn’t just theory—it helped British cycling coach Dave Brailsford lead Team Sky to Olympic gold by focusing on tiny 1% improvements across every area of performance.
BJ Fogg, a Stanford behavior scientist and creator of the Tiny Habits method, also emphasizes that starting small is key to lasting change. His research shows that habits as small as “two mindful breaths after brushing your teeth” can grow into meaningful life shifts (Fogg, 2020).
The Science Behind Small Steps
Research supports this approach:
Incremental changes build confidence—achieving small wins creates positive feedback loops, increasing motivation and self-efficacy (Lally et al., 2010).
Habits stick better when paired with routines—“habit stacking” makes it easier to maintain changes (Clear, 2018).
Small successes are sustainable—big, dramatic changes often lead to burnout, but small steps feel doable even on tough days (Gardner et al., 2012).
How This Supports Emotional Wellness
At Create PAUSE Counselling, we see this daily in our work with individuals and families. Whether learning DBT skills, building self-compassion, or navigating trauma recovery, clients grow when we focus on consistent, manageable steps—not perfection.
Here’s what this might look like:
Pausing for one mindful breath before replying in a tense moment.
Naming one feeling each evening.
Journaling a single sentence about your day.
These aren’t “life overhauls.” But practiced regularly, they create space for real change.
Your 1% Better Toolkit
Start small: Choose a change so tiny it feels almost too easy—like taking one deep breath in the morning.
Stack habits: Pair it with something you already do (e.g., after pouring coffee, pause for a gratitude thought).
Acknowledge your wins: Say “I did it!”—celebrating success reinforces your progress.
Stay consistent: Progress doesn’t have to be perfect; consistency matters most.
Reflect & adjust: Every week or two, notice your growth and gently choose your next step.
Imagine the Impact
Small steps aren’t just easier—they’re kinder. As Clear writes, “Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement” (2018). A year from now, you could be living with greater emotional steadiness, stronger relationships, and a deepened sense of self—not because of one big leap, but because of hundreds of tiny ones.
Pause & Begin
What will your 1% be today? Perhaps it’s noticing your breath, making a single journal entry, or taking the courageous step to reach out for support.
Through counselling and our [Learning Hub], we can help you build these small changes into a toolkit for navigating life’s ups and downs—one gentle step at a time.
References
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Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Penguin Random House.
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Fogg, B. J. (2020). Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
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Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H., Potts, H. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998-1009. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.674
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Gardner, B., Lally, P., & Wardle, J. (2012). Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and behaviour change. British Journal of General Practice, 62(605), 664-666. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp12X659466
Melissa Van Harn
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