Chances are, you haven’t played the card game Uno in a while… unless, of course, you have a young(ish) kid.
I do. And so I have… played A LOT of Uno lately.
As in daily. Literally, almost every morning. Often before sunrise.
That’s when our seven-year-old barrels down the stairs (gosh, how I long to start my days that way!) and invites, nay, IMPLORES me to play Uno.
And I do.
And I have been loving it.
As I reflected on one of our more spirited rounds lately, I thought to myself, “Gosh, this game is simple.
I’m not even sure if there is a real strategy or challenge here.”
And yet, it has become this valued and pleasurable part of my day.
But why?
I think because it strikes at the heart of two things we all need — especially during times of intense change and uncertainty:
Simplicity and consistency.
Small habits and rituals practiced regularly are known to improve mental health and overall wellness. (I learned recently the technical term for these acts is “keystone behaviors.”)
In my own life and in working with clients, I am a huge proponent of small things (See what I did there…?)
Small adjustments. Small experiments. Small new thoughts. Small new habits.
As one of my favorite thinkers/doers/writers, Seth Godin, said in a book title: “Small is the New Big.”
Turns out that book was published in 2006… So I guess the “newness” of this notion right now is debatable.
Regardless, it has been a helpful mindset for me and my clients.
So, what is something small that you can go big on? And do regularly?
One of mine is daily Uno duels with my seven year old.
It has brought me some pretty big joy lately.
Now, it’s your turn.
Think small. It could have a big payoff.
