Change is not what you think it is
Normally, when we talk about change, it comes with a shopping list of New Year’s resolutions. A full reset. A plan. A promise to become a whole new version of ourselves, starting Monday. This wasn’t that.
There was no grand routine. No “new me” moment. It wasn’t even the first day of the year. It was just a random day in October. My cortisol was high. My hormones were out of sync. And my inflammation markers confirmed what I already sensed: something had been off for a while.
So I made one decision: I started eating differently. Mostly a ketogenic choice of food: low sugar, fats and proteins, whole ingredients, nothing ultra processed. And I was really just planning to make one change. Just one adjustment.
But then came the seed oils. I started checking labels, on everything. Even airplane snacks! Pantry staples. Restaurant menus. It wasn’t convenient. It isn’t convenient still. But it changed how I paid attention. I stopped outsourcing decisions about what I put in my body. I started making them.
Then came skincare. One night I scanned a moisturiser out of curiosity using the Yuka app. Then another. Then everything. I wasn’t chasing perfection. I was just asking better questions about what I was absorbing, not just what I was eating.
And that’s how it happened. One small shift made space for the next. Each decision became slightly easier because of the one before it.
I started working out again, regularly, at least when my travel schedule doesn’t completely throw me off (still working on that one). Then I began tracking my sleep. That’s when the magnesium complex entered the picture. Then I started my gratitude practice. After that came my HRV tracking. Then breathwork. Not all at once, just one small change at a time. It’s been a multi-year journey.
Eventually, it stopped feeling like I was trying. I was just being. I wasn’t on a keto diet. I was keto.
Do I still get my beloved carrot cake baked by my husband for my birthday? You bet. Do I still enjoy a gelato once in a while? Of course. But those are rare occurrences, treats, not patterns. And because I am keto, I don’t feel restricted in my food choices - well when I have a kitchen to cook at least 😝 travelling is still a bit tricky. My foundations have shifted. And that makes a few little indulgences feel intentional, not like a cheat day.
Why this works: We become what we do
Your brain learns through repetition. Every time you repeat a behaviour, you strengthen the neural pathway behind it. That’s neuroplasticity. Progress releases dopamine. You don’t need to reach a big goal, your brain rewards small, consistent wins.
We become what we do. Research shows we tend to shape our identity based on our behaviour (not the other way around).
On a physical level, blood sugar, cortisol, and inflammation affect hormones. Reducing sugar, removing refined sugars and carbs supports insulin regulation, lowers systemic stress, and helps rebalance hormonal systems over time.
So no, it didn’t start with a resolution. It started with action. And those actions became evidence. And that evidence changed what I believed I was capable of.
What I have learned about sustainable change
Don’t wait for motivation. Change usually starts when staying the same feels harder. Start small. Stay with it. Wait until it becomes a rhythm, then move on to the next. Let your actions shape your beliefs. Not the other way around.
Reduce friction instead of relying on willpower. Identity is built through repetition. Pay attention to what you’re reinforcing.
If you are ready for something to shift
Ask yourself:
What am I quietly tolerating that’s no longer working?
What one change would feel like a real shift—not just another goal?
What would it look like to stop planning and start acting, even in a small way?
It is about learning to choose. Reclaim power back!
