Welcome to The Subtle Shift, a weekly newsletter where I share small but powerful ideas to help you lead with clarity, inspire change, and create a lasting impact. If someone forwarded this to you and you find it valuable, you can join the community here.
This Week’s Shift: Pay Attention to the Little Things
The holidays are here, bringing all the usual joys and chaos—family gatherings, last-minute gifts, multi-course meals, and maybe even a little family drama. But here’s the thing: it’s not the big, dramatic moments we’ll remember most. It’s the little ones. The quiet laughs, the side conversations, the way your favorite dish tastes just like you hoped it would. These small moments are everywhere, but they’re easy to miss if we’re too busy looking for something bigger.
Big Little Moments
My friend Jason Thompson has a beautiful phrase for this: Big Little Moments, and I love his illustrations like the one below:
Follow Jason Thompson on LinkedIn or Instagram.
Jason reminds us that life is made up of these moments that seem ordinary on the surface but linger in our hearts long after. The quiet conversations over coffee. The way a child lights up when they open the gift you picked just for them. The shared glance with a loved one across a crowded room.
I love this idea because it is so simple and true. Life is built on these Big Little Moments, but in the modern world, we’ve become addicted to Bold Dramatic Moments instead. We chase grand gestures and viral wins, often at the expense of the smaller, more meaningful moments happening right before us.
Shift Your Focus: The Power of Little Things
This week’s subtle shift is simple but profound: shift your attention from the big things to the little ones. Pay attention to:
- The way your grandmother’s cookies smelled fresh out of the oven.
- The joy a child expresses as she speaks about Santa Claus.
- The sound of your family laughing uncontrollably.
- A quiet, heartfelt “thank you” from a friend who appreciated your thoughtful gift.
Little things are like compound interest—they may not seem significant at the moment, but they accumulate over time to shape the outcomes of our lives. They build relationships, create trust, and define our legacy.
As you spend time with family and friends over the holidays, these moments will be everywhere. Your job is to look for them—and to be present enough to notice when they happen.
The Difference Between Big and Bold
Big Little Moments aren’t about playing small. They’re about recognizing that the “biggest” things in life often aren’t bold—they’re quiet. They don’t shout for attention. They’re the moments in the margins when no one else is looking.
And yet, these little moments have more impact than we give them credit for. They’re the glue that holds our relationships together. The foundation of the trust we build at work. The spark of joy that makes the hard days worth it.
Five Practices for Noticing the Little Things
You don’t need to overhaul your life to embrace Big Little Moments. Instead, try these subtle shifts to help you pay attention:
- Pause and Observe – Before the next holiday meal or family gathering, take a quiet moment to ground yourself. Look around. Notice the sounds, smells, and expressions.
- Celebrate the Small Wins – At work or at home, recognize the little victories—a kind word, a thoughtful gesture, or a task done well. Gratitude amplifies what we notice.
- Be Curious – Ask questions. Learn something new about the people you love. The smallest conversations can create the deepest connections.
- Savor Ordinary Joys – The twinkle of holiday lights. The taste of a favorite dish. The warmth of a well-timed hug. Small joys are everywhere if you look for them.
- Reflect and Remember – At the end of the day, write down one or two little moments that stood out. Over time, you’ll see how these small memories shape the bigger story of your life.
The Legacy of Little Moments
This week, let’s choose to focus on the little things. They might not grab headlines or go viral, but they’re what we carry with us into the new year. Over time, these moments create the life we live, the outcomes we achieve, and the legacy we leave behind.
As you gather with loved ones and close out 2024, remember that your life is a series of Big Little Moments. Please pay attention to them and be present to them.
Because when we look back, these are the moments that matter most.
Wishing you a season full of joy, connection, and the beauty of the little things.
Happy Holidays!
