Issue #35: Identifying Your Personal Baselines with Monique Malcolm, Founder of Take Tiny Action
How to become the best version of yourself
Happy Wednesday!!
I am currently recovering from an incredible vacation in Jamaica so I invited my friend, Monique Malcolm, founder of Take Tiny Action to take over this week’s newsletter! I think her message is timely and I'm so glad she's sharing these words of wisdom with us this week.
– Alisha
Hey friend!
Have you ever found yourself caught in unproductive routines and bad habits? Spending whole days binge-watching Netflix, endlessly scrolling through social media, neglecting workouts, and mindlessly consuming? We’ve all been there, and it’s time for a change.
Interestingly, I recently realized that despite indulging in all these things, none contribute to my sense of living my best life or experiencing true happiness. In fact, they contradict what truly brings me joy. This revelation was eye-opening.
Now, I’m making a conscious effort to regularly check in with myself and assess whether I’m living up to my baseline for a fulfilling life. This goes beyond external measures of success like wealth or travel; it’s about those things that help me achieve my daily goal of being the best version of myself, or what I like to call MVP (Minimum Viable Person) status.
Your baseline consists of the things that genuinely bring you joy, provide you with energy and excitement, and give meaning to your life. Essentially, it encompasses what makes you feel like a fully functional human—the personal ingredients that unlock your best self.
Do you know your personal baselines?
For me, it involves engaging in daily exercise (mainly through cycling classes), delving into thick books with captivating stories, serving others, ensuring a minimum of 7 hours of sleep each night, carving out alone time for contemplation, spending quality moments with my family, and embracing laughter whenever possible.
Interestingly, these are the very elements that enable me to tackle challenges and step outside my comfort zone. When I deviate from my baseline, I struggle to support others and fail to become the awesome version of myself I aspire to be.
"But how can I identify my personal baselines?"
The answer lies within you, as you likely already have an intuitive sense of what they are. Here’s a simple activity to help you uncover them:
Make a list of things that make you feel your absolute best. Whether it’s a morning jog that makes your heart sing or ensuring a solid 8 hours of sleep, jot it down. Remember, this list is entirely personal and can be as long or as concise as you need it to be.
Rate each item on a scale of 1 to 10 based on how good it makes you feel. This will help you prioritize their importance.
Consider how frequently you’d like or need to engage in these activities. How can you incorporate more of them into your daily life? Here’s a pro tip: Cutting back on Netflix binges will instantly free up more time!
Boom! These are your personal baselines. You now have a clear understanding of what you need to make space for in your life. Moreover, you’ll be more attuned to misalignment between your needs and current circumstances.
I’m sharing this message as a gentle reminder to check in with yourself regularly. Take the time to know your baselines for happiness and actively work towards creating your best life.
Cheers to a restful week!
– Monique Malcolm, founder of Take Tiny Action
Monique is a coach, author, and host of the Take Tiny Action Podcast. She started Take Tiny Action to provide a platform for women to share their stories of transformation and offer practical advice and insights on personal growth, mindset, and achieving success.
KEEP UP WITH MONIQUE
Take her free Fear Personality Quiz
Order her book, Don’t Let Fear Have All The Fun
Listen to the Take Tiny Action podcast
Follow Monique on Instagram
📱 Missed last week’s newsletter? I shared 4 apps that I use daily to prioritize rest.
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🏝 It’s time to let it go. Here’s how to stop stressing about work while on vacation.
💼 Have a big interview coming up? Here’s how successful women answer some of the most common interview questions.
BEFORE YOU GO…
Take a deep breath.
I feel like this has been my goal all year! Being more mindful of how I spend my time since I now have SOOO much of it!
I'm not doing too bad, but I could do better and realize where my time is going. Loved this guest post; thank you!