Kore Kast
Kore Kast is a Podcast dedicated to integrating health and wellness with an emphasis on Pilates and Functional Fitness. This weekly Podcast is hosted by Kris Harris, a Certified Pilates Instructor and Personal Trainer. Please subscribe and follow our journey...
Kore Kast
Progress Over Perfection: Small Steps That Stick For Mind & Body
We lay out a practical, science-backed path for change that sticks using microhabits for mind, body, nutrition, and sleep. Small actions, stacked to existing routines, beat all-or-nothing plans and build identity through consistent wins.
• season five focus on core ideas and practical change
• two-minute morning check-in for awareness and gratitude
• emotional speed bump breathing to downshift stress
• reframing absolute self-talk into specific, flexible language
• movement snacks to boost energy and mental clarity
• add one nutritious item per meal instead of restricting
• tiny sleep upgrades and the gratitude transition
• start embarrassingly small and stack habits to anchors
• consistency over intensity to build neural pathways
• handle perfectionism creep and the missed day spiral
• systems over motivation for reliable follow-through
• one-week challenge to choose a single tiny habit
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Welcome back to season five of the KoreKast. I'm Kris Harris, and we're diving deeper than ever into the core ideas that shape everything around us. This season, we're exploring the essential questions, the breakthrough discoveries, and the game-changing conversations that matter most. From science and technology to philosophy and culture, we get straight to the heart of what's driving our world forward. Season five is going to blow your mind. Hey there, and welcome to another episode of the podcast. I'm your host, Kris Harris, and I am so excited to dive into today's topic with you. We're talking about something that I think hits home for so many of us. This idea of progress over perfection, specifically when it comes to small steps that actually stick for both our minds and our bodies. Now I don't know about you, but I used to be the queen of all or nothing thinking. Monday morning rolls around and suddenly I'm going to completely overhaul my entire life. I'm going to meditate for an hour, hit the gym for two hours, meal prep like a pro, and somehow also become a morning person who drinks green smoothies. Sound familiar? Yeah, and we all know how that story ends, right? By Wednesday, I'm exhausted, overwhelmed, and back to my old habits, feeling like a complete failure. But here's what I've learned, and what I want to share with you today. Real, lasting change doesn't come from these massive overhauls. It comes from tiny, sustainable steps that compound over time. So today, we're going to explore practical strategies for both your mental and physical well-being that are so small, so doable, that you literally can't fail. And trust me, by the end of this episode, you're going to have a toolkit of simple habits that will transform your life without overwhelming you. Let's start with the mind, because honestly, that's where all lasting change begins. When it comes to mental well-being, we often think we need to become these Zen masters overnight. But what if I told you that just two minutes, literally two minutes, could start shifting your entire mental landscape? Let me share one of my favorite microhabits, the two-minute morning mental check-in. Here's how it works. Before you even get out of bed, before you check your phone, you take two minutes to simply ask yourself three questions. How am I feeling right now? What's one thing I'm grateful for? And what's one small thing I can do today to take care of myself? Maybe you wake up feeling anxious about a presentation. Instead of spiraling into worry, you acknowledge it. I'm feeling anxious right now. Then you find something to be grateful for. Maybe the sunlight coming through your window. And for self-care, maybe you decide to take a five-minute walk during lunch. That's it. No journaling required, no perfect meditation posture, no special apps or equipment. Just you, checking in with yourself for two minutes. And I promise you, this tiny habit will start to create a foundation of self-awareness that becomes the springboard for everything else. Another game changer for your mental health is what I call the emotional speed bump. You know those moments when you're feeling completely overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious? Instead of pushing through or trying to think your way out of it? Try this. Stop what you're doing and take three deep breaths. That's literally it. But I want to be really specific about when to use this, because timing matters. Use your emotional speed bump when you notice your shoulders tensing up, when you catch yourself holding your breath, when you feel that familiar flutter of anxiety in your chest, or when you realize you've been scrolling your phone mindlessly for 10 minutes. These are all signals that your nervous system needs a reset. But here's the key: make those breaths intentional. Breathe in for four counts, hold for four, out for six. This activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which is your body's natural calm down mechanism. When you extend your exhale longer than your inhale, you're literally telling your vagus nerve to calm everything down. It's like having a built-in pharmacy that you can access anytime, anywhere. Now let's talk about building mental resilience. One of the most powerful things you can do is reframe your inner dialogue. But instead of trying to completely overhaul your self-talk overnight, start with just catching yourself when you use absolute language, words like always, never, everything, nothing. For example, instead of I never follow through on anything, try I didn't follow through on this particular thing, but I can choose differently next time. It seems small, but this shift from absolute to specific language literally rewires your brain to see possibilities instead of limitations. Alright, now let's move into the body piece of this equation, and I want to start with something that might surprise you, the power of micro movements. We get so caught up in thinking exercise has to be this intense, hour-long commitment. But what if I told you that even two minutes of movement could start transforming your physical well-being? Here's one of my favorite strategies, the movement snack. Every hour, set a little reminder on your phone to do just one minute of movement. It could be marching in place, doing wall push-ups, stretching your arms overhead, or even just standing up and sitting down five times. The goal isn't to get sweaty or exhausted, it's to keep your body awake and engaged throughout the day. At your desk, try shoulder blade squeezes or calf raises. At home, maybe it's dancing to one song or doing a few yoga poses. Even standing on one foot for 30 seconds activates your core. The key is variety. Your body craves different types of movement. These micro movements do something incredible. They boost your energy, improve circulation, and actually help with mental clarity. Plus, they're building the habit of regular movement without the intimidation factor of a full workout. After a few weeks of movement snacks, you might find yourself naturally wanting to move more. Let's talk about nutrition for a second because this is where perfectionism really loves to show up. We think we need to completely overhaul our entire diet overnight. But what if sustainable nutrition was as simple as adding one good thing to each meal instead of restricting everything? Try this. For the next week, don't worry about cutting anything out. Instead, just focus on adding one nutritious thing to each meal. A handful of spinach to your eggs, some berries on your yogurt, a side of vegetables with dinner. This approach feels abundant instead of restrictive, and it naturally starts crowding out less nutritious choices without the mental struggle. This strategy works with your psychology instead of against it. When you focus on addition rather than subtraction, you don't trigger those feelings of deprivation that usually lead to giving up entirely. And here's something that connects both mind and body that often gets overlooked the power of tiny sleep improvements. Instead of trying to completely overhaul your sleep schedule, start with just one small change. Maybe it's putting your phone in another room 30 minutes before bed, or keeping a glass of water by your bed for when you wake up. One of my personal favorites is what I call the gratitude transition. Right before you close your eyes, think of three specific things that went well that day. Not huge things. Maybe your coffee tasted perfect, or someone held the door for you, or you remembered to water your plants. This tiny practice helps your brain shift from the day's stress into a more peaceful state for sleep. Now let me give you some practical tips for actually making these small changes stick. First, and this is crucial, start embarrassingly small. I mean so small that you feel silly even calling it a goal. If you want to start exercising, don't commit to 30 minutes a day. Commit to putting on your workout clothes. That's it. Here's why this works. Success builds momentum. When you consistently do something small, your brain starts to identify you as the kind of person who follows through. And once you're in those workout clothes, you might just decide to do a few jumping jacks or take a short walk. But even if you don't, you still succeeded at your actual goal. Second tip, stack your new habits onto existing ones. This is called habit stacking, and it's pure gold. Instead of trying to remember a completely new routine, attach your tiny new habit to something you already do every day. After I brush my teeth, I'll do my two-minute mental check-in. After I pour my morning coffee, I'll do ten wall push-ups. Third, and this one's really important, focus on consistency over intensity. It's better to meditate for two minutes every day for a month than to meditate for an hour once a week. Your brain creates neural pathways through repetition, not intensity. So even if your tiny habit feels almost too easy, stick with it. Now let's talk about the obstacles you're going to face, because pretending they won't happen is just setting yourself up for frustration. The first big one is what I call perfectionism creep. You start with a tiny habit, it goes well for a few days, and suddenly your brain decides you should be doing more. Resist this urge. If you committed to five push-ups and you feel like doing 20, that's wonderful, but don't make 20 the new standard. Keep your commitment small and celebrate doing extra as a bonus, not a requirement. And here's something that might surprise you. Celebrate the small wins. I'm talking about actually acknowledging when you follow through on these tiny commitments. Did your two-minute mental check-in? Give yourself a mental high five. Did your movement snack? Say yes out loud. This isn't silly. You're literally training your brain to feel good about keeping commitments to yourself. The second obstacle is the missed day spiral. You know what I'm talking about? You miss one day of your tiny habit, then you feel guilty, so you miss another day, and before you know it, you've convinced yourself you failed and might as well give up. Here's what I want you to remember. Missing one day is data, not failure. It just means you need to look at what got in the way and adjust accordingly. Maybe you need to make the habit even smaller, or change when you do it, or stack it onto a different existing habit. The goal is progress, not perfection. Let me share something personal with you. About two years ago, I felt completely overwhelmed by all the things I thought I should be doing for my health. I had this mile-long list of habits I wanted to build, and every week I'd try to implement three or four of them at once. And every week I'd burn out and feel like a failure. I remember one particularly rough Monday morning, staring at my bathroom mirror after another failed transformation weekend. I'd bought a meditation app, meal prepped for three days, and signed up for a 6 AM workout class that I attended exactly once. That's when I discovered this idea of atomic habits. Here's something else that's crucial to understand. Motivation is unreliable, but systems are bulletproof. Motivation gets you started, but it's not going to be there every day. Some mornings you'll wake up excited about your new habit, and other mornings you'll want to hide under the covers. This is completely normal and expected. That's why we build systems that work even when motivation is nowhere to be found. Your habit should be so small and so connected to something you already do that you can follow through even on your worst days. Then I learned about this concept of atomic habits, these tiny, almost ridiculously small changes. I started with just one thing, drinking a glass of water when I woke up. That's it. For two weeks, that was my only health goal. And you know what? I actually did it every single day. I want to talk about what's happening in your brain when you build these tiny habits. Every time you repeat a behavior, you're strengthening neural pathways in your brain. Think of it like creating a path through a forest. The first time you're pushing through thick brush. But each time you walk that same path, it becomes clearer and easier. Eventually it becomes a smooth, well-worn trail that your brain can follow almost automatically. That success gave me the confidence to add one more tiny thing. Three deep breaths before getting out of bed, then a one-minute walk after lunch, then five minutes of reading before bed. Now two years later, I have a collection of small habits that have completely transformed how I feel physically and mentally. What's amazing is how these tiny changes created ripple effects I never expected. That one-minute walk turned into me looking forward to stepping outside. The bedtime reading made me naturally put my phone down earlier. It wasn't that any one habit was life-changing, it was the compound effect of small, consistent actions. This process is called neuroplasticity, and it's happening every single day. Starting small means you're not overwhelming your nervous system. You're giving your brain time to adapt without triggering resistance. This is why people who try to change everything at once often fail. They're asking their brain to create multiple new neural pathways simultaneously. But when you focus on just one tiny change, you're working with your brain's natural learning process. So here's what I want you to do after this episode ends. Pick just one tiny habit. I mean tiny. Something so small it feels almost silly. Maybe it's doing five jumping jacks after you pour your morning coffee. Maybe it's taking three deep breaths before you check your phone. Maybe it's saying one thing you're grateful for while brushing your teeth. Maybe it's drinking one extra glass of water during your workday, or doing a three or a second plank while waiting for your coffee to brew. It could be as simple as making your bed every morning or taking five deep breaths before you start your car. The key is choosing something that feels ridiculously achievable. Commit to that one thing for just one week. Not forever, not for a month, just seven days. And watch what happens. I'm willing to bet that by day seven, you'll feel proud of yourself for following through. And that feeling of pride, of being someone who keeps commitments to themselves, that's the foundation that everything else is built on. Remember, transformation doesn't happen in giant leaps. It happens in tiny consistent steps. Progress over perfection, always. You don't need to be perfect. You don't need to have it all figured out, and you definitely don't need to overhaul your entire life overnight. You just need to start where you are with what you have and take one small step forward. Thank you so much for tuning in today. I hope this episode gave you some practical tools and, more importantly, permission to start small and be proud of those small steps. If this resonated with you, I'd love to hear about your tiny habit experiment. Until next time, remember, you're already enough, and every small step forward is worth celebrating. Take care. Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Corecast. I hope you're feeling inspired and empowered to take your health and wellness journey to the next level. Remember, every small step counts, and I'm here to support you every step of the way. If you'd enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to share it with your friends and family. And if you're feeling generous, consider donating at the link provided in the description. Your support helps us to keep bringing you the core cast every week, packed with valuable insights and expert advice. For more resources, tips, and updates, don't forget to visit our website at www.kore-fit.com and follow us on Instagram at KoreFitnessAZ. Join our community and let's continue this journey together. Until next time, stay healthy, stay happy, and keep striving for your best self. This is Kris Harris signing off from the KoreKast, and I'll see you next week.
