Compounding Habits & Behaviours: The Stuff That Builds (or Breaks) Us

Let’s talk about compounding.

Not the finance kind.
The daily habits and behaviours kind.
The stuff of life kind.

Because here’s the deal: whether helpful or unhelpful, they all compound.
You stack them up with even a bit of consistency, and eventually, they take shape. They become something.

A Visual for Tough Patches

When I was deep in a rough patch, I needed something tangible. Something to show me progress, even if it was barely visible.

So, I created a visual. Just a simple way of tracking small, helpful action steps. A quiet daily practice. Not for performance. Not for show. Just for me.

At the end of each day or whenever I needed a reframe I’d stop and scribble a few things down. Little moments that felt like a “win”, no matter how small they seemed.

In the Early Days, A Win Looked Like...

✔️ Not sending that text, my brain was screaming at me to send
✔️ Remembering to eat something
✔️ Turning off my phone at night
✔️ Picking up the phone and actually calling a mate

That was it.
Small. Compounded. Daily.

Then, Slowly...

As those little ✔️’s stacked up, something started to shift.

The actions didn’t just get bigger, they got braver.

✔️ 3 gym sessions a week
✔️ Laughing until I cried
✔️ Glowing client feedback
✔️ Being able to regulate my thoughts and emotions… quicker, smoother, calmer

But none of those happened in week one.
Or week two.
It started with the basics. The quiet stuff. The stuff that gets the ball rolling.

How Many a Day? Doesn’t Matter.

One? Brilliant.
Five? Go on then.
Fifty? You overachiever (but also, yes please).

The point is: just start.
Mark them down. Celebrate them. Stack them up.

Here’s the Truth: Compound Works Both Ways

Helpful behaviours? They build momentum.
Unhelpful ones? They quietly pull the bricks out from under you.
And before you know it, the house starts shaking.

We all get to choose what we stack.
We all get to course-correct if we need to.

Final Thought

Compounding habits aren't just about being more productive or smashing goals.
They're about rebuilding. Reframing. Reclaiming a bit of control when everything feels a bit out of whack.

So start where you are.
Tiny. Messy. Honest.

And remember those little ✔️’s matter more than you think.