Inspiring Women to Take Small Steps Towards a Healthier, Happier, Simpler Life: A Q&A with Lisa Corduff

I love getting up early, before my kids. That quiet space and time really fills my cup. I either go for a walk or get some work done. Ahhhh the serenity of alone time.

And then it’s breakfast – the kids often have porridge and smoothies and I love listening to my body in the morning and giving it what it needs. Sometimes I’m not hungry – so I don’t force anything down, but I do drink lots of water. I’m a huge fan of eggs – any way.

Then we do the school run and some days I have my daughters with me, some days they are in daycare. If I have them we usually do a morning activity, like gymnastics and get some errands run. And in the afternoon, they might have a friend over and we’ll set up a picnic and their toys.

After my son gets home from school I keep things pretty simple, but I am noticing as the kids grow that lots of activities can creep in, leaving us feeling overwhelmed. No one benefits in this scenario – not the kids or me!

So, we simplify our life as much as possible. We don’t watch ‘screens’ during the week which means the kids are using their imaginations and playing with each other.

A healthy, wholesome dinner sitting around the table and talking about our day is followed by kids’ baths and bedtime routine.

It’s pretty consistent, each day, but I inject my own time and self-care in too. This is a learned practice, for me. Like most mums I just gave myself over to my family for many years and if I wasn’t ‘doing’ the family, I was working and now I know that I also just need space to be Lisa.

I love walking, I love reading books and connecting in real life with people. Organizing coffee catch ups or dinners out with friends ensures I get my ‘fix’ of adults. I’m not drained by company – I love it!

Watching a random Netflix series to detach with is awesome – unless I get addicted! But listening to podcasts or guided meditations is always preferred. How much goodness is out there in podcast land!?

So many women enter the Small Steps community feeling down about themselves. They are not feeding their kids well enough, they are not a healthy weight, they are letting everyone down, overwhelm is their norm. It’s heart-breaking that as a generation of women we never give ourselves a freaking BREAK!

Most Small Steppers have tried diets. They’ve tried crazy regimes that suck all their precious time. And they can’t stick with them so they feel like failures.

But I whole-heartedly believe that the way society is currently structured sets us up for failure. How is a woman meant to feel strong, healthy, positive and energized when she is working, raising children, running a household, attending to her parents, cooking, shopping, maintaining friendships, planning vacations, exercising, racing around to ALL the activities – Argh! – I feel tired just WRITING that! Our lives are a constant to-do list. And we’ve forgotten that we have a choice about what we put on that list.

Most Small Steppers don’t even feature on their own to-do list – it’s all about everyone else. Which is crazy. I have ditched society’s expectations and found my way back to what matters to ME. It’s an exciting and liberating path to be on! And I love sharing it with my community.

Balance is a constant negotiation in my head! My kids and husband are the loves of my life – but I’ve been doing this mother gig long enough to know that if I don’t take care of myself as a priority, then everyone suffers. So, it’s balancing my needs with the needs of the ones I love.

It’s about exercise to feel good. It’s about food to nourish and delight. It’s about strong boundaries that protect my energy so I can use it where it matters most. It’s about not taking health ‘dogmas’ too seriously and instead focusing in on what makes us feel good.

My kids inspire me – they keep me accountable and I want to be the most active and healthy mother for them. But mostly, I feel I owe it to myself. I was given the gift of living this life and I’m going to make the most of it!

Make life simpler – redesign how you DO life. I used to be the person who would repeat over and over that I was so busy and overwhelmed. Until I realized I had a choice. I was choosing that. I could choose something different. My tip is to radically simplify so you can focus on the things that really matter to you.

There’s always a lot going on in Small Steps land! If people are interested in taking five super small, super easy but hugely impactful steps towards a healthier, happier life then they can join me for five days of fun – Register here!