What my lifestyle change is teaching me about making lasting changes

I’ve been on a lifestyle change journey for the last few months. As an outcome I lost 3 kilos and have been enjoying the process. 

Here's the mental reframing that gave me the result. You can apply this to any area where you want to see change.

1️⃣ choose identity

Instead of living with the belief that I am overweight, I’m reframing my thoughts into: I am a healthy person.

You can have an inner dialogue with yourself—recognizing the thoughts about your identity that are holding you back—and then reframe them into the identity you want to build for yourself.

2️⃣ tiny habits

I took inventory of my daily habits. When it came to overeating, I noticed I was eating toast, cereal, or other random snacks late at night, even though I had already eaten more than my body needed. Since my leg injuries have lowered my activity levels, I had to adjust accordingly.

So, I broke down what my body actually needed to build muscle and get proper nutrients. I created simple snacks I could turn to when cravings hit. I only brought home foods that supported this—frozen blueberries, bananas, nuts, and protein-dense options. I started using a tiny plate instead of a big one to help me take portions my body actually needed. I cut out daily heavy sugar but made sure to have a cheat day in place. This way, I avoided labeling food as “good” or “bad” and instead focused on what my body truly needed.

I added more greens, started cooking delicious salads, and learned new recipes. I also found crackers made from corn with minimal additives for when I wanted something salty. Basically, I created a go-to palette of foods that nourished my body.

Take a look at your habits in the area where you want change. What habits are keeping you stuck? What habits would lead to the results you want? List the habits you want to override and replace them with simple, tiny steps. Then start implementing—without being too harsh on yourself.

3️⃣ time frame

I’m not in a rush. Any setback that happens is not the end of the world. Being kind to myself in the process has been a game-changer.

Choose the long game over a quick fix. Set your mindset for a marathon, not a sprint. Take the longest time frame you can think of—I go for a decade. That means I look beyond this year, imagining where I’ll be 10 years from now, how old my kids will be, and how my body will feel over time.

Having a long-term perspective allows you to celebrate small wins along the way. When you create habits and consistently stick to them, you will see results.

4️⃣ clear goal

Setting clear goals is hard for me because I’m indecisive—like an artist picking colors as they go. But for my weight loss journey which I’m reframing as a lifestyle change, I recognized that 20 kg is a good, clear goal for me. By reframing I can focus on the lifestyle that brings me the results that are my goal.

I’m short and won’t be growing taller, so I know where a healthy weight range is for me. Now, I can track my progress and see how far I’ve come and how far I still want to go. But the best part? My main focus isn’t on reaching the goal—it’s on enjoying the tiny habits I’m building.

I feel amazing when I make a snack that I know is full of real nutrients. I love this new relationship with my body—actually listening to what it needs.

So, my advice: make your goal as clear and measurable as possible. It helps you stay on track and recognize your progress.

5️⃣ celebrate tiny wins

I track my weight and note the dates. Seeing my journey in front of me helps me celebrate progress. My reward? A trip to the local swimming hall to run with a water running belt.

Take time to measure your progress. Write it down somewhere visible. Make it a habit to celebrate your tiny wins. You could set a system where every 10 tiny wins (or whatever number you choose) earns a celebration. This signals to your brain that your new identity is real, providing tangible proof of your transformation.

Make celebrating a lifestyle. If counting wins feels stressful, create a weekly or monthly celebration habit instead. And choose rewards that support your progress rather than counteract it.

6️⃣ shift focus

When it comes to food, I’ve started focusing on how I feel afterwards. An athletic friend and a celebrity fitness coach both told me they choose their meals based on how they want to feel after eating.

I took inventory of my eating habits and realized I was making choices based on cravings—the taste and the feeling while eating. But after eating, I often felt heavy, tired, and drained.

So, I started shifting my focus. Before eating, I ask myself: how do I want to feel afterwards? This simple change made it easier to choose proper portions, add more greens, and pick foods that leave me feeling good.

You can apply this to any change. Pay attention to how you feel before and after taking small, positive actions. Then, remind yourself of the desired outcome. If fear is holding you back, notice how you feel after taking even the smallest courageous step. Over time, your focus will shift from fear to the rewarding feeling of growth.

Overall, I encourage you to enjoy your journey. Take your time. Go slow. Celebrate all the right choices, all the tiny wins, and the person you are becoming. This is a journey of self-discovery, learning to enjoy your life as it is while building it block by block with intention. And that is beautiful—because you are. ✨

Love, 

Pia

Why tiny wins matter more than you think – how to rewire your mind for confidence & growth

 

Feeling stuck? The truth is, you’ve already made progress—you just might not see it yet. The key to real transformation? Learning to celebrate your tiniest wins.

Lately, I’ve been changing my lifestyle, and I’ve noticed something interesting. I’ve found peace in this new way of living, where I eat in a way that supports my body rather than just following cravings.

For as long as I can remember, my relationship with food has been complicated. I have a major sweet tooth, and honestly, I love all kinds of food—especially the ones labeled as junk. Growing up, I often felt really hungry, and food became a source of comfort. Baking was my emotional survival method. On top of that, I used to stay up late and not get enough sleep, which drained my energy. And when I was exhausted? I’d reach for sugary desserts.

Now that I’ve turned 40, I’m noticing how my body is changing. It’s easier to gain weight than to lose it, and I want to stay healthy, active, and full of life. That’s why I’m making small, consistent changes to my lifestyle.

I’m learning to manage cravings in a way that truly nourishes me. Instead of reaching for sugar-filled desserts, I choose foods with real nutrients—and I can feel the difference. But what has changed the most is how I listen to my body. Instead of stuffing down emotions with food, I pause and ask myself: What do I really need right now?

Before, I used food to cope with emotions. Now, I’m allowing myself to feel them instead of covering them up with sugar.

Why tiny wins matter for you, too

What this journey has taught me is that tiny wins make all the difference. When you learn to celebrate your small steps, your journey becomes something you actually enjoy. Instead of feeling weighed down by how far you still have to go, you gain momentum.

For me, it’s not just about losing weight—it’s about living fully. I’m building a real connection with my body, with my emotions, and with the present moment.

Of course, there are tough days. Just today, I ate two cookies (they were Daim cookies—one of my ultimate weaknesses). Last week, I had a few cozy café moments, but afterward, I noticed the sugar cravings creeping back in. On top of that, I went to bed too late, which left me feeling exhausted—and when I’m tired, cravings hit even harder.

But here’s what I’m learning: every small choice matters. When I take care of my sleep, my emotions, and my body’s real needs, everything feels easier. I’ve even started writing to my younger self as a form of healing, and it’s helping me untangle emotional eating in a way I never expected.

Your journey starts now

I’ve already lost over 3 kilos—not because I’m being perfect, but because I’m showing up for myself in small ways, every day. Progress isn’t about massive effort. It’s about consistency.

So here’s my challenge for you: fall in love with your now. Celebrate the tiny wins, even when they seem insignificant. Every small step in the right direction adds up—and when you learn to appreciate them, the journey itself becomes the reward.

What tiny win can you celebrate today?

Love,

Pia

Overcoming my fears of strong women and money making: How naming your fear, transforms your life

When you sit with your feelings, it might hurt, but it's the way to heal.

You know it’s important to recognize your fears, and now you’re starting to understand why you feel stuck.

Your fears are meant to keep you safe, but sometimes they come from past hurts, leading you to believe things that aren’t true.

That’s what happened to me. Ten years ago, I discovered one of my biggest fears: my fear of strong women. They scared me, even though I admired them. I felt nervous about getting to know them.

Healing started for me when I named my fear. Almost right after, I found a kind mentor who helped me. Meeting her helped me heal. I learned to connect with other wonderful women and built trust and friendships. How did I feel? Like a plant that got water after a long dry spell—I began to bloom.

When you heal in one part of your life, you can apply that wisdom to other areas, too.

A few years ago, I began my newest healing journey. This journey helped me bring my big dream to life. My dream is to live in a special country and support my family while helping other women find freedom from their fears and build their own financial independence. I want my breakthroughs to inspire others to heal, too.

Then I realized that earning money from my business was another fear for me. I started my business six years ago, but for years, I felt scared and confused when I tried to sell anything. I felt stuck and ashamed.

I finally understood that I believed selling was bad. I thought if I sold something, something bad would happen to me.

Through my healing, I learned that selling, when done the right way, is a way to help people. When I sell, I’m assisting those who need the solutions I offer to improve their lives.

As you face your fears and old emotions tied to past hurts, you’ll start to find a way out. But this way out goes through the room where your fears sit, blocking the door to your freedom.

Your fear is like a bully that whispers nasty things that keep you down. These lies can feel like the truth about who you are.

But just like facing any bully, standing up to your fear can help you heal. I started to see a clearer path through my fears once I named them. This brought me understanding on my healing journey.

Today, find a safe place to sit with your fear. Let yourself be in the same room with it. Watch how the path to your freedom becomes clearer. When you start to recognize the name of your fear, clarity comes like the morning sun. Bit by bit, you will see your past and future more clearly.

The pain you might go through is worth it if you value your freedom more than the comfort of being stuck. If it feels too heavy to handle alone, reach out for help. Don't isolate yourself like I did for a decade. It only kept me in the dark, while I tired myself out looking for healing alone. Seek support from someone you trust—someone who knows what you’re going through because they’ve been there, too.

This morning, as I was sitting with my fear of selling, it felt heavy. And I thought of you. It’s beautiful to see healing happen where there was once pain. Now, the heart that was stuck can beat freely and joyfully.

You and I are meant for great things; we are called to make this world better for generations to come. I believe healing is how we do that.

Love,  

Pia

P.S. Here I am, facing my fear while offering you emotional support oils—my shop is open, go check it out ✨ 

>> Link: https://msha.ke/piamariaessentials#about-1 <<

Reframing rest

Let's break down the guilt around resting and how to shift the mindset toward self-compassion.

Practical tips: micro-rests, reframing “I should” thoughts, embracing small pauses.

value

Have you thought of it this way, that your value does not waver depending on your productivity? It does not increase or decrease based on if you're being productive or not? 

So when you're resting and wrestling with guilt could you think of it like this? Like in our kids' radio phones, there's two modes. One is for sending out messages and another is for receiving. While you're sending out a message you can't receive. 

So if resting would be similar to that receiving mode, wouldn't it mean this? You’ve been looking for answers to something so hard and then when you rest you suddenly have an idea that solves the whole thing. If you would have asked some serious questions and while in rest the answer would just pop up, like letters in the mailbox. 

Rest and productivity are both from their value neutral. They have only the meaning that you give to them. Which value will you choose to give? 

balance

I promote balance in life yet as a certain kind of extremist I also like to take spurts with whimsical projects like planting over sixty peony roots in almost one month's time to 50 x 50 x 50 cm wide holes on the ground, mixing dozens of bags of sand to some good quality dirt.

But while allowing myself to do these kinds of extreme actions every now and then I always make sure I have a season of mundane everyday routines instilled in between. And I’m nesting at home not planning anything special for an extended period of time.

Balance for me looks like this, my nervous system which reminds me of a rubber band, not being stretched out for a longer period of time without some hard core rest.

Here's some elements of rest how I see it. As an introvert reserving our home as a space just for our family for the resting season. Early nights and late mornings in pajamas, while the space around us is calm, fire crackling in the fireplace or coffee slowly brewing. Sharing funny thoughts and laughing together. Uninterrupted sauna with lots to drink and my favorite scents. Nature walks where there's no rush, just wonder and ease.

What does balance mean to you? What does it look and feel like? Finding your rhythm is precious. I share life with hubby who has a different rhythm than I do and just the other day while renovating I shared my thoughts with him on how to better match our rhythms together. He’s slowing down for my pace and I’m keeping up with him. But then I take a pause and go for a short nap. Or eat food while actually sitting down. As we're in the renovation season and life looks more like chaos than peace, nurturing our ability to rest is even more vital, I’ve reminded myself once again. 

micro-rest

For me micro-rest can look as simple as closing the door. Staying alone for a sec as an introvert is a gift. Because then all the thought bubbles that activate while I’m with other people, will dissolve and I can just be. 

When you start to look for micro-rest elements that suit you, think of the posture that you have in different scenarios. When does your breathing feel at ease? And your shoulders drop. You can feel like yourself again, not trying anything, not proving. Just being. 

Sprinkle those elements to your day. In tiny, small portions they will allow you to reset your mind, heart rate, and peace. I have several micro-rest supporting elements packed in my bag for office days. And in my everyday go to handbag I always carry a small toolkit.

I have my relaxing essential oils, grapefruit lip balm, mossy green water bottle, calming blue tea thermos mug, lavender hand lotion, two sets of earphones for listening music or audio books on low volume while noise goes up around and I’m doing repetitive tasks. A little notebook for writing down life’s a-ha moments. What does your micro-rest toolkit look like?

Love,

Pia