A photo of a Marvel's and Disney's Ant Man action figure pulling a Jenga piece with the title of the article - The Power Of Small: Time To Talk Day - in the top right corner of the image

The Power Of Small: Time To Talk Day

Time To Talk Day is tomorrow (February 4th), and the topic for it is ‘the power of small’. We’ve all, unfortunately, seen the power of small first hand, with the coronavirus, one of the smallest lifeforms, crippling the world. Small things can do immense damage or hugely positive things. This article seeks to look at the positives of the power of small.

 

Time to Talk Day is the brainchild of Time to Change in England, which is closing on March 31st, 2021, and it’ll be sad to see them go. But there’s some good news: Time to Change Wales is unaffected by this. So the resources they provide will still be available, so go check them out.

 

 

Small Conversations

 

Time to Change leads the charge of getting people to talk about mental health in the workplace and the community. I became a Time to Change Mental Health Champion because of what they do. Time to Talk Day isn’t their only campaign. I’ve also written an article about their #AskTwice campaign. If you’re interested in reading that article, you can find it here.

 

The power of small is another one of their campaigns designed to get conversations about mental health going, highlighting the power of a simple conversation. In short, doing something like simply asking twice how someone is doing, such a small conversational act, can make a big difference.

 

A graphic created by Time To Change for The Power Of Small Time To Talk Day

 

Another way to embrace the power of small conversations is to break big conversations into smaller chunks. Big conversations on topics like mental health can often be daunting and will probably put you off. But if you break these down into small manageable conversations about mental health, then not only will you be more motivated to talk about it, but with each small conversation, you’ll help to tackle mental health stigma and myths.

 

A small yet important difference is your choice of words when having a conversation. We’re told in counselling to never use the word ‘why’ when asking questions because it sounds like you’re challenging them and can make people act defensively, which is detrimental to supporting someone with mental health concerns. This one small word can have a big impact and is another example of the power of small.

 

Furthermore, another small change is to ask open-ended questions rather than closed questions, which will help start and keep a conversation going. By open-ended questions, I mean questions that typically can’t be answered with a yes or no type of response, which is what a closed question is. For example, asking someone “How are you?” is an open-ended question, whereas “Are you good?” would be a close-ended question. Open-ended questions allow the person to provide more information in their reply, which is what you want if you want to have a conversation about them and their mental health.

 

A more fun way to start a small conversation about mental health could be to do a short quiz or an icebreaker. If you want a ready-to-use quiz to try out at work, then click here to check out my two ready-made quizzes you can download or go to my Resources pages to download it by clicking here.

 

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How Else Can The Power Of Small Help You?

 

Goal Setting

Setting yourself small, manageable goals will help you make changes, boost your confidence and self-esteem, and allow you to make positive changes in your life with minimal effort. Each small goal is a step forward and can be a step forward towards a larger aspiration you have for yourself. SMART Goals might help you create your small goals and embrace the power of small. To read my article on it, click here, to download my free SMART Goals workbook. Click here or visit my Resources page to download it.

 

Kindness

Embrace kindness and the power of small by doing random small acts of kindness for yourself, for people you know, and for strangers. Engaging in acts of kindness like this not only has a positive impact on you but also on the person you’re doing the kind act. If you’d like to read more about doing acts of kindness, then check out my article by clicking here.

 

Breathing exercise

Another great example of the power of small is breathing exercises. Some breathing exercises you can do in less than a minute, but will help settle anxiety and feelings of stress. An example of such a breathing exercise is the 4-7-8 breathing exercise, where you have to do the following in 5 easy steps:

 

  1. First, you need to breathe out as much as possible and empty your lungs of air.
  2. Next, breathe in deeply and quietly through your nose for 4 seconds.
  3. Then hold your breath for 7 seconds.
  4. Now exhale forcefully through the mouth for 8 seconds, pushing the lips like you’re doing a kind of duck face while making the “whoosh” sound.
  5. Lastly, repeat these steps up to 4 times.

 

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Grounding techniques

Another quick and simple coping method for anxiety and to capture the spirit of the power of small is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. This technique is straightforward to do and requires little effort to do it, but if you’re having an anxiety attack or feeling like you’re disassociating, then this could help. All you need to do is look around you and name:

 

  • 5 things you can see.
  • 4 things you can feel.
  • 3 things you can hear.
  • 2 things you can smell.
  • 1 thing you can taste. This might be tricky if you don’t have anything you can eat or drink to hand.

 

The picture is split in two with the top image being of an a single cell dividing and the bottom image being of a woman's hands cradling the small feet of a baby. The two images are separated by the article title - The Power Of Small: Time To Talk Day

 

A second grounding technique you could use could be to hold on to something small in your hand and then focus on its features. Think about its texture, its colours, its size, its shape, its weight, etc. This will allow you to focus on something in the present.

 

Funny videos

A quick and simple way to help turn a mood around is to watch a short video, like an animal doing something cute or silly. Even a short 30-second clip can have the power to make you smile when you otherwise feel bad.

 

As always, leave your feedback in the comments section below. Also, feel free to share your experiences with the power of small in the comments section below as well. If you want to stay up-to-date with my blog, then sign up for my newsletter below. Alternatively, get push notifications for new articles by clicking the red bell icon in the bottom right corner.

 

Lastly, if you’d like to support my blog, then you can make a donation of any size below as well. Until next time, Unwanted Life readers.

 

 

80 thoughts on “The Power Of Small: Time To Talk Day”

  3. Thank you for sharing this! I hadn’t heard about Time to Talk Day before! Thank you so much for sharing plenty of resources and techniques! I will surely make use of the breathing exercises x

  4. These are great tips for talking about mental health. I have found that making smaller goals has helped me to cope better and not feel so overwhelmed.

  5. Yes,,,I really appreciate this post. As one who deals with Depression, mental health is very important to me the past year has really been hard. Lack of interaction with other people, other than those that live in my household, is something I really crave. Even my daughter has been having a rough time. Thank you for this post.

    • The pandemic has taken it’s toll on a lot of people’s mental health. Let’s hope the vaccine roll out is fast and effective so we can all start feeling better again

  8. I love the grounding technique idea. It seems like a great way to distract a monkey brain like mine! I’m going to try it the next time I need to calm down. (which could be in the next five minutes! HA) Thanks so much.

  9. I love the concept of ‘the power of small’ and using that in their campaign. When you’re living with mental health issues, it often feels huge, all-encompassing and overwhelming. Faced with what seems like an impossible situation, many people give up. However, in discussing this and sharing the small steps that a person can take (working towards a much bigger goal) you may be able to give someone hope. At the end of the day, that hope is one of the most powerful things a person can have!

  11. I am a big believer in the power of small, so I love this, especially the way your thoughts on asking ‘why?” challenged me to think about how I often react when I am asked why. I see how it could inspire defensiveness instead of encourage discussion!
    I love funny videos and am often on Instagram watching short clips of parodies and puns on life. Laughter is a good medicine. 🙂

  12. Such a great post! Thank you for sharing. I am particularly fond of the grounding techniques. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I implement this and immediately feel better.

  13. Time to Talk Day is much needed in so many places. I don’t think we have it in the U.S. All of the listed ideas seem like great ways to cope with mental health issues. I’d add taking a walk or getting some fresh air. Thats always been my go to coping strategy.

  15. Thank you for sharing this. I am one that gets very overwhelmed when I think of the bigger picture so having small conversations, setting small, daily goals really helps to keep me grounded.

    Rosie

  16. Great advice and a wonderful blog. There is a lot in our lives that can help us through times of anxiety or depression, and much of that comes from us and the things that we like. You are right in that humour can really change a mood, internally and externally. I use pop culture to boost the imagination towards giving us the power to overcome our emotions and learn to live with the light and dark inside. Arts play a huge role in our wellbeing, sadly this is not being recognised, but we can use whatever form we love to help us balance ourselves. It starts with you as an individual, be kind to yourself.

  17. These exercises or techniques are very much helpful. It helps one re focus. I believe that small conversations really make an impact.

  18. I heart this post and I ma adopting the power of small as my new philosophy, its a great technique in keeping everything in manageable chunks
    ~B

  19. Such a good post, talking about mental health is so important. I have anxiety and I do the techniques you mentioned, they really work. Thank you for sharing such an important post!

  22. “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” ~Jennifer Dukes Lee
    Great post. Your posts are always very meaningful and poignant. Thank you for speaking openly and candidly about the importance of mental health.

  23. Nice post. There is power in the small things because they become the big things if overlooked. It’s so important to start small and your ideas are nice.

  26. I liked the idea of asking open-ended questions, as they help others to talk about their problems rather than turned quiet. Kindness always does wonders when comes to mental health, and grounded technique is a great way to overcome anxieties-related issues.

    Thanks for sharing a useful and practical post regarding mental health.

  27. I’d never heard of time to talk day before but I love the idea of the power of small! I like the part about grounding technique and watching short funny videos, laughter is a great medicine!

  31. Good thoughts! In this world where we like to throw around phrases like “go big or go home,” there is definitely something to be said for going small. The idea of grounding techniques were new to me. And you KNOW I approve of the pic you went with. 😀 Keep it up.

  33. Love this! I am always an aim high and do big person and honestly, you make some very valid points. I like the idea of smaller things in life. Especially now, I’d take all the small joys I can get! Thanks for sharing x

    http://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com

  34. Excellent article! I’m completely on board with the power of small. Engaging in small but powerful activities has greatly improved my mental health. Breathing exercises and grounding techniques help me manage my severe anxiety disorder. I also take five to ten minutes a day to journal my negative or anxious thoughts, which prevents them from spiraling out of control. Expressing kindness and appreciation towards others also prevents my negative feelings from overtaking me. I can’t wait to read more of your work. Take care!

  35. Thank you for sharing this topic. The process of asking twice can be huge. Thank you for sharing your tips, especially about not asking ‘why’ as it can make them feel like you don’t believe them or sounds like you are challenging them. Asking open-ended questions is a good way to prolong and encourage others to talk about how they are actually feeling.

    Your power of small actions is fantastic! I love creating small manageable goals and incorporate SMART into my goals. Your five easy steps for the breathing exercise will come in handy. ? Thank you for sharing.

  36. such an informative post and such an awesome initiative. i’m so glad people/institutions/countries are taking mental health seriously now and being so supportive.

  38. I had not heard of the Power Of Small. This is so cool. I love how the conversation is getting more attention of mental health in the work place. So glad that people are hearing about this. Also awesome breathing techniques.

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