Small steps for big change

Hi everyone,

I hope your year is off to a great start.

There's always something special about the beginning of a new year — that feeling of a fresh start, a clean slate.

This is actually the first year I've heard of Dry January. Kayla from our marketing team suggested we send a bit of motivation to everyone who's working toward new goals, and it got me thinking about something I wanted to share.

Almost every Christmas, I buy my mother something related to exercise.

A high-quality yoga mat.
An exercise bike.
Classes at the nearest yoga studio.

And almost every year, those gifts end up quietly pushed aside.

We see this all the time. People suggest things to us with the best intentions — advice, tools, ideas — but more often than not, it goes in one ear and out the other.

That's because everyone is facing their own struggles, priorities, and ups and downs. And starting a new challenge almost always has to come from within.

Right now, my mother's focus is entirely on my father.

His memory loss has been incredibly difficult on all of us.

For her, what matters most is having the love of her life by her side — being present for every moment they still get to share.

For me, it's wishing I could share accomplishments with him. Or even more importantly, memories my son is giving me — his first steps, his first words. He would be so proud of us as a family.

I'm sharing this because it ties directly back to that first point.

Yes, accomplishing a new goal has to come from within. It has to be personal.

But when you think about your challenges this year, I encourage you to also think about the people around you — and the long-term quality of life your choices can create.

We want our mother to take care of her health so we can spend more time with her. So her grandchildren can. So the moments we share together are lived to their fullest.

That said, it's easy to aim too big. I do it all the time.

"I want to lose 20 pounds."
"I want to go to the gym four times a week."
"I want to cook healthier meals."

Suddenly, it adds up — and becomes overwhelming.

So this year, I challenge you to think of the smallest challenge possible.

A five-minute walk every day.
Reading ten pages of a book.
Turning off electronics while enjoying the simple ritual of making tea.
Making one salad per week.

That's where the snowball effect begins.

The five-minute walk becomes ten.
Ten pages become twenty.
Tea time turns into a moment of meditation and reflection.
One salad becomes a habit of eating better.

Before turning to expensive "supplements" to fix everything at once, there are countless small, meaningful things we can do — often for little to no money — that have far greater impact.

Call a friend.
Visit a family member.
Invite someone over.
Share a good laugh.
Go to a local museum.
Take a walk around your neighborhood or your nearest library.

When it comes to Herbaly, we're off to a good start.

More people are finding joy in herbal tea — and that truly makes us happy.

Wishing you all the best this year,

Michael Klein

Founder
Herbaly.com

(Side note, there's a free shipping email coming Sunday, don't tell Marketing I told you..)

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