Wellness Tip:

Add, Don’t Subtract

Many wellness goals start with restriction: cut out sugar, stop snacking, avoid carbs. Instead, try adding something beneficial. ➕🍏

Add one serving of vegetables. Add a five-minute walk. Add a glass of water. Add ten minutes outside.

Psychologically, adding tends to feel less stressful than taking something away. So it’s easier to maintain over time!

What’s one healthy thing you could add to your day this week?

Routine Breakdown

Karlee Fain, Regenerative Leadership Coach & Host of the Messy & Magnificent Podcast

Why This Executive Coach Aims for 3% Better Each Day

As an executive coach and leadership strategist, Karlee Fain has worked with everyone from top CEOs to Grammy Award-winning artists like Lil Wayne and Drake. And she is clear on one thing: the secret to success isn’t waking earlier or taking a cold plunge, but prioritizing the things that really matter.

“There’s this idea that we need complex systems and rigorous routines, and really, it’s an overcompensation. It’s unsustainable. What we really need are small things done consistently.”

The Routine:

• Starts the day with one focus question. Before diving into the day, Karlee asks herself a simple question she learned from positive psychologist Maria Sirois: “What do I love enough to protect?” Her answer becomes the area she wants to prioritize that day, whether that’s her health, work, relationships, or inner peace.

• Looks for a 3% improvement. Once she’s chosen her focus area, Karlee asks a follow-up question: “What would 3% more care for this look like today?” Says Karlee: “If I chose to focus on my health, my 3% shift might be drinking more water. Then, once that becomes normal, I look for the next 3%. There’s a lot of research on what is a sustainable amount of growth, but 3% is doable and it compounds over time.”

Why it works:

• Small changes feel achievable, which makes you far more likely to follow through. Research on habit formation shows that consistent, manageable actions are easier to maintain than dramatic lifestyle overhauls. As Karlee says, it’s about small things done consistently!

Forget the performative morning routines: Karlee keeps it simple and intentional, and that’s what works for her. Here’s a great interview with Karlee that goes deeper into her philosophy of leadership and focusing on what matters.