Little changes can start you on a new life path.

Every action has a reaction. Pay off one debt. Write down what you're eating. Drink more water. Set up a weekly date with your souse. Start lunch with an apple. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier. Take stairs instead of elevators. Do one thing. Advice on oprah.com sums it up: “Tiny but powerful life tweaks...will make you happier, healthier, and—yes!—better.”

Add fruits and vegetables. As a first step to a better diet, try adding nutritional foods rather than eliminating the bad stuff. Foods that come right out of the ground will taste good, and you’ll feel so much better that you might start substituting them for processed foods and sugar.

Take time for yourself. Start with just five minutes a day to sit quietly and free your mind. Before long, five minutes could stretch to 15 minutes as you come to appreciate the way the break reenergizes you for the rest of your day.

“Stylists are devoted to others—that’s what they do,” says Leslie Wade, global marketing manager at Malibu C,  this month’s Healthy Hairdresser sponsor. “But they often neglect them-selves during those long days at the salon. Take time just for you. It can be first thing in the morning, during the workday between clients, right after work or right before bed. During my day I do 15 minutes of cardio, but just sitting and being idle is another way to rejuvenate. The key is to disconnect. Don’t peek at your email or social media. Strike a balance between work and personal life.”

Hand out referral incentive cards. Your business is built on word-of-mouth. Your clients are your greatest fans, so encourage them to talk about you to their friends.

If even a small change seems overwhelming, take the time to figure out your goal, advises Jackie Vega, a life coach and certified dietitian and nutritionist.

“Whether the change you’re making is in your business, health, fitness or relationships, know exactly what you want—and why,” says Vega, who blogs on these topics at thewellnessolution.com and on One Small Change’s Facebook page. “If your goal is weight loss, determine how much you want to lose by a certain date. Set goals, journal about it and reassess after time has passed. We all have to be aware that our circumstances can change.”

Illinois hairdresser Nicole Douglas-Phillips knows about small changes because she’s made a series of them lately. She was experiencing symptoms ranging from low energy, migraines, to neck and back pain and intestinal problems. Doctors blamed the stress of a large family—Douglas-Phillips is a mother of seven—but she knew there had to be more to it than that.

After seeing a late-night commercial about vitamin B12 deficiency, Douglas-Phillips was tested and was diagnosed with pernicious anemia, an autoimmune disease that interferes with the absorption of B12.

Her symptoms diminished as she began cutting carbs, limiting her portions, adding B12 to her diet by eating enough protein and leafy greens, and using organic ingredients and natural oils in her cooking. Despite her fear of doctors, Douglas-Phillips is determined to find a specialist to combine medical monitoring with her holistic approach.

A Simple Challenge

Ready to do one thing to improve body, spirit or business? May's Healthy Hairdresser Challenge asks you to commit to one simple step you are willing to take this May. See the details on page 65 or visit modernsalon.com/healthy. The first 100 salon pros to participate will earn a Malibu Makeover Kit from sponsor Malibu C, a professional brand driven by the power of adding one step to hair prep and services to ensure beautiful results.

All who take the May Challenge are eligible to win a gift package of the Malibu C Professional Collection of salon products and treatments.

Malibu Makeover kit

Malibu C Professional Collection