Small things have big impact, says this small fry*.

Life is about making choices. Every day we make a series of choices that have a certain impact. Those choices may be small and may seem insignificant. Whether you realise it or not, it's the small choices which prepare you for the big ones. Every morning you choose to wake-up, get dressed and ready for a new day. You take the bus, metro, bike or car to where you need to go. You work, go home, eat, sleep and repeat. You sometimes mix it up with athletic endeavours and social activities. So, this does not sound like there's many decisions involved. But there are. You get to make a choice every day. It's what to have for breakfast, it's what route to take to work, it's to have that third cup of coffee or not. These are choices that you make almost subconsciously, however these are the ones that set you up for success. For the past months I've been doing intermittent fasting, some call it a diet, others a lifestyle. For those in the know, I'm doing the 16/8 variant. For me it's a new way of thinking about things and making choices differently. First thing you should know about me: I love food. I love making it, eating it, talking about it and watching cooking shows. So for me to make the choice to change my relationship with food was a big one, even though for others it might seem small. I attended a session by Wout van Helden from HeldenHealth at Spaces, called the brain-hacking breakfast this past June. He talked and explained that your relationship with food is important and impacts your brain. I don't want to get too much into detail because that's his expertise, but for me it was an eye-opener. Like I said, I love food, and I eat healthy and with great enjoyment. I don't see food as fuel but as something to enjoy. Wout touched upon the concept of intermittent fasting and the benefits it has on your mental well-being. Choosing not to eat for a longer period has done wonders for my focus. But what I didn't expect it to be, that it has also gave me a new sense of confidence. To make a conscious decision not to eat in the morning for a period of 4-5 hours, has given me a feeling of empowerment. A term very hip right now, but well, I can't think of a better one. To know that feeling hungry is not a reason to eat something, choosing to eat when you want to and it suits, it makes me feel completely different. I still love food, don't get me wrong, that relationship with food hasn't changed. Food still gets mad love from me. Yet, feeling stronger, more confident and having more focus, for a mother of two young children who just made a big career change, I need all the empowerment I can get. And what better way of doing that for yourself by simply making a choice every morning. *yes, this is a very deliberate food reference.