The Power of Small by Aisling Leonard-Curtin & Trish Leonard-Curtin Summary
Overview of The Power of Small
When everything feels overwhelming, "The Power of Small" offers tiny, transformative changes endorsed by Harvard's Dr. Lisa Coyne. Perfectly timed during COVID-19, this mindfulness manual became PropelHer's Book Club pick, proving that five-minute practices can revolutionize your life when big changes seem impossible.
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Key takeaways
Small Steps to Breakthrough: The Power of Incremental Change
Ever felt completely paralyzed by life's challenges? That moment when everything seems too overwhelming to even begin? This is precisely where "The Power of Small" offers its most profound insight: meaningful change doesn't require dramatic transformations or heroic willpower. Instead, it emerges from tiny, manageable actions that accumulate into life-altering shifts. This approach has resonated with thousands worldwide who found themselves stuck when traditional self-help methods failed. The beauty lies in its accessibility - you don't need special skills or perfect circumstances to begin. You simply need to take one small step, then another. We all experience overwhelm differently - some frantically overwork while others completely shut down. Regardless of how it manifests, we tend toward all-or-nothing approaches: either procrastinating endlessly or running our lives at an unsustainable pace. Both strategies keep us trapped because growth requires venturing beyond comfort, but moving too far too quickly pushes us beyond our "self-care zone," making sustainable change impossible. The "5-Minute Breakout" offers a powerful solution: take just five minutes to do something outside your comfort zone but within your self-care zone. Someone overwhelmed by bills might open just one envelope. Someone drowning in caregiving responsibilities might pause for 30 seconds before automatically saying "yes" to another request. The goal isn't eliminating uncomfortable feelings but responding differently despite them.
Values as Compass: Building a Life Worth Fighting For
The Bigger-Better-Faster Trap: Our Internal Conflict
Breaking Free from Mental and Emotional Traps
Living Without Regrets: Small Actions, Profound Impact
The Power to Change Your Life Is Already in Your Hands
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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