Look at poor Tiny Cedric, smothered by a big falling pile of books. Is that how you feel at the start of this year? Are your resolutions tumbling down all around you?

What if we headed into this new year not with a list of resolutions of all these big things we want to accomplish — but with a few tiny things we can do that make a big difference.

Tiny Cedric’s Twelve Tiny Tips are guaranteed to bring happiness into your day and health to your whole body. (All kidding aside, these are tried and true and backed by science.) Simple enough for children—why not do them together?

Tiny Tip 1: Go for a walk

It seems like a tiny thing but it can change your entire day. (Plus you never know what you’ll find—here’s what I saw recently.)

Tiny Tip 2: Walk Slowly

While you’re on your walk, use your five senses to notice everything around you. To help—here’s a Walk Slowly Worksheet.

Tiny Tip 3: Look up

Are you looking down at a screen? Try looking up instead. There’s a huge world above our heads. I don’t want to miss it. Do you? Let it draw you into gratitude and wonder.

Tiny Tip 4: Smile

Science proves you get actual real health benefits from just a smile. Plus smiling conserves energy because it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown. So try it. Go on. Smile right now. (Tiny Cedric is guaranteed to make you smile if you need assistance.)

Tiny Tip 5: Say thank you 

It doesn’t cost you anything to say thank you to someone else. And guess who gets blessed? Both of you. You could even make a beautiful thank you note.

Tiny Tip 6: Colour

Coloring is good for your health. (I have lots of free colouring pages for you when you become an Insider.)

Tiny Tip 7: Pet a dog

Fun fact: interactions with dogs produce oxytocin in your brain. And that makes you feel happy and relaxed. Mr. Pockles wishes he could do his part to make you happy and relaxed by snuggling with you all, but he says petting any of his friends will do.

Tiny Tip 8: Breathe

When you slow your breath, you decrease stress. Box breathing is an easy tool that kids and grown-ups can try.

Tiny Tip 9: Give anonymously 

Aesop said: “No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” Plus giving anonymously doubles the joy—try it today.

Tiny Tip 10: Savour
To savour is “to step out of your experience, review it, and really appreciate it while it’s happening.” Laurie Santos walks you through this simple, profoundly impactful practice.

Tiny Tip 11: Be in sunlight every day

Just 10 minutes a day will boost your serotonin, increase energy, and keep you calm and focused. Plus scientists say if it’s before midday it’ll help you sleep.

Tiny Tip 12: Read a poem

It only takes a tiny moment to read a poem. Here are some of my favorites (but there are absolutely too many to list here): Mary Oliver, David Whyte, John O’Donohue, Wendell Berry, William Blake

Tiny Cedric will be giving more Tiny Tips on Instagram. And if you have a tiny tip to share, please leave a comment. We’d love to hear the tiny things that make a big difference for you.