The Habit of Disruption
Have you ever noticed something unusual about your usual day?
Sounds odd, I know. But most of us are deeply practiced in our habits. Some are so ingrained they might be called “stuck in her ways.”
Here’s the thing: those habits are proof of your capacity to form new ones.
Think about it—
You brush your teeth morning and night.
You sip coffee while scrolling your favorite reads (I hope mine have found a place in your ritual).
You check notifications, peek at the news, scroll social media.
All of this is evidence: you can build patterns that stick. Which means you can also reshape them when the moment calls for it.
And sometimes, the most powerful way forward isn’t in soothing habits, but in disruptive ones—small, intentional breaks in autopilot that wake your soul up.
The Tool of Disruption
One simple action per week that shakes things loose.
1. Gentle Micro-Interruptions
Not all disruption has to be dramatic. Even tiny shifts can rewire the nervous system:
Brush your teeth with the opposite hand.
Sit in a different chair for morning coffee.
Walk a different route through your house.
These micro-rewires teach your body that change is survivable—and even energizing.
2. Pattern-Breaking Questions
Instead of waiting for 30 minutes of free time (which may never come), ask:
“What would I do with just 3 minutes right now?”
“What’s one thing I used to love that I could taste again for five minutes today?”
The disruption is in the reframing—small enough to bypass resistance, but meaningful enough to spark.
3. Sensory Shakes
Wake the nervous system through the body:
Splash cold water on your face.
Play one song and move.
Light a candle in the middle of the day, instead of saving it for “special occasions.”
4. Creative Interruptions
Pick up a brush, pen, or instrument and make one mark, one note, one sound. Don’t plan. Don’t finish. Just disrupt the silence.
5. Disruptive Affirmations
Sometimes words themselves can break the spell:
“My worth is not negotiable.”
“I am not here just to serve.”
“What if today I shocked myself with joy?”
✨ Why it works: Disruption shakes the nervous system out of grooves it’s been running for decades. Over time, these little sparks carve new pathways—and with them, new possibilities for how you live.
So yes, keep your soothing habits. But also ask yourself: what disruption do I need this week to wake my soul up?
My Own Disruption
Here’s the truth: when you disrupt even the smallest groove, you send a signal to your nervous system that life doesn’t have to stay locked where it is.
Last Thursday, all I did was shift the time of day I brushed my teeth and got dressed. That one tiny disruption loosened something inside me—and suddenly the things I had been dreading or putting off began to fall into place. My energy shifted because my pattern shifted.
And that’s the point. Disruption isn’t about chaos—it’s about possibility. When we shake the nervous system out of its ruts, we reclaim access to energy, creativity, and momentum we thought we’d lost. From there, reinvention doesn’t feel impossible; it feels inevitable.
Each disruption is a declaration: I can re-invite vitality into my day, reinvigorate my energy, reinvent my rhythms, and reclaim my dreams.
The Science of Disruption
Research confirms this: disrupting the cue-routine-reward loop opens space for new behaviors. When I changed the time I brushed my teeth and dressed, I changed a cue. That small break triggered a cascade of neuroplastic changes that shifted my energy.
Habits & Neuroplasticity: The brain structures involved in habit (like the basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex) can be reshaped by conscious action .
Habit Loops: Breaking even one part of the loop (cue, routine, or reward) can lead to new behaviors .
Routines & Mental Health: Stable routines reduce stress, while intentional disruptions can build resilience by proving change is survivable .
Micro-Acts Matter: Studies show small changes—gratitude, mindfulness, movement—have measurable effects on mood and resilience .
Nearly every day I send out an email to challenge assumptions, long-held beliefs, or stagnant thinking—because those three are the greatest impediments to reigniting, renewing, and reclaiming your dreams.
It’s my hope that the Tool of Disruption ignites a spark in you, too—that you’ll recognize the power of shaking things up, not for the sake of chaos, but to create space for new ways of being that truly enrich your life.
Right now, I’m thinking of my little grandmother at age 70. She spoke only Cajun French, had no formal education, and her days were reduced to sitting in front of a black-and-white television with a single channel. Yes, she was cared for—food, housing, church provided by her children—but she literally had nothing to do. All day. Every day.
Our lives look very different now. We have more options, more tools, more access than she could have imagined. Most of all, we have something my grandmother never had: the power of choice.
We can choose to remain in the fog of disappointment, boredom, or malaise.
Or we can choose to disrupt the patterns that no longer serve us—taking small, deliberate steps that uncover hidden parts of ourselves and open the door to renewal.
Either way, opportunity is already here.
And so I invite you: join me on this journey of reinvention, renewal, and reclamation.
I’ve created the REFOUNDATION + Voxer Bundle to give you not just a guidebook, but I will be your guide.
The REFOUNDATION Guidebook is your personal map for reinvigorating, reclaiming, and reinventing your life after 60. It’s full of prompts, reflections, and practices that move you from where you are now into a life that you imagine for yourself.
Voxer Voice Support is the secret ingredient. Think of it like a private walkie-talkie app on your phone. Here’s how it works: let’s say you set aside 30 minutes to dive into the first module of REFOUNDATION. You hit a question that stirs something—or you get stuck. Instead of sitting with that frustration alone, you open Voxer, hit record, and send me your question in your own voice. And later that same day, you hear my voice back—guiding, clarifying, encouraging—so you can keep moving forward without losing momentum.
What this means is that you’re not just buying another PDF. You’re stepping into a one-on-one experience: a manual that shows you the way and a companion who walks beside you as you take each step.
This bundle is for women who don’t want another course, another lecture, or another dusty workbook on the shelf. It’s for women who want real movement, real connection, and real support as they reclaim their dreams.
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Footnotes: Key Research & Findings
Neuroscience of Habit: Habits and goal-directed behavior coexist in the brain; both are modifiable with intention. PMC
Habit Loop: Cues, routines, and rewards form patterns that can be disrupted. Western University
Self-Directed Neuroplasticity: Conscious reflection plus intentional action rewires neural pathways. Healthline
Routine & Mental Health: Disrupted daily routines are linked with distress. BMC Medicine
Predictability & Stress: Structured routines support lower stress. Piedmont Healthcare
Small Acts, Big Effects: Micro-acts of change improve resilience and well-being. SF Chronicle
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