57. Money & Movement: The 2-Minute Habit That Builds Wealth

Season #2 November 04, 2025

What if the secret to feeling better and earning more wasn’t more time or motivation, but just two minutes of movement?

In this episode, Erin Davis, money mentor and host of The Erin Davis Show, talks with Lizzie Williamson, internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, TEDx presenter, and author of The Active Workday Advantage. Dubbed “The Excuse Buster from Down Under”, Lizzie shares how micro-movements can transform your mental clarity, focus and financial confidence, one movement or push-up at a time.

Discover how Lizzie’s two-minute rule bridges the gap between knowing and doing, helping you move through stress, scarcity thinking, and overwhelm to build a grounded rich-girl life.

IN THIS EPISODE, ERIN COVERS:

✅ How Lizzie overcame postnatal depression through “micro movements” and built a global wellbeing movement
✅ Why small daily actions create momentum in health and wealth
✅ How the “$5-a-day mindset” in your money mirrors the “2-minute move mindset” in your body
✅ The link between physical energy and financial decision-making
✅ How business owners can boost profitability by encouraging movement at work
✅ Simple strategies to break the all-or-nothing mindset and start with something

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome + Introducing Lizzie Williamson
03:45 – The moment that changed Lizzie’s life
08:50 – From one plie to global stages: The ripple effect of small action
12:10 – Micro moves meet money habits: how $5 and 2 minutes add up
16:40 – Mindset shifts to overcome overwhelm
22:00 – Habit stacking + accountability tips that actually stick
28:30 – Why we resist change in work and money
36:15 – The science of movement: hope molecules & focus
42:30 – Leadership, role modelling, and financial confidence
50:00 – The “Grounded Rich Girl” mindset and staying calm in money ebbs and flows
57:00 – Final thoughts + becoming your own “Excuse Buster”

NEXT STEPS + RESOURCES

✨ Subscribe to The Erin Davis Show on Apple Podcasts or YouTube
💌 Join Erin’s “Grounded Rich Girl” Newsletter – mindset + money tips that keep you grounded and growing
📗 Grab Lizzie’s Book: The Active Workday Advantage
🌐 Connect with Lizzie: Instagram | LinkedIn
🌐 Connect with Erin: Website | Instagram

💼 WORK WITH ERIN

Ready to live your Grounded Rich Girl Life - where confidence, cashflow, and calm coexist?
Work with Erin Davis inside The Grounded Rich Girl Programme. Learn the systems and mindset shifts to make your money work for you, without burnout or overwhelm.

Episode Transcript

Welcome today to the Erin Davis Show
I have an amazing guest with me today
Lizzie Williamson now
Lizzie has been dubbed by the US media as the excuse
Buster from Down Under
Lizzie is the author of The Active Workday Advantage
the founder and author of 2 Minute Moves
a Tedx speaker keynote speaker
fitness presenter and certified personal trainer
she is a regular on morning television
and in global news publications
with her work featured on Good Morning America
Studio 10 Sunrise and the Today Show
through her fun
interactive keynote videos and all her publications
Lizzie motivates the workforce around the world
to have an active day so they can be their most engaged
energized and happiest self
she has got hundreds of thousands
attendees around the world
moving at conferences
including or featuring President Barack Obama
Michelle Obama Ariana Huffington and the Dalai Lama
so welcome that is such an amazing introduction
thank you I'm so happy to be here
so let's kick off tell me a little bit more about you
who you are and why you started on this journey of
the Active Workday Advantage
well I imagine that everyone that is joining us today
probably knows something that they could be doing
in fact in this day right now
that helps to them to feel a bit better
improve their life in some kind of way
maybe it's going out and taking a walk today
or doing some breathing some meditating
maybe it's even starting to put money in a bank account
or whatever it is
most of us know the things that we need to be doing
to help improve our life
but we can know it and not do it
because it's really hard right
there's all these things that get in our way
and I've been dubbed the excuse buster from down under
because what I do is help people
to close this knowing and doing gap
to get people unstuck
to help people start taking action
doing those things that we know it help us feel better
because what happens then is we build momentum
we create this ripple effect
that can lead us to somewhere that
right now might feel beyond imagining
and that was certainly the case for me 17 years ago
when I had postnatal depression
a baby and a toddler I knew I needed to be
you know getting out and exercising
and doing all of those things that we know
is good for our mental health
I just for the first time
could not get myself to do it
the thing I needed to do the most
felt the hardest thing ever
and it was at that time that I really made
that completely changed my life
and I've then gone on to
to share it with people all around the world
things that you did at that time
because I imagine uh
like most of my listeners are women
so we've all
or a lot of us have gone through that whole birth
lose yourself you lose your sleep
you lose you know
everything that happens um
so what were those things that you did
to help you move through that space
first thing I did was go and see my doctor
and let me tell you
that took me way too long to go and do
because I felt so much shame
around the fact that I wasn't coping
because here I was with two healthy children
a roof over my head
there was so many people so much worse off than me
this is what I was telling myself
how dare I with all that I had not be coping
and I also felt like such a failure as a mum as well
so that took me a
quite a long time to go and see my doctor
but I'm so glad that I finally got myself there
because there was something about seeing her
that helped I think
to lift a bit of that shame
and with that shame it lifted
I was able then to to take a bit of action
and she said to me something that I had heard before
and I'm sure you know
you would have heard Aaron
you listening would have heard this as well
that when you get on a plane
and they tell you an emergency
to put your oxygen mask on first
before assisting others that's what you said to me
this is an emergency and I really
I remember is thinking yeah
but what can this whole oxygen mask thing be for me
because I felt like I did not have anytime
I couldn't even go to the toilet by myself
without my toddler following me
I felt like I had no energy
I felt so sleep deprived it all felt really hopeless
but it was at this time that
because I'd gone and seen her
I know that Aaron
you've had
you've been at a rock bottom place before as well
and probably you listening
have been in one of those rock bottom places
and it's in that moment
sometimes you gotta hit that rock bottom to go OK
I have to dig really really deep here
and deeper than probably I've ever dug before
and find some way to move forward
and to take that step
and I was there at my kitchen bench thinking about this
thinking about my doctor's words
and there's something about seeing that kitchen bench
that reminded me of all the years I spent
at my ballet bar
cause I used to be a professional dancer
and so I put my hands on my kitchen bench
like I was back there at my ballet bar
and I got myself to do this one plie
which is a knee bend in ballet
you bend both your knees as you turn your feet out
and it was so crazy thinking back now
how hard that was
to get myself to do that first little plea
but I did it and then I did another one another
and I couldn't get myself do very long
and the first thing my head went well
but this whole oxygen mask thing for me
it's just it's pointless
it's not gonna work it's too hard
but there's something about that little moment
that I felt something I hadn't felt for so long
which was this very faint feeling of achievement
that I'd done something for me
it was really faint really small
and I also felt this really small shift
from feeling so hopeless to a bit hopeful
because he was something that I could do
that connected me back to myself
that none of the time exhaustion
all those things could get in my way of
and so I went OK do that again tomorrow
and so that's what I did the next day and the next
and what started happening was
I would lie in bed that night and
you know I'd always go through as a mum
all the things that I hadn't done and I'd gotten wrong
and I hadn't given my um baby this organic pumpkin
homemade puree that I was supposed to give her
or taught my toddler her ABC's
but I would
I would think about that one moment that I spent there
at my kitchen bench doing my plies
moving my body and so very slowly over time uh
that started to create this ripple effect
where I started to go and
because I was having the sense of achievement
and this thing for me and then
I started to go and get more professional help
I started to think you know what
I'm gonna eat thing other than my kids
leftover soggy crust of their toast
because it feels quite good to nourish me
and then I started sharing these videos
there's no social media then
so I started taking a dodgy video
and sharing it with friends
and friends
I knew were struggling with their mental health
and then it all grew from there
yeah it's amazing how those tiny little micro movements
which you call them
are just the catalyst to get going and to get moving
and I talk about all of those
you know what's just the next step
have the big picture idea
but the big picture can seem so far away
for a lot of people that thinking about well
what's just the next step is a much easier
more manageable more achievable thing
that you can then actually tick off the list
so then you can move forward to the next thing
so what do you it's so true
and you could look at it in so many areas of your life
couldn't you you like you say
you can absolutely look at that yeah
when it comes to money
you can look at it when it comes to to movement
and so but the thing is
I think so often we think that small things don't count
it's just oh
what's that gonna do
that was the first thought there at my kitchen bench
come on what's that couple of minutes going to do
but it is quite amazing how it can help get us unstuck
move forward and also
get us out of this mindset
that can really hold us back
this all or nothing mindset
yes so what's that
someone who feels constantly overwhelmed
constantly behind you mentioned before
that
it was really hard for you to take that first step
what are the micro steps
or the micro movements that are easier to implement
that if someone is feeling that overwhelmed and that
that pressure and that stress of the world
what are some of those little things that they can do
yeah I think the first step is mindset
so going from this mindset that says OK
it has to look like this certain way that we think
for example exercise has to look in our heads
so it has to be this hour or half hour
has to be at this certain location
we need to get outside
and we have to be wearing our fancy activewear
and have special equipment
and have certain energy to get the results
so we went so we think okay
well if it doesn't look like that today
well I can't do anything
it's this all or nothing mindset
and we want to turn that all or nothing into all
or something
because something is so much better than nothing
two minutes is so much better than no minutes
so
once you get into that mindset of saying to yourself
okay what can I do right here
right now that none of the obstacles challenges
excuses I'm giving myself can get in the way of
so say for example I've um
I've got no time today
I'm on back to back meetings I'm here at my computer
there is no way I'm going to be able to exercise today
okay
what's the smallest thing that you could do right here
right now at your desk in between back to back meetings
in those two minutes when you are joining
ending one meeting joining the other one
simply turn away from the screen
turn your head side to side
twist your body so you twist to the back
and then twist to the other side
like you're turning and looking behind you
stretch one arm up and reach one arm up
and then reach the other arm up to the ceiling
to give your back a really nice stretch
can you just stand up for a moment
roll your shoulders back and sit back down
and we think OK
come on what is that going to do
but there's a study that shows that
intermittent stretching like that
throughout your day
decreases your risk of musculoskeletal pain and injury
by 72% and 72%
and it makes so much sense
because when we aren't moving
some of us aren't moving very much
some of us are moving a lot
but let's take for example
if you're someone who's desk bound
and spends a lot of time you know
hours in front of your computer at a time
or maybe you're there
scrolling on your phone for hours
so you're not your body is in the same stuck position
and then you finally get up and you're like
oh my back
my shoulders my neck
you go lean over to pick up a child
or put something in the dishwasher and
and your back goes
so that's one example of all those things
you think I've got too much work to do
I've got this I've got that I've got that
how can you start super small
because the research shows
that these small moments that we take
are actually really effective
and in some research shows
it's particularly when it comes with strength training
when we do a bit of strength training in our day
little moments of it
it's more effective than if we do that
one big gym session in our week wow
that's really cool
so when you talk about a weight session
what like if I don't have the time to go to the gym
I don't have time I don't have a home gym setup
what is it that I can be doing
to help with the strength training to
so I get those micro movements
that two minutes of exercise
what are some suggestions that I can do
yeah it's so important for us
women to be doing our strength training
our bone density decreases as we get older
and also the brilliant thing
when we contract our muscles
they release what scientists have dubbed hope molecules
so they're myokines
so they actually make us feel more hopeful
you can feel it when you lift some weights
how much stronger you feel yeah
and so imagine a moment in your day where say
it's the first thing for me
it's it's first
thing and
kicking off your day with some strength training
is brilliant but let me tell you this
I've even been dubbed
the Excuse Buster from Down Under
and all the time pretty much every morning
I've got these weights sitting at my front door
and my deal with myself is when I come into the door
I gotta pick up the weights and do some
some straight training
but you should hear the voice in my head
on and on it goes oh
actually I maybe I'll do it later
I'll just clean up the kitchen first
I'll just get this email done first oh
maybe I'll do it tomorrow
can't be bothered
blah blah blah on and on this voice goes
it's so so uh persistent and it's so convincing
and I always say back to that voice
the magic words just do two minutes
that's all you have to do so I pick up those weights
they're sitting at my door
so mine at the moment are 4 kg each
and I'll do some simple bicep curls
I will do some squat into an overhead press
some triceps um extension
so I take the the weights back over my shoulders
and back up straight above my head
small moves like that the deal is 2 minutes
if I can't even do 2 minutes
it doesn't matter I just need to lift the weights
and do at least one bicep curl
so if you can have those weights
somewhere when I'm on the phone and I'm not um
you know on camera
I've got some dumbbells sitting on my desk
and I'm on the phone have my headset in
and I'll just do a few little little weights
and so
there's lots of little moments that you can take
to do a bit of strength work
but the thing is we think
oh no no I have to go off and and do the big thing
I can't do that today oh well
I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow
let me tell you
if you think about doing a couple of minutes of
strength training every day
with weights
hands on your kitchen bench when the kettle's boiling
do some push UPS do some squats whatever it is
if you think you go OK
so say I do 20 push UPS at my kitchen bench today
or two minutes of weights
at the end of the week
I've done 100 push UPS that maybe I wouldn't have done
10 minutes of strength training I wouldn't have done
so what does that look like at the end of the year
what does that look like in five years 10 years time
aren't I gonna be so glad looking back that I
every single day or most days
you know what I mean
my future self is gonna be so thankful that I didn't go
oh no I can't do it today
I'll do it tomorrow
I'll do it the next day I'll do the next day next
my future self is gonna say yes
thank you so much
for even just doing a few minutes every day
cause all of those minutes
have added up to where I am now
and that I think that is so important right
it is all about those little steps done persistently
and I talk about persistence rather than consistency
because sometimes we fall off the wagon
and we miss a couple of days
and then we think ah shit
it's you know the whole thing's just disaster
I may as well not even continue
but if we're persistent
and we get back up and we do it again the next time
then we just keep going on the momentum
but those I really love that
because I think those tiny little things done so often
like that
they do end up being the big things that really
move you forward
you gotta look at it I suppose in like a bank account
right so you think oh
what's the point in putting
$5 a day into a bank account
you know I guess it's it's not gonna do anything
I mean do you wanna talk about that
because that must be something that
that is very familiar to you
yeah I feel like it is so relevant
in every aspect of our life right
that if we are in this mindset of small
little micro steps with our eating
with our exercise with our money
with our sleep with our relationships
with everything we are just gonna see so much progress
and move so much further ahead
but I'm curious to know like
what are those
things that we can do to help safeguard ourselves
because I think we can get into that slump of like
you miss a day or you miss a couple of days
and then you think oh well
what's the point
so what are some of the things that we can
like you talked about
having your dumbbells at your front door
what else can we be doing to safeguard ourselves
to really help shift that mindset
so we can consistently do
the $5 in the bank account every day or
you know
not do the impulse shopping because we're emotional
because we're so overwhelmed with life
like what are some of those extra things
that we can be doing
I think
attaching it to something that you're already doing
is super super effective
so for example my one non negotiable is
but in terms of my habit stacking
is when I flick the switch on the kettle
to make a cup of tea
my hands go on the kitchen bench and I do some push UPS
and I don't care if that's even just one push up
that is the one thing that I have committed to doing
I think often we over commit
and you can listen to a podcast like this
and think right
I'm not getting up all day in my work day
but I'm gonna now get up at every half an hour
or I'm not doing any weights
so I'm gonna lift weights five times a day
and so it just all feels so big
and then we just just life gets don't do it
so
if we can look at one thing that we're already doing
in our day so maybe it's a
a signing up to a meeting that you already do
you know a daily meeting in your workplace that you do
and you can attach some kind of stretch or move
before you get on that meeting
that becomes your one non negotiable
maybe it's flicking the switch on the on the kettle
maybe it's when you're on the phone
you are now going to stand up and pace
when you are talking on the phone
maybe there is one meeting that you do in your week
or one conversation or catch up you have with a friend
that you can turn that into a walking meeting
or a walk and talk in some kind of way
I would choose one thing
attach it to something that you're already doing
I would then do a couple of things first up
perhaps there's some kind of accountability
that you can get with this
one thing that you're going to do
is it if you got people around you in your household
have you got a um you know
a child there that you could say OK
this is what I've started doing
I've started doing the you know
when I make a cup of tea or your partner or friend
whatever or colleague
I'm gonna start doing some push UPS
can you hold me accountable
can we do this together in some kind of way
the second thing is so
so important that we get a a reward at the end of it
and my favourite reward is a celebrating yourself
so it doesn't have to be right now I've got to go and
uh you know
and buy this thing or do that
a simple Celebration of thinking to myself ah
good on you for doing that
10 push UPS on your kitchen bench
good on you for lifting those weights today
good on you for doing that little stretch
give yourself I do this all the time
a high five in the reflection of your computer
a high five in the reflection of the window
and your brain goes wow
wow wow what have you done
that's amazing good let's do that again
you felt so good
we just had I'm releasing all this dopamine
now your brain doesn't know that
it's a tiny bit of action that you've done
and so what then happens is
you start to acknowledge that those small things
actually really important
and your brain goes let's do that again
so have it stack it get accountability
and then
be sure to celebrate when you do those small things hmm
I love that I really love that
habit stacking against things you're already doing
because it's not such a big stretch
to push yourself into doing this
one extra little thing um
why do you think we are so hesitant to change the way
that we work like
you talk a lot about the work day advantage
and incorporating movement
and those two minutes of movement into your work day
but why do you think we are so hesitant
to change the way we work
like what what stops us from stepping in and realising
cause you know
talking to you and all the
the there's so much research
there's so much talk about
you know moving
it makes you feel good you think better
you sleep better you do all the things
yet we still don't do it so what's going on there
we've really set up so many of our work days like this
in fact it starts at school
I remember when my youngest
teenage daughter came home from school one day
and she was so furious
and she slammed the door and dump the school bag down
and as teenagers tend to do
and she was so annoyed like
what is wrong Ruby and she said
you know what mum all day at school
we have to sit and sit and sit
and we'd hardly get any breaks
and my back's killing me we're
everyone's kind of falling asleep
looking out the window
you can feel the energy in the in the classroom
like why is school designed that way
I said I don't know and unfortunately
so many of our work days
and workplaces have been designed this way too
it's it's the norm this is what we do
we we sit and sit and the people to then
you know get up stretch do some moves
whatever everyone is gonna look at you and think whoa
what are you doing here what's going on
so that's a big thing that can stop people I mean
when I do my workshops and keynote
I'm always saying to people
what's the thing that is getting in your way
of having an active work day
for example a huge one is workloads time
another huge one is that whole I don't know
I don't want to do it in front of my people
in front of other people um
some people actually don't know what to do in in the
you know
if they're not gonna be exercising outside of work
how would they possibly do it in there
um other people feel guilty for doing it
some people feel like they don't have permission
other people don't remember
there's so many things that can stop us from
from doing it so if for example
you are part of a a workplace
what I've seen being really effective
inside workplace cultures
is to bring this in to meetings
and I work a lot with Medibank team
and they start each meeting
internal meeting with a 2 minute move
and they also do it with their external partners
some of the time as well
so a 2 minute move is one of my
my videos that even to start the meeting right
like we did before turn your head to side to side
let's just roll your shoulders back or you know
stand up if you're physically able to
and just kick your legs out
have a shake off
sit back down and at the beginning for them was like oh
I don't know whether anyone's gonna wanna do it
this is a bit awkward um
and there's a lot of resistance
and then over time it becomes the norm
and when they don't do it
they tell me that people in the chat saying hey
where's Lizzie's two minute moves
we gotta start the meeting with that
and so what happens is when they give the
you know the science behind it
this is why we're doing it
because we know that this can
increase our creative output by 60%
we know it increases our focus by 40%
all the research that's out there
we give some purpose behind it some meaning
we do it together to become the norm
it's like when we first saw stand up desks
and you would look at one and go
how is anyone possibly gonna work on that stand
up desk and now stand up desks are everywhere
so that's if you're working together with people
but if you're working on your own
look at it this way
I don't know if you've seen that show
um on Netflix the drive to survive
the Formula 1 show if you've watched that
so Formula 1 drivers they're on the track
and I was watching the show with my kids
I got totally into
I've never known anything about Formula 1 before
but when I was looking at these drivers and they called
um to take a pit stop
so they like box box comes in their ear
and they gotta take this pit stop
and I was looking and going
they are so focused on getting to that finish line
every millisecond counts I bet
the last thing they wanna do
is go in and take this pit stop
because they've got you know
they're going for it they're pushing through go
go go
but they know
if they want their vehicle to be in a great way
and get to that end of that finish line without
you know crawling
and wheels falling off and all that sort of stuff
they need to go have a quick change of their tires
um whatever it is that they need
and so for us in our work day
I think we're so what happens is we just power on
push through go
go and we think no no
I don't wanna go in and take one of those pit stops
but of course our
that vehicle that vehicle is our body
and our bodies
and our brains are really designed to reward us
and function at our best when we take these pit stops
we release amazing chemicals that help us think
feel better
so I think if we can in our work to go right
what's my pit stops gonna be
and have some kind of reminder to
to do it
set some sort of alert or reminder on your phone
or alarm habit away from your desk
so you've got to get up and do that
or attach it once in your day
to something that you're already doing
make it that habit take a sip of water
you stand up and do some squats
there's your pit stop every
if you do 10 squats Every 45 minutes
there's a study that came out not long ago
that shows that is more effective
at regulating your blood sugar spike
so that's how you keep that sustainable energy
than going out and doing a
a 30 minute walk so
that would be good for that three PM slump
where the productivity takes a massive dive
the creativity goes out the window
the focus is like on everything else except for work
so that pit stop at 3:00 doing your squats
doing the movement I presume that
that would just increase that productivity
for the back half of the afternoon
yeah so much research behind that
and what that does for your energy
especially if you after you've had something to eat
that's a really great time as well
to get in some kind of movement
take a quick even a 1 or 2 minute walk as well
helps to regulate those blood sugar spikes
cause what comes up must then come down again
so that movement really really helps
but look I get it
this is not at we we so used to working and uh
this mindset in a certain way
this can be challenging to shift so again
I really encourage you to just choose one
small moment that you can take in your day
what is it that you need more in your day
do you need to stress a bit less
do you want more focus
do you want your body not being so tight and achy
do you wanna be in a better mood
think about one of those things
the way that you wanna feel
and how could you move your body in some kind of way
to help you achieve that is that if you're at home
is that turning on a song and having a dance
is it having a is it having a chair stretch
going out for a quick walk
make it quite meaningful and intentional
and then you'll be much more likely to do it as well
you just meant mentioned music and dancing
now you are a big mover and shaker on stage
I've watched a lot of your keynotes
and your presentations
and you have the whole room moving
what is it about dancing and music
that just lifts that energy
oh it's so incredible well
there's science behind it
because when we dance and move
we and especially when we do it together
we release oxytocin and so that's the bonding hormone
that's one of the huge reasons I get people up and
and dancing together
and I usually ease people in as well
I don't sort of run up on stage and go right
we're gonna dance first of all
there's a giving people the science
the meeting the trust
all that sort of stuff before it but when people start
you know when I say OK
we're gonna dance together
and I always get everyone doing
starting off with old school dance moves
so for example hands out in front
we're gonna start stirring up a pot
think of all the ingredients that you need to have a
you know great next financial year or whatever it is
or we're gonna pretend we got two heavy shopping bags
and lift one shopping bag and then the other one
so we do some really fun familiar moves
so what happens is people start and they're like hmm
I don't know you start to look around
but then you catch someone in the eye
they're smiling looking oh my gosh
I can't believe we're having to do this
then the next person you look at they're smiling
start to laugh and this energy
it's infectious
and it spreads throughout the whole room
where everyone is moving dancing
walking high fiving each other together
it's an incredible thing to witness from the stage
and it's an incredible way for people to connect
to bond to loosen up
to get that joy and get a bit of that
that energy together it's
it's I so often wish people could get
to see what I see out from the stage
for me who feels totally socially awkward dancing
does it take long for those people who like me
um to get into it and to get moving
or is it that infectious energy
it's contagious
and they just sort of step into it and get going
it's both I've been doing this for a long time
I mean I've been doing this
it was over 10 years ago
I think I was sitting in my first conference
first time that I was um
up on that stage at a conference doing
getting everyone moving and that happened
because I would always sit in conferences
and look around and think
oh my gosh people are starting to squirm in their seats
because they're getting uncomfortable
and they're looking at their phone
they're stifling yawns
and I think I need to get up on this stage
cause I know
that I could shift the whole energy in this room
and I know that I can do it
because I was a dancer my whole life
I also have a
have a story about how this all came about
I have a story that I have
I empathize that this is not always easy to do
I was there with postnatal depression
I couldn't get myself to do anything
and so I started with just two minutes
and I've also got the science behind
what's gonna happen why we're gonna start doing this
I also always call out the resistance
and that resistance is you know
whenever I ask anyone to get up and move or dance
I've been doing it for over 10 years
audience of 10 people 10,000 people
this is what I always hear oh
we're gonna get up and move
so I call out those groans
give people a really good reason why
those groans are gonna turn to thank yous
so then it's by this point
the audience now trust me
they have a great reason
behind why they're going to be doing this
and and I primed them they're they're they're ready
they got a new different mindset we've looked
down under we've got them sharing stuff
and then it's usually at the end that we have a dance
and and let me tell you
I have never once over 10 years
had an audience where I've looked out and went oh
this is not working people
most people really actually do like having a dance
you can't just say right
we're just gonna have a dance and let everyone just
you do their own thing
cause that's kind of awkward and weird
but if you can get everyone
doing these familiar type of moves
old school dance moves and even the most socially and
uh and that awkward or uncoordinated people
I look around and yeah they all get into it
but yes you're right
it absolutely helps to do this together
all this stuff is so much easier when we do it together
and that's what I've seen happen in workplaces
that's what I see
what happens all the time in conferences
when we do this together it makes it so much easier
it's sort of like
you need the permission from everybody around you to
step in and let go
I think we hold these expectations
or these barriers of what we should look like
or what we should do or how we should show up
and then once we all start doing it together
we wanna stick with the herd right
so we wanna don't get left out
we don't wanna be the only one who's not dancing
but then it becomes fun and engaging and connecting
that's right and I'm always saying to audiences
particularly those that I feel like they're gonna
probably need a bit more warming up
and a bit more of a help to do it
that by you getting up if you're physically able to
do these do these moves and
and or I'm gonna have this stretch here on my chair
I'm gonna have a walk around or um
whatever it is that I get people to do
what happens is that you then give that permission
to the person next to you to do the same
it is like giving them a gift
it's like if you were in a in a office space uh
or in your work day and you're feeling oh
I don't know if I I
I think I wanna have this little stretch in my chair
I'm feeling a bit awkward
I don't know where I should do it
or maybe you're outside and you've passed a park bench
you know
I wanna do some push UPS at this park bench but oh
I feel a bit embarrassed or whatever it is
if you can flip that and think to yourself OK
if I do this someone is probably gonna see me
and what is gonna happen then is that
they might be a bit inspired to do it as well
and in a way I'm giving them permission to do it
I'm actually giving them a gift
and that's always what what I've done if I've been
you know in a queue at Officeworks and I thought
you know
this is a great place for me to to do some heel raises
lift my heels up and down same time I'm like oh
I don't know what will people think I'm like
you know what I'm gonna do it anyway
cause maybe I might be able to get this whole line
behind me doing it
whenever I'm on a long haul flight
I'll just get up
head up the front and do a few stretches
I was on a flight once that
everyone kept on coming up and doing stretches with me
so people wanna do it
but it's having that permission to do it
and amazing if you can be that
yeah so as um leaders women
we are leading our families
we are leading the people around us
and in our workplaces plus at home
plus our kids it is so important
I think that we show the way and lead the way
so what are those things that
you know we've sort of talked about it
but the mindset the
the shifts that we need as women in particular
to be able to you know
just light our brains up like Christmas trees
like you say
and just really embrace this whole movement thing
you're so right about the role modelling
Aaron because this is actually bigger than just us
isn't it
an incredible thing if you've got kids or nephews or uh
nieces young people around you
and you've been doing something
and then they start doing it too
I know for for my daughters that
you know for years of being oh
be great for you to go and take a walk
uh you know you're you're in a bad mood or you're um
not um
you're not being out of focus whatever
take a oh no no no
don't do that I mean
and then I'll always be like
I'm off for a walk because my brain's about to explode
or I'm just like ah
I gotta shake off this thing
I'm just going going outside for a walk or I'm just
I'm here lifting these lifting these weights uh
because I need to you know
get some confidence and build you know
feel stronger before I head into this meeting
and doing that for for years
and then when you see them going years later
I'm just off for a walk because I can't focus or um
my youngest came home the other day and she said oh mum
I've start you know
how you always talk about how it
walking compared to sitting
increases your creative output by 60%
according to a study by Stanford
she knows it off by heart
cause I've said it so many times
and those creative juices continue to flow
after you sat back down
and you're always telling me to do that before an exam
she said well uh
she just had a end of year 11 exams and she's like
I'm getting now all my friends
we're all walking around the school before an exam
because I've been telling them so much about that
and so they've all started doing it too
so there's something about the
the role modeling of that that um
is quite an incredible thing
and so even if you're there going ah
this is not really having an impact
on those people around me partners
uh kids friends
when you keep doing it
and keep showing up and doing it consistently
over time it's an amazing feeling when one day you go
ah they're finally doing it
because I've continually shown up and
and had that role modeling and really
the amazing thing when we keep showing up for ourselves
is that when we do take a two minutes to do something
for us to lift those weights for two minutes
to go out for a quick walk
to have a stretch whatever
whatever it is we are being that
that keeps showing up for ourselves
and what does that do
that builds that confidence muscle
I'm somebody that shows up for themselves
at self efficacy 1 and then
it's the days that you don't feel like doing it
and there's all these things getting in your way
and you still show up for yourself anyway
you still do those push UPS at your kitchen bench
even if you don't feel like it
what happens is that you build that resilience muscle
because you showing up for yourself
even when you don't feel like it
even when it's hard and that muscle that you build
can then
ripple out into so many different areas of your life
I love that and I know that
like when I'm talking to women about their money
and getting better with money
it is all about it's more than just the numbers
it's more than numbers on a page
money in the bank living this whole grounded
rich girl life is about choosing yourself
it is about doing the things that light you up
it is about putting yourself first
so that you can make good decisions
you can be informed
and so I love that you are bringing this all back to
you know we can apply this to any aspect of our life
which is just so so important
which is why I wanted to get you on here
because I know you talk about the active work day
and being active in that space
but
I really feel that there is such a big connection to
the way we show up in our world
to then how we make decisions and how we move forward
and if money is one area of your life
that is causing a lot of stress
and worry and overwhelm
then movement and incorporating your principles
like that two minutes
is just
gonna have such a massive shift on your mindset
it so does
and so often we wait to do all of these things
we can wait to feel motivated to do it
and when we feel like it
but you would have experienced this
that when you something that you ugh
I just really don't want to do I mean
for example
for me it's my bass like doing like my tax I mean
I just that spreadsheets look at it
I'm not doing it I can't do it I hate it
I don't wanna do it it's like and I you know
and I think okay I gotta wait till I feel like doing it
that's never going to happen
but what happens is when I'm like okay
start typing January to February
duh duh first item duh done
duh and then what happens
I've taken that little bit of action
so then the next bit becomes easy
and then I started to build that momentum
so rather than waiting for the motivation
to want to do something what we need is this action
and action precedes the motivation
and action is the thing that helps give us momentum
so it doesn't matter how small that action is
it doesn't matter at all
we need that little something'cause that's the thing
that gets us started
so I think with any area of your life
going out of that all or nothing into all or something
doing that two minutes so much better than no minutes
because what it does
in so many different areas of our life if it gets a
in that first step which can always feel so hard
and then that next step becomes a little bit easier
and a bit easier and a bit easier
so I would
think about what is one thing that you could do today
if you're there stuck on the starting line
whether that's something to do with your finances
something to do with your health
your well being what is it
what is that smallest thing that you can do
that's gonna help you step over that starting line
don't look ahead of the huge Marathon
that you got ahead of you
what's that one
first thing you can do to get yourself going
and because that is one of the hardest things to do
and then do another one and another and another
and trust that those little steps
are gonna start you moving in the direction
you're wanting to go in
and celebrate every single one of those steps
with a high five with a woohoo
good on you and I presume
that there is an increase in profitability
if you own a business and you implement these mini
micro movement spaces in your work day
there would be an increase in profitability
because you have less burnout of your staff
you have less absenteeism
you have less disengagement um
do you see that come through in the
the businesses that you work with
oh absolutely
I mean one company uh that there's research on
saw an increase of sales
from doing these micro breaks in their day
of 20% so if you think about what that dollar
the time that you save looks like for 20%
there's other studies also
that shows even holding this
getting your posture in a good position
this open position
so you roll your shoulders back a few times
hold that for a couple of minutes
that increases your confidence by 33%
so you go into a meeting to a sales call
to whatever that is feeling 33% more confident
and other people perceive you as more confident
as well and then of course
our the what happens with our brain
how it releases BDNF
which is brain derived neurotrophic factor
that's like fertilizer for your brain
it helps you be more productive
it helps you get more done
it helps you get out of work quicker
so you can spend
more time with your family and friends
and then you'll feel it as well
if say you were able to in your day
I don't know if you can or not
depending on your work situation
but say you're at home and you were having
you know a bit of a hard time with with work and stuff
and you were okay
I'm just gonna go and turn on a song and
and have a dance around
or I'm gonna go into the bathroom cubicle
and just punch
and shake off all this stress and tension
I'm I'm holding
and then you release those endocannabinoids
which are calming chill pill in our body
we release serotonin we release end dolphins dopamine
all of those great things
and then we then move into whatever
it is next on our to do list
and we're going to be doing it in a more effective
productive in a in away
it's like we have this inner pharmacy inside of us
just waiting to be accessed
and we can access it in so many different ways
and it can really help us um
really enjoy our work days more
be more present with our families and um
and and
get started on the things that we're really wanting to
do hmm
I love that that's so good
um so what does being a grounded
rich girl look like for you
because rich is more than just money in the bank
so what does a rich life look like for you
you know when I think about the word rich
for me it brings up money is one of those things
and the word grounded means
feeling really good about money
and as a freelancer we're doing the freelance dance
if you're listening and you know this one well
then maybe you're like me
that you might have some UPS and downs
when it comes to money and I've had to work really
really hard on my on my money mindset
because what happens when
there's certain times of the year
as a speaker that goes quiet
and if I panic I decide that I need to pivot
and so I'm not steering the course
and I know what I need to be doing
but instead I go it's not working
I don't have the money coming in panic quick
try that try that
do that and I become the opposite of grounded
and so I've had to work really hard on not doing this
this pivot and not panicking
really hard and then you know what
money flows to me freely and easily
doing the affirmations
I've got the money tree just outside of my office
and I go in each day
and pull all the spider webs off it and
and do my my chanting and all that kind of stuff
and very much goes stay
steer the course stay grounded because you know
work is always gonna come
sometimes it doesn't come for for
you know
for some of us who are doing the freelance thing
and like oh my gosh
I've got no money in my um
coming in but we know that last month had
10 x the money coming in that we needed to come in
so for me it's staying very uh grounded
steering the course and making sure that I don't panic
and making sure that I am trusting that um
the work is gonna come um
and always does and trusting that um
that it's all gonna be OK
and not getting in that horrible head space of um
scarcity of oh gosh I'm not gonna ever work again
all of that kind of stuff
because that is just the complete opposite of a
of a grounded rich girl to me
so it doesn't matter whether I've got
you know millions of dollars in my bank account or not
that's not what it for me
it means rich but grounded riches means
you know don't let the money
scarcity money mindset dictate my decisions
how my self esteem is and
and dictate whether I'm going to keep moving forward
in this direction I'm moving in
that I know is working
and I know is impacting so many people
and I presume
you would do that by sticking to your habits
your non negotiables those two minute moves
those dumbbells at the door
the walk when you need a walk
I presume that it's sticking to that stuff
which keeps you in that grounded mindset
which then allows you to move through those moments of
oh no
what's going on type of thing to stay the course
because it's easy to say oh
just trust yourself or just do this or just do that
but I think it's the real
practical things of the movement the
the sticking to the habits
they are
the things that are going to keep you on the path
of trusting yourself when it does get rocky and bumpy
ah so true
and to stay grounded and to
in those moments where I might find my
my mind you know
that spiral that voice in my head
all those kind of kind of things we actually have in us
the biochemistry to be able to
shift that and we can do it with things like the
the push UPS
how I talked about how releases those hope molecules
that shaking off that having a punch
that having a dance that having a walk
often when I find myself having that
you know the
the thoughts that aren't helpful in the spiral
or that kind of I
and I know straight away okay
you
you've gotta make a shift here we've gotta actually
you know get in motion emotion is motion
so we get in that motion
so we can help shift through those really um
sometimes that hard things
things that are getting in our way
and it's just an amazing practice to have
when you're there going oh no
I just can't do it anymore hands on the bench
do some push UPS go and uh
so yeah I find that that's you're right
that's been really really effective to help
if you feel yourself
getting in some kind of downward spiral
to go OK
how's a little
what's a step I can take to help shift that
to help bring me back up hmm
that's so good so good so what is some final thoughts
final things that you wanna share
and then where can everyone find you
when that voice in your head
and I know this voice so well
says to you all the things
gives you all the reasons why you can't
do the things that you know
that you wanna be doing today
when it says you oh
I just don't have the time
all the kids are sick at home
I've um you know
I've got all these other things I need to do
I feel too guilty to do it
it's raining outside I'm too exhausted I've um yeah
all of the reasons that it's going to give you
you're gonna do this you're gonna
become your own excuse Buster from Down Under
I'm gonna bestow that title onto you
so now that you are the excuse from down under
when you hear that really loud
persistent voice in your head say
oh I don't think I can't get started on this
I don't know if I can do this all of the things
what are you gonna say just do how many minutes
two minutes that's all you have to do
how much more achievable does two minutes
sound to 30 minutes or 60 minutes
so much more and like we've talked about
so much in this amazing conversation Aaron
there's two minutes is so much better than no minutes
there's two minutes really do add up
and I'm proof that two minutes at my kitchen bench
17 years ago LED me here
to being here with you to speaking with you
to getting you to do
getting to do all this amazing work that I get to
you do and I know that if I can do it
then you can do it too two minutes
that's it start with two minutes amazing
so where can we find you
but look up Lizzie Williamson
you'll find me everywhere
whether you want me on Instagram or LinkedIn
uh and yeah
get the book the active workday advantage
um would love to love to hear from you from this
this episode
and maybe they'd like to get in touch with you as well
and if you hear from anyone
let me know what is your 1 2 minute move going to do
or your 1
2 minute action that you're gonna start doing
maybe it's got something to do with your finances
with health well being whatever
share it with us and we can help keep you accountable
we're pretty good at that
amazing that is so good
I I have loved this conversation
thank you so much for your time
I will put all the details uh
wherever I post this to get in contact with you
but I just love your energy
you are so contagious
you are just such this bright ray of sunshine
and your beautiful yellow shows that as well
but thank you so much for joining me
I really appreciate you being here today
oh thank you I appreciate you too

57. Money & Movement: The 2-Minute Habit That Builds Wealth

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