It’s Okay to Start Slow

January 06, 2021 2 Comments

Remember when it was December 31st, and you were so excited to have a fresh start? Maybe you sat down and wrote out all things you want to accomplish in the new year, set up a schedule of your days, weeks, and months — some of you down to the minute. (Don't worry, I'm preaching to the choir on that one. I've found that I actually enjoy writing out schedules and planning my days. But when it comes to real life, it's not very fun sticking to a schedule.)

You were full of good intentions, and maybe you'll even get two weeks in before things start to slide. You know what I mean: you stop working out as often as you set out to do, your house starts to pile up with unfolded laundry, and the sink has a mountain of dirty dishes. You start sliding on your social media game, and you just don't have enough time to spend on your side hustle.

Whatever your goals were, it all just seems so overwhelming to tackle it all. The problem is we try to jam too much change into one season. We think, "January 1st is gonna be different. Everything is changing for the better." The challenge isn't that we are trying to make changes. It's that we try to change too, too fast.

Changing your lifestyle takes time. It's a process. But no one likes that, do they? We live in such an instant gratification kind of society that we have forgotten how to handle the process with grace. It takes time to change how you eat and exercise. It takes time to change bad habits and replace them with healthy ones. (I know. Ewww)

I'm one of those who like to change everything at once. I try to take on everything for the year and cram it into one month. As my husband likes to say, "That's not real." And he's right. (But it is annoying, especially when we are having an argument. 😂) Yes, my hubby and I fight. Gasp!

So, instead of cramming all of my goals into one month, I've decided that I'm going to change things slowly. I'm focusing on three things that need to change and working up to where I want to be. For example, one of my goals is to get back in shape by elk hunting season, which comes around at the end of August. Usually, I would have set a goal to work out 5 days a week and completely change how I'm eating, holding myself to an impossible standard. Instead, I'm going to do what I can. I've purposed to workout once a week and then increase when I'm ready.

As I wrote this, a scripture came to mind, and I think it is pertinent for today's thoughts.

Psalm 127: 1 - Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

You may be thinking, "Way to be a downer, Nicole." Just hear me out. All too often, I think we run ahead in a vision, and then we look back and ask God to bless it. Goals and dreams are great, and God wants us to have those. You have to make sure that you are aligned with His vision and plan for your life. He wants to go with you!!

What are three small goals you could start this month in your life, business, or career, and then increase as you go? Share with us in the comments!

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