It can be easy to overlook the power of small habits given we live in a fast-paced world of instant gratification and flashy self-improvement products. We often find ourselves searching for a miracle solution that will transform our lives in a snap. But what if I told you that the key to impactful personal growth lies in the tiny and often mundane actions that we take every day?
You are a Lego Creation
Think of your personal development journey as building a complex Lego set. Each small habit you form is like a single Lego piece. The piece on its own may not look like much. But when combined consistently over time, these tiny pieces come together to create something so much more impressive and scaled out.
You can’t achieve significant personal growth without consistently practicing small habits. It’s not about making giant leaps in one go. It’s about taking small steps every single day.
Let’s Do Some Math
Say we look at a 5-minute action we do daily. If you look at that against a singular 24-hour time frame, it may not feel like much. It is 0.347% of our day. If we look at it over the course of time, it paints a different picture.
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5 minutes a day = 35 minutes a week
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35 minutes a week = 140 minutes a month
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140 minutes a month = 1,680 minutes a year
That’s 28 hours in a year, all from 5 minutes a day of a small action.
The Unsexy Side of Growth
Personal growth isn’t always glamorous. It’s not about buying the latest self-help book or signing up for an expensive seminar. Sometimes, it’s as simple (and boring) as choosing to make an egg sandwich instead of ordering takeout.
I recently experienced this exact situation. I was exhausted and tempted by the ease of the myriad of food delivery apps on my phone. Instead, I opted to spend five minutes making a simple egg sandwich. Was it Instagram-worthy? Hardly. Was it a small step towards my goals of cooking more at home and saving money? 100%.
You Got to Learn to Trust Yourself
There are important things that happen each time you follow through on a small habit. You are making progress towards your goal and building trust with yourself. It’s like making a promise to a friend and keeping it, except in this case, you’re both the promise-maker and the promise-keeper.
The more you stick to these habits, the more you train your brain to believe, “I am someone who follows through” and “I trust myself to keep my promises”. This self-trust is invaluable when facing challenges, roadblocks, or tough moments on your journey down the road.
The Ripple Effect
Small habits have a way of creating ripple effects in our lives. That five-minute meditation might lead to better stress management throughout your day. The decision to take a quick walk around the block could kickstart a more active lifestyle.
These ripples extend into multiple areas of our lives. By choosing to take the 5 minutes to cook, I am:
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Improving my financial health and adding to my slush fund. This may come in handy if there is a time I truly need an emergency fund.
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I am adding to my goal of cooking more at home to be more mindful of my nutrition.
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I am producing less waste by using groceries I already have.
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I gained trust with myself. I have the confidence that I can tackle this challenge again in the future.
Embrace The Small Actions
The next time you find yourself thinking, “Does this small action really matter?” remember the Lego analogy. Each piece might seem insignificant, but it’s an essential part of the bigger picture.
Celebrate these small, often unglamorous actions. We build our masterpiece one step at a time.
You don’t need hours of free time or expensive things to make meaningful changes in your life. Sometimes, all it takes is five minutes and an egg sandwich.
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