The Magic of Starting

I know I have likely written about this before but it’s fascinating to me how often certain patterns come up again and again in my life. It seems like certain lessons need to be learned again and again. Even when you know they work, you get into this state where it’s as if you are new to it all. And you’re surprised all over again.

Starting is one of those patterns for me.

I know from experience that there’s magic in starting. If there’s a new routine you want to add into your life, you just need to start. If you want to learn something new, you just need to start. If you want to change a behavior, you just need to start. If you had an idea that you’ve been holding on to for years, you just need to start. If you’re afraid, you just need to start. If you’re scared, you just need to start. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you just need to start.

You just need to start.

There’s magic in starting. It’s as if the world is watching and as you start, it changes shape to align to your wishes. To your goals. Things just tend to unfold. And as the obstacles come up, there’s enough force behind your momentum that you can conquer them.

This is not to say you need to go all in. You don’t need to quit your job, leave your family, move out of the country, or do anything drastic. You can start small. Tiny, even. Seeds don’t become trees overnight. They take time lay roots, connect with the earth and grow slowly. Deliberately.

It may take a long, long time for a seed to become a tree. But if you don’t start the process, it will never, ever actually become one. And much of the process might feel incredibly slow but once the seed is in the ground, magic is happening. Things are moving.

Only once the seed is in the ground. Once the first step is taken. However big or small.

I’ve seen this again and again in my life. The one day I decided to get up and exercise changed my whole life. Back then, I didn’t think “I will exercise every single day for two years.” I had never exercised before. I couldn’t even run to the end of the block. Let alone a 5K. I had been carrying my excess “pregnancy” weight around for seven years. I didn’t have an end goal in mind.

I just started.

I got up and exercised. The next day, I did it again. And again. And again. Until my streak got long enough for me to believe in it and not want to quit. Until I was able to run a 5K without faling apart. Once I conquered the five straight months, it became easy to keep going for the sixth. It only happened cause I started. Because instead of spending the next morning sitting on the couch, annoyed about my inability to tackle my weight/health issue, I actually took a walk. I did something about it. One tiny thing.

I started.

Trust me when I say there’s magic in starting. You might be a planner, a todo list maker, an adventurer, a dreamer, or someone who just likes to see how things go. It doesn’t matter if there is a long term plan or not.

All that matters is that you start. You take that one, tiny step today.

Right now.

Do not wait.

Start.

I am confident you won’t regret it.