Consistency compounds.  This statement has been playing around in my mind all year.  One step.  One choice.  One bite.  One workout.  One thought.  One action.  Over and over and over.  Depending on what they are, progress is made in some direction- either positive or negative.  Whatever you’re willing to put up with will determine those decisions.  Are you willing to feel out of shape?  Are you willing to be broke?  Are you willing to stay stuck?  Are you willing to be lazy?  Are you willing to be distant from your spouse?  Are you willing to hate your job?  Are you willing to put up with the negative self-talk you’re speaking over yourself?  These are all questions I’ve asked myself this year alone.  Well, everything but the hating my job one, because I absolutely love my job.  The answer to all of these questions is a resounding NO.  But the answer isn’t the secret sauce.  Action is.

Instead of change everything all at once, which always always leads to burnout and quitting for me, I decided to focus on one thing this month.  I want to eat clean every day, workout every day, have a clean house, be a fun mom, a spicy wife, a savvy business woman and cook yummy dinners every night for my family.  What I NEEDED to do was quiet my soul and be still.  Being a 7 on the enneagram makes this one of the hardest things for me to do.  Yet also one of the most needful things.  As is picking ONE thing and committing to it.  This is so healthy for someone like me, who can flit and float seamlessly from one fun intention to another, leaving idea number one dying a slow death while I embark on idea number one-thousand-and-two.

So I made a commitment this month to do ONE thing which involved being still and quiet.  Interestingly, some of the other choices I want to make are naturally starting falling into place because of this one step.  I joined a 5am’ers group and am choosing to set my alarm for 4:40 every morning, Monday through Friday, and not to hit the snooze button.

The first couple of days were awful.  I wasn’t waking up early to do anything fun, like catch a flight to another country or drive four hours to land on someone’s doorstep for breakfast.  Nope.  Just shuffle downstairs, get a cup of tea, and be quiet.

Sometimes fantastic ideas come to me during this time, and sometimes they don’t.  Sometimes I’ve been able to exercise during this time, and sometimes I haven’t.  Sometimes I’ll begin cooking a yummy dinner for that night, and sometimes not.  Consistency compounds.  So far this month, I’ve gained thirty hours of quiet, just by doing this exercise.  I know it’s setting me up for success in other areas, because now I won’t be waking up early to exercise, I’ll just be adding exercise to my already-formed habit of waking up early!

Remember, whatever you’re willing to put up with will determine the future of your life.