You know what I’ve been thinking about lately? How much time we spend waiting for some big, mythical moment to arrive. Like life is just going to knock on the door one day with balloons and confetti and a sign that says, “Okay, now’s the time to get it together.” I’ve waited for it too. For motivation to hit me like a lightning bolt. For clarity to descend from the sky and tell me exactly what to do next.
But let me tell you something. Lightning bolts are overrated.
I think about all the times I’ve said, “Next Monday, I’ll start.” Or, “After the holidays, I’ll figure it out.” As if a fresh week or a new year was the missing ingredient, the secret sauce, the thing standing between me and the person I want to be. But here’s the truth I’ve learned: Mondays are just Mondays. January 1st is just another day. And all the motivation in the world won’t save you if you’re not willing to do something uncomfortable.
That’s the part nobody talks about. Change isn’t sexy. It’s not some polished Instagram moment where you light a candle, crack open a fresh planner, and suddenly become the CEO of Your Life™. Change is awkward and uneven and usually starts with doing something you don’t feel ready for.
I remember this one time I decided I was going to run every morning. Not because I’m a runner or because I have any business being awake at 6 a.m., but because I wanted to feel like one of those people who “owns the day.” You know the type. Anyway, I went out on a random Wednesday and ran two blocks before I thought I was going to throw up. My shoes weren’t right, my lungs were on fire, and a guy walking his dog gave me that look like, “Are you okay?” Spoiler: I was not okay. But the thing is, I went out again the next day. And the day after that. And by the third or fourth time, I realized something. I wasn’t running for the perfect results. I was running because I didn’t want to stop.
That’s what change feels like. It’s not about crushing it on day one. It’s about getting up, doing the thing, and being okay with the fact that it might suck.
Here’s the part that really frustrates me about the way we talk about resolutions and fresh starts. It’s like we’ve all been tricked into believing that the stars need to align before we can do anything meaningful. That we need a perfect plan or a new year or some grand “aha” moment. But if that’s your strategy, let me save you the trouble: nothing’s going to happen. You’ll sit there, waiting for conditions to be just right, and life will keep moving without you.
It’s not about waiting. It’s about doing. About taking one step, even if it’s a half-assed, clumsy step that feels pointless in the moment. And let me tell you, there’s a special kind of freedom that comes from doing something badly but doing it anyway. It’s like giving yourself permission to be human.
You know what’s funny? Nobody’s paying as much attention to you as you think. That fear of looking stupid? It’s all in your head. Everyone else is too busy worrying about their own mess to care.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’re waiting for the perfect time to start, stop. There is no perfect time. There’s just time, and you either use it or you don’t. Change doesn’t need a reason. It doesn’t need a new planner or an email from Susan or whatever motivational quote is making the rounds on social media this week. It just needs you to stop overthinking and start moving.
If you’ve made it this far and you’re still scrolling, maybe this is the sign you were waiting for. Or maybe not. Maybe you’ll wait until next Monday or the next “perfect” moment. That’s fine too. Just know that life doesn’t wait. You don’t have to be ready. You just have to begin.
Leave a Reply