For many years, I made grand New Year’s resolutions. I would resolve to go to the gym more, eat healthier, learn a new language, get more sleep, and read the whole Bible — all in one year.

But within a few weeks, I’d give up because it was all too much. I felt like a failure because I wasn’t able to keep the promises I made to myself. Then I’d repeat the pattern the following year.

However, several years ago, I stopped making resolutions because I found them inherently problematic. While resolutions work for some, they can be overwhelming for others because they force you to think too big. Resolution-makers tend to be overly ambitious. Suddenly, just because the calendar turned over, you’ve committed to walking 15,000 steps a day, drinking a gallon of water daily, starting a hobby, reading the Bible in 365 days, and going to bed earlier every night. That’s a lot to handle all at once.

If you are great at keeping resolutions, that’s amazing. I celebrate with you! But if you’ve repeatedly blown your resolutions, I’m here to help you develop a manageable method for building good habits into your life.

First of all, if you’re a resolution-breaker, know that you’re not alone. A multitude of studies show that the majority of resolution-makers abandon resolutions within the first two months; many don’t make it two weeks.

If resolutions aren’t working for you, there’s a more effective strategy. It lies in the power of small changes, bite-sized habits, and immediate goals.

Try this. Pick one doable thing you can do tomorrow to make life better. Focus on the present-day commitment, rather than fixating on whether you can persevere for 365 days in a row. Over time, by showing up daily, a habit will form.

When you’re ready to tackle another goal, build another practice into your life — until it, too, becomes a habit. Continue the pattern, folding in new habits as you’re able.

That’s the wisdom behind Zechariah 4:10 (NLT) which says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”

The verse comes from a vision God gave to Zechariah during the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. The task of rebuilding was monumental, and there were many challenges, including discouragement caused by the people comparing the new temple to the grandeur of the previous one. (Raise your hand if you’ve ever compared your progress to someone else’s.)

But God reminded the people not to undervalue the start of their work, however small it seemed. The beginning was worth rejoicing because it marked the first steps of progress toward fulfilling God’s promises.

The same is true for us.

Even a habit that starts small can grow into something significant under God’s guidance.

That’s the philosophy I eventually adopted. Because of that, I’ve been able to grow in all of those habits I mentioned earlier. I regularly go to the gym and consistently eat healthy foods. I’ve read through the Bible in a year(ish) many times. I have a 778-day streak on Duolingo, an app where I practice Portuguese and Indonesian. How? By building doable habits into my life – one “small beginning” at a time.

This year, remind yourself it’s okay to start small. If you want to finish the Bible in the next year or two, commit to what you can do today, like reading for 10-20 minutes. Then, be deliberate about doing it again tomorrow. If you want to walk 10,000 steps a day, start with 5,000 today. Add steps until you reach your goal.

Give yourself a little bit of grace and time. Celebrate the gratification of reaching an immediate goal. It will give you the boost you need to keep going, day after day.

In this new year, focus on progress, not perfection. Trust that God can use your small beginnings and grow them into something beautiful.

 

Listen to Jennifer’s devotion below or on your fave podcast app!

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