The greatest benefit of mini habits, former procrastinators, is that using them is in line with God’s Word. Jesus commends those who are faithful in a few things, in little things. He also teaches we cannot serve two masters. In that context, he spoke of money vs. Himself. But it prompts me to ponder this: when I live my day without time focused on priorities He has directed, am I serving the wrong master?
“Oh, that my ways were directed to keep your statutes!” (NKJV) “Oh, that my ways were steadfast in keeping your statutes!” (ESV Psalm 119:5.) Directed and steadfast. Mini habits are a wonderful way to establish us on the path He directs. They help us do what needs doing when it needs doing. They remove a weight of frustration, failure, and guilt. I’m finding this true with two minutes daily of scripture memory and two pages in a scripture-based book.
Another benefit of mini habits is they expand our comfort zones in a gentle way. Stephen Guise author of Mini Habits says imagine your comfort zone as a circle in which you’re standing. Some of your goals are outside the circle. Dashing way out there brings discomfort to your basal ganglia’s routine; willpower depletes rapidly. With a mini habit, you take one step outside the boundary. You may step right back after meeting your minimal requirement. If you continue to take one step outside and return, your subconscious gets comfortable. Your boundary expands. This can permanently enlarge your comfort zone. At least it helps you take a step into new action. (Mention the Lord in a conversation, meet a new neighbor.)
Mini Habits give you an appropriate feeling of being in control – especially if you’re doing a priority. The sense of floundering goes away. They do away with fear, intimidation, procrastination. They’re too small to fail. They work when you’re stressed. And they’re stress-relieving.
Mini habits enable you to work on more than one area of habit formation at once.
Mini habits set small requirements but set you up for doing more. They fit into or form routine.
Mini habits cooperate with how your brain works. That’s HUGE. Therefore, they dovetail into your life, they’re easy, they give constant success without fatigue.
If you meet only the tiny requirement of a mini habit, it will still form a habit – which makes it easier to do more of it. They are a foundation for more. Guise says “Mini habits never hold you back. That would be like saying a spark holds back a fire from starting. Mini habits are sparks with unlimited potential.”
What benefits are you seeing as you employ a mini habit or two?
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