The dust has settled on the goals we made for the new year. Some of them we’ve made great progress on, while others have already been forgotten. There’s a fresh layer of snow on the ground, and bitter cold temperatures keeping it around for what feels like forever. The sun continues to hide behind the clouds, and daily 8-5 grind marches on.
If you’re anything like me, you may feel a little bit stuck during the month of February. That feeling is normal, especially if there are more goals on the “forgotten” list than you’d like to admit right now. This feeling can be seriously exacerbated when we acknowledge the state of distress around the country, and the seemingly little we can do about it. You’re not alone in these feelings.
How do we get out of this rut? The great civil rights leader, Rosa Parks, once said, “To bring about change, you must not be afraid to take the first step. We will fail when we fail to try.” I adore this quote and the wisdom Parks conveys through it. Sometimes I get stuck during seasons like this because I’m afraid to fail. But according to Parks, only not trying at all is true failure.
In other words, take a step. Just one single step toward your goal. Decide today that you are going to change just one thing, for yourself or for someone else, to make life a little bit better.
Don’t reach for the alcohol after the stressful workday this week. One step.
Go for the walk with kiddos right after dinner. One step.
Set aside the phone and read a book before bed instead. One step.
Reach out to that mental health counselor your friend mentioned. One step.
Call that colleague that looked like they were having a hard day. One step.
Ultimately, a big change in life is just a collection of small daily changes all added up. Many little steps make a great big step – this is what life change and improving our world really looks like!
If you or someone you know needs support to take the next healthy step, The Willow Center team is here and ready to help. Call us at 317-852-3690.
Written by Chase Cotten, Community Director
