Just start

I don’t think it has to be January 1st or the 7th to start something.

I don’t think you need the excuse of a new year to begin or change anything.

I think, sometimes, you can simply start because you feel the pull to do so.

I’m writing this because a few days ago I noticed that familiar pressure settling in. The quiet urge to tick everything off a long to-do list before the end of January. And at some point, I stopped and thought: this doesn’t make any sense. I was putting weight on something that’s meant to feel light. On something I’m meant to look forward to.

Let me explain.

I came back from holidays with my family on January 5th. I started working again on the 7th and carried a (not-so-soft) post-holiday heaviness with me until around the 15th. Meanwhile, the list of things I needed to do kept growing. It ruminated in my head, woke me up at night and mixed itself with jet lag; so sleeping wasn’t really happening either.

One evening, I opened my Notion project and started typing.

Buufff…

Just looking at it felt overwhelming.

And then I remembered something that truly helped me last year:

Small tasks.

One at a time.

As I mentioned in a previous post, action creates momentum. Inspiration usually comes after, not the other way around. Movement creates clarity.

So after a few days of better sleep, after reminding myself why I’m here half a world away (even though saying goodbye to my family never really gets easier), I decided to begin again, little by little. Not because it was January. Simply because I wanted to. If you want your life to change, you have to change something.

January is a curious month. We carry this shared idea that now is when everything must begin. New year, new beginnings, fresh starts… And I often wonder who decided that? And is it really true?

I don’t think it has to be January. It could be March… or summer, or a random Tuesday.

The point isn’t when.

The point is to start.

Sometimes that’s easier said than done. I know.

So if you’re still reading, this is my small reminder to you: if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. I understand that feeling more than I’d like to admit. And you’ve got this. Whatever it is you want to do, it deserves at the very least, the chance to be tried.

From this side too, I can tell you: start by doing something. Even one tiny action. As James Clear says, 1% is infinitely better than nothing at all. And 1% over time is far more valuable than 20% today and 50% six months from now.

So go out there.

And just start.

As for me, I’ve finished most of the things on that list. And that feels really good. I’m already looking forward to what comes next.

More on that, soon.

Thanks for reading and being here.

I hope you’re having a wonderful day.