The 'All or Nothing' Trap
In fact, success may come by trying for a few minutes at a time until we become more comfortable with the action.
My disease loves extremes. If I can't meditate for 30 minutes like a monk, I won't do it at all. If I miss one day, I feel I've 'broken the streak' and give up for a month. This rigidity is a setup for failure. It's a way to keep myself from trying, because if I don't try, I can't fail.
Step Eleven encourages progress, not perfection. Success comes in the trying, not the duration. Three minutes of conscious breathing is infinitely better than zero minutes. A quick 'Thank you' is better than silence. When I lower the barrier to entry, I make consistency possible. I am learning to be gentle with my stumbling efforts. God is not checking a timecard. The intent to connect matters more than the execution. A few minutes of sanity can change the trajectory of my entire day.
I can set a 'micro-goal' for today. I will spend exactly two minutes in silence. I will not judge how 'good' the silence was. I will just do it and mark it as a win.
