You know what counts in living well? What leads to you actually living well vs. wishing you could? Minutes. Yes, minutes.

Minutes in which you try that thing you think will help. Minutes in which you switch one thing for another. Minutes that feel super easy. Minutes that make you feel can-do instead of crap-let’s-put-this-off-for-later.

Minutes lead to more. But don’t start with that concept. Just start with the win. Minutes. Did it for minutes? Cool. Celebrate.

My best example is trying meditation. The time I got successful with a reasonably consistent practice, I started with minutes. A few minutes. Finally. After years of starting with way too many minutes. Thankfully, one day, I tried again with an app (Calm – still my favorite after a couple years) that guided me through 3 minutes of meditation. 3 minutes and done. Off to the rest of my day. I said I would meditate. I did.

Those minutes are more minutes today. Generally around 20. I can’t even imagine meditating for only 3 minutes. But those 3 minutes in the beginning? They were gold. I appreciate them so much. Because they let me build. They led me to where I am today. Which NEVER, EVER happened before when I began with too much more. Weeks of lots of minutes ending up in months of zero minutes. Try again. Same thing. Feel pretty defeated and, yeah, a little pissed at myself.

When I fall off track — since, last time I checked, I’m a pretty fallible human — minutes guide me back. I start again the same way. I do it for minutes. If it’s the same/similar thing, those minutes ramp up pretty quickly then. It just makes the get-going easier.

Minutes in small amounts matter. Minutes always, always feel do-able. Minutes almost always lead to more. When they don’t, it just gives you info that you need to tweak something or try something else. Starting things in baby minutes is your easy trail toward the life you want. Stop making it hard.