Every Little Bit Counts [An art-poem-text mix]

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Every Little Bit Counts

If there’s one thing in Life that’s always tripped me up, it’s the all-or-nothing mentality I bump into on a daily basis. That shiny over-the-rainbow way of thinking that clings to my thoughts like saran wrap. For most of my adult life, it’s had a hold on me.

I have to admit that I’ve gotten good at telling myself lies. At keeping myself feeling safe. Because that’s what happens when you believe in all or nothing. You get stuck wanting to live up to some super high standard of achievement. But because you feel it’s so out of your reach, you keep yourself small to avoid even going there.

And worst of all, you waste all your energy on procrastinating.

It’s like deciding you want to reach the top of the mountain but forgetting you can only get there one step at a time. So you start to believe it’s impossible. And you spend the rest of your life justifying why you can’t.

When we can see it for what it is, we realize all-or-nothing thinking is just fear.

It keeps us feeling like failures for not getting there and it keeps us from trying. So we end up stuck feeling negative emotions. But all the while, the opposite is also possible. There is a way to get unstuck by feeling positive emotions instead.

The opposite of all-or-nothing thinking is every little bit counts.

It’s about shifting your focus from the top of the mountain to the next small step in front of you.

And you know you can take that one step. It’s not even scary. What you’ve never thought about before is how you can feel after taking that one step. All this time you’ve put off feeling joyful because you couldn’t get to the top. But it turns out you can feel that way now with every small step.

Because taking that one step is a mini version of what you want to feel when you get to the very top.

If my goal is to exercise like a pro, I start by exercising 10 minutes today.
If my goal is to write like a pro, I start by writing in my journal for 15 minutes today.
If my goal is to run my business like a pro, I start by reading one chapter from a business book today.

All these little steps don’t seem like much. They’re not difficult. They only take a little bit of time. So it’s surprising how much joy they bring. How good it feels to get them done. How much motivation they spark.

I’ve wasted so much time thinking things have to be hard to be worthwhile. It almost feels ridiculous to figure out that things can feel easy and bring joy at the same time.

The way I want to feel has always been in my reach. I prove it to myself with every small step I take. Because now I know that every little bit counts.

it’s never all or nothing
that’s a big fat lie
a stupid slogan

that only makes you mad
for not getting it right
for not being better
for not fitting in
for coming up short

once you figure out
that the present moment is eternally
your golden opportunity
to forgive yourself for messing up
and then move on

that’s when you’ll know
it’s never all or nothing

it’s only this little bit right now
this tiny bit of joy
forever yours

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Alex Mitchell