One Step At A Time

When I first dipped my toes into self-development, it wasn’t some big, intentional decision - it was mostly because I was annoyed. Travis had started waking up earlier than me, and somehow, he was cruising through the day with less stress, more motivation, and just an overall better attitude. Meanwhile, I was dragging myself out of bed, still half-asleep, wondering how in the world he was thriving on less sleep.

The real kicker? He was doing it because some book (The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod) told him to. And worse? It was working. I watched him for about two weeks, secretly hoping he’d give it up so I could keep my “I’m just not a morning person” excuse. But he didn’t. So finally, my curiosity (and maybe a little FOMO) got the best of me, and I decided to try it too.

Really, it was only an hour earlier than I usually got up - how bad could it be? So, I committed to this whole “morning routine” thing and started reading The Miracle Morning. And honestly? It changed everything.

I had always liked having a little quiet time before the kids woke up, but now I wasn’t just drinking coffee - I was diving into books about mindset shifts, personal growth, and becoming a better version of myself. Looking back, I don’t think getting sober would have been as simple as it was if I hadn’t started this process years before.

I think about who I could have been - the version of me that never picked up those books, never started making small shifts, never saw myself as someone capable of change. I don’t know where that version of me would have ended up, but I do know this: long before I took my first step into recovery, I took a step toward choosing myself.

One step. That’s all it takes to begin. One decision, one habit, one moment where you decide to lean into something better. And when you keep taking those steps - one at a time - you start to realize you’re walking a whole new path.

Today, I get up at 4:45am to enjoy my quiet time. When I felt myself feeling distant from God, I adjusted my schedule to fit in extra time in my bible and prayer. One feeling led to one simple step and I've been feeling on fire ever since.

I’m still on my journey. I always will be. But I can tell you this: it’s worth every single step.