Small Steps, Big Wins: How to Move Past Resistance

Ever catch yourself saying, “I’ll start tomorrow” but tomorrow never comes?

You want to change—whether it’s budgeting, exercising, setting boundaries—but every time you try, the overwhelm kicks in. The task feels too big, too tedious, too exhausting before you even start.

So you put it off. Again.

What if the real problem isn’t the task itself—but the way you’re thinking about it?

Why We Resist Change

Your brain is designed to protect you. It scans for discomfort, perceives it as a threat, and tells you to retreat. That’s why stepping outside your comfort zone—whether it’s managing your finances, having a hard conversation, or starting a creative project—feels so damn hard. Your brain links it to pain.

This is why we delay, avoid, and self-sabotage. Not because we’re lazy. But because deep down, we’ve linked discomfort to danger.

But what if we could rewire that?

The Small Shift That Changes Everything

I used to resist budgeting. Not because I didn’t know how, but because I associated it with punishment, restriction, and shame. My mind told me: This is too much. It’s hard. What if I find something I don’t want to see?

So I avoided it. Put it off. Told myself I’d do it when I was “in the right mindset.” Spoiler: that day never came.

Then, I tried something different.

Instead of focusing on the entire task, I focused on one tiny step.

📌 Find one bank statement. Just one. Done.

📌 Categorize just three expenses. Done.

📌 Look at numbers with curiosity, not judgment. Done.

And guess what? The resistance faded. Because I was proving to my brain that I could handle it. That this wasn’t a threat. That taking action felt good.

This is called marginal gains—breaking a big task into bite-sized, manageable pieces. The Navy SEALs use this trick to get through brutal training. They don’t think about surviving Hell Week. They think about getting through the next five minutes.

This isn’t just about budgeting. It applies to everything.

→ Want to start working out? Do one push-up.

→ Need to have a hard conversation? Write one sentence.

→ Drowning in emails? Answer just one.

Stop Waiting to Feel Ready

The biggest lie we tell ourselves? “I’ll do it when I feel ready.”

Readiness doesn’t come first. Action does.

Your brain will always look for an exit when something feels uncomfortable. The trick is to start before you’re ready. Even if it’s messy. Even if it’s imperfect. Because small steps create momentum. And momentum is what rewires your mindset.

Your Challenge: Take the First Step

Right now, think of one thing you’ve been putting off. What’s one tiny step you can take today?

Write it down. Do it. Prove to your brain that you’re safe, capable, and in control.

Because real change? It doesn’t happen in one big leap. It happens in the small, unglamorous steps you take every single day.