The Power of a Minute

Isn’t it amazing how long or how short a minute can feel? Today while sitting in a meeting, my Apple watch sent me one of those alerts encouraging me to take deep breaths for a minute. I figured since I had nowhere to be but this meeting, I would press start and just breathe for a minute.

THIS MINUTE FELT LOOOOOONNNNGGGG. I couldn’t believe how long that minute felt. It didn’t feel quite as long as a wall squat minute or a lunge hold, but it felt like a long time. Have you ever had a pet bolt out your front door or struggled to find a kiddo on the playground? As you frantically call for them, a minute can feel like forever.

Perhaps that’s why when someone asks us if we have a minute, we can feel a sense of dread. Or maybe it’s because it’s because we are busy, and we understand that this conversation will take much longer than just one minute. Ha!

One minute can make a big impact.

If one minute has the power to feel tortureous, imagine how GREAT it could feel with just a smidge of intentionality.

It often feels like we don’t have enough time.

Certainly, we all would benefit from looking at how we spend our time to prioritize what matters. But that can also feel really big and daunting.

But you know what’s not big and daunting? A minute. Just 60 seconds. And yet, BIG THINGS can happen in a minute.

I love dreaming about small moves that can make a positive impact on myself and others. Small moves require merely 60 seconds.

I could send a text message of encouragement to a friend or family member.

I could look out my window and catch a sunrise, a sunset, or vibrant red cardinal amid a snowy landscape.

I could ask myself what I’m grateful for and allow that gratitude to bring me into the joy of the present moment.

I could notice the flavor and smell of my freshly brewed cup of coffee and get my mind right before a meeting or learning session.

I could do as many pushups as I can! Workout – done. In just a minute – boom! Haha…

All of these small moves when done consistently have the power to impact my wellbeing and the wellbeing of others in a big way.

I love this quote from James Clear, “Some people spend their entire lives waiting for the time to be right to make an improvement.”

Sometimes, we just need to start. Stop making it big in our heads. Stop working out the perfect plan. Stop waiting for a fresh week or fresh calendar year.

What would be on your one minute list?

There is power in a minute. And something about that feels manageable and simply good right now.