Starting a New Habit? Why the “Began” Stage is the Most Critical

“Began” is an interesting word, and it’s been sticking out to me for some reason lately during my scripture study.

As in, “The people began to …”

Here’s the simplest definition of “began” (it works for “begin” also):

To proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start.

So, to me, beginning something doesn’t mean you’re full-blown doing that thing. You’re just at the beginning stages.

Begin can be a good thing. And it can also be a not so good thing. Depending on the thing you’re doing.

If you’re beginning to work on a new healthy habit or talent, that’s awesome! If you’re beginning to go down a not so healthy path and create a bad habit, then that beginning isn’t so great. If it’s the latter, since you’re only at the beginning of that thing, there’s still time to turn around before that thing gets past the beginning stage to the more permanent, harder to stop and change phase. If it’s down a positive path, then keep taking those beginning steps until that new habit is solid and a part of your life.

And those people in the scriptures I’ve been reading? No matter what they’d begun to do, they often kept moving along that path—for good or bad, and as they moved farther and farther along that path, they also experienced the consequences of beginning on that path—for good or bad.

The key is to always be mindful of where that beginning is taking you. And remember, you can always turn around, do a little backtracking, and begin again!

What’s something you’d like to begin working on? Sometimes the hardest step to take is that first one, but simply taking that first step, then seeing the results, makes steps 2, 3, 4, and so on much easier.