21

There is an old but somewhat potent myth in our cultural lexicon that suggest we can make or break a habit in 21 days. A brief look through the results after Googling “21 days” debunked that myth pretty quickly. I think I may have also read somewhere that it takes 21 days for our skin cells to replenish themselves over time. I turns out it’s more like 40-56 days. 

Twenty-one days probably feels like a landmark of sorts because of the myth on habit-breaking. There is plenty of literature out there these days on how people should not get attached to such a short timeframe to make or break new habits, and I have to say I agree. But I also should say that the last 21 days dedicated to occupying all my time with having and building faith, turning problems and people over to God or Good as much as possible, have been incredibly liberating and rewarding. 

It hasn’t been easy, because I have not yet let real faith seep into my system as a default, but I must say even with a limited amount of time and just the willingness to keep trying has made my life infinitely better. 

I should also say that my willingness to have faith is almost two years old. I have been on this path for two years and the choices I made then are starting to really pay off now, but things have gotten much better and more faithful in the last three weeks, because I have made a commitment to just have faith no matter what and see what happens. 

I think that willingness and commitment has made me calmer and more brave at the same time. I have embraced a more optimistic, faithful outlook while being willing to really look at dynamics or patterns that have undermined me my whole life. I feel brave enough to give them and the people associated with them up if I have to in the name of keeping my faith. The strangest part is, I haven’t actually had to give up people who have caused me pain. If anything, my faith has changed me and changed the dynamics for me in really miraculous ways. 

I caution my readers to not assume life will change overnight if you start to consider faith a serious part of your spiritual practice moving forward. Making assumptions about life being easier or better is a selfish act based in faithlessness. True faith is being willing to do anything and pray for anyone in the name of embracing change within. On the outside, life may not change very much, particularly in the beginning. But change will happen within, in the psyche and in the heart, and eventually that changes everything else, too. 

The key to it all is patience and a willingness to believe the Good out there in the world belongs to us and with us in our hearts and lives. If we allow ourselves that much every day, eventually everything changes.