21

There is an old but somewhat potent myth in our cultural lexicon that suggests 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 posts 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 this time spent dedicated to building faith, turning problems and people over to God (or Good) as much as possible, and just seeing what shakes out 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 a long time coming. I have been searching for faith, off and on, for years, but only become completely committed relatively recently. Things have gotten much better and more faithful 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, and it 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 immediately isn’t the point. I feel good about my life right now, even though I am going through significant changes, which is stressful for most, if not all of us. Faith is not for the faint of heart, nor should be the basis for making rash decisions. If anything, it can create calm, ground us in our authentic selves, and help us get through hard times with or without making any changes.

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 (or God) 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.