Build the Habit of Showing Up

Build the Habit of Showing Up

By Leo Babauta

Posted on August 19, 2025

So much becomes possible when we just show up regularly.

Some of the best people I’ve known are people who just show up for others, regularly. They show up, take care of things, do their best. And the lives of others get changed.

When we’re struggling with our lives, often it’s a struggle to show up for our lives.

So today, I’m going to recommend the idea of building the simple habit of showing up. Simple, but of course not always easy.

If you can show up regularly, things will start to change.

What Does Showing Up Look Like?

Showing up can be applied to any area of our lives:

Fitness: When I wanted to start running, my mantra was to just lace up my shoes and get out the door. I didn’t have to run if I didn’t feel like it — I just needed to show up. Eventually I ran my first marathon this way! The same thing applies if you want to work out at the gym, or do yoga regularly, or play a sport. Just show up, and you’ll see progress.

Finances: For me, this looks like opening my budget app every day (You Need a Budget is what I recommend) and sorting through transactions, making sure I’m on plan, making payments and adjustments to the plan as needed. It takes 5-10 minutes a day. For someone else, it might be some other small steps — but showing up regularly can make a huge difference in getting finances in order.

Meditation: Practicing mindfulness through meditation can have a huge impact on your life — but only if you’re showing up regularly and practicing. I’ve gone through many periods where I struggled to show up, mostly because I always feel too busy. But if I can remind myself that all I need to do is get my butt on the cushion, then my meditation practice starts to happen.

Big project: A writer friend of mine told me that he just needed to get his butt on the chair at a certain time and the book gets written. That’s what showing up for a project looks like.

Clutter: If you have mountains of clutter … can you take just 10 minutes a day to clear out a little of it? Slowly the mountains shrink to molehills.

Email: Overflowing inbox? Have a session every day where you clear out the less important emails (archive, quick replies) and try to reply to a few of the more important ones.

Learning: We learn best when we’re consistently showing up. Whether it’s reading through a textbook or studying Anki flashcards, you’ll see great progress by just showing up regularly.

You get the picture. A habit of showing up regularly changes any area of your life — including relationships, your career, your pile of small tasks that can feel overwhelming, and more.

How to Build the Habit of Showing Up

So how do we build this as a habit? Well, intention and practice.

Start with the intention: pick one area (any of the areas above would be good) and have the intention to just show up in that area every day (or at least, most days). It’s not about perfection. Just start with the intention. Write it down.

Then practice:

• Set a reminder so you don’t forget. Also put it on your calendar.
• Start with the smallest amount you can show up. Just lace up your shoes. Just get your butt on the chair. Just open the document. Don’t get ambitious.
• Each day, when you practice, see if there’s something you can enjoy about showing up. Can you find a little bit of fun, play, curiosity, gratitude?
• What could be lovely about showing up?
• Acknowledge yourself each time you do show up. Drop the habit of self-criticism and discouraging yourself, and instead practice encouraging yourself.
• Appreciate what starts happening after a week or so of showing up regularly.

It’s an underappreciated skill, but I think showing up regularly changes everything.

​

with love,

Leo Babauta

Zen Habits

• https://zenhabits.net/

Your “Bed of Nails” Is History

Your “Bed of Nails” Is History

Life Tapestry Creations
Channel: Brenda Hoffman

Posted on June 17, 2024

 

 

 

Dear Ones,

Perhaps you need reassurance that your life and world are becoming more loving rather than less loving.

Your media continues to promote that lack of love, yet your inner being seems to have less need to be part of the convoluted world the media promotes.

Even though you are exposed to the daily reports of the disharmony that seems to be the current world mode, you have not experienced the same to any degree. And if you ask others, they would likely report something similar. It is as if the air is starting to flow out of the fear balloon.

But perhaps some friends or relatives are concerned about finances, places to live, jobs, or wars. This is so for a reason—like a child who plays so hard, they are exhausted, resulting in temper tantrums and other inappropriate behaviors. Even though you, as the parent, understand why they are reacting as they are, you want that behavior to end. So it is now.

Parts of the world and certain leaders are acting as do overtired children. That is not to say you must condone their behaviors, but instead for you to know that those actions are fading as more and more of the world takes a new parental view. Indicating to those promoting fear, anger, and angst that those behaviors are unacceptable in this new world.

Such will not happen tomorrow, but it will happen much sooner than you anticipate because 3D words and actions are no longer dominant Earth themes.

Of course, that concept seems impossible to prove or accept as you learn about physical, emotional, and spiritual violence and disdain for the freedom of others. But again, are those activities part of your personal world, your larger world, or reports from places that do not touch you or yours personally?

If those activities touch you personally, why do you suppose you volunteered to be part of that painful piece? A question that does not indicate you are bad or evil, but instead for you to ask yourself why you need to be part of that pain? It is time for all who are suffering to determine why. Did you volunteer? Are you continuing to be an earth caretaker beyond the time you need to do so? Are you afraid to receive because of past issues you have not yet resolved?

If you are suffering, you are doing so because you have not yet accepted the freedom new you brings. You are not a slow learner or a bad person; instead, you no longer need to suffer as you expected to in 3D.

This is a new world, and you are a new being creating a life that is correct for you – not in pain or fear, but in joy.

So, your task for the next few days is to remove yourself from the 3D pieces that seem to be sticking to you as if rotting food has been glued to your being. Remove it. Allow yourself to breathe in the air of receiving—and expect to live in joy.

This will be difficult for some because you are almost more comfortable being an Earth punching bag than an independent being living in the freedom of personal joy.

That last statement does not negate your transition work and dedication. Instead, it informs you unequivocally that it is time to let go of your savior complex—a complex you created throughout Earth eons with your unerring focus on shifting the world from fear to love. Your focus was so complete that, in essence, you slept on a bed of nails lifetime after lifetime, suffering with one focus: saving the Earth. You have done so.

Your sacrifices and pain are over. Your need to care for everyone but yourself is over. Your need to protect everyone is over. Even your need to shift others to love is over. The only remaining task is for you to accept and receive the bountiful life you have created for yourself and others.

Ignore those who attempt to return you to 3D. Ignore those who try to make you feel guilty for not helping them before yourself. Ignore anything that indicates you are to continue living on a bed of nails.

This new life does not include caretaking others unless it feels delightful, and most certainly not saving the Earth or others who wish to remain in 3D fear. It is over. And because it is over, the only medicine you need now is joy.

If you were deathly ill and the doctor said you would heal if you took a specific medicine, you would likely do so. Many of you reading these materials continue to feel ill. The only medicine you need now is to live in joy, negating the need to sacrifice your joy because others expect you to do so.

Allow yourself to live in the sunshine, and allow others to live in stormy weather if they choose. Joy is your focus, regardless of what or who others want you to be.

If you continue your 3D role, others focused on 3D fear will be less likely to understand how to move beyond 3D.

Moving into joy is no longer a selfish move but an Earth/Universal need. Do not expect the Earth to become joyful and then help push you into that place. You are the instigator of your joy, as is every being who has moved beyond 3D.

This transition is from the inside out instead of what others want or think. Claim your freedom to be by claiming your joy, and you will help move Earth into joy. Wait for others to push Earth into joy, and you will remain in pain. 

 

So be it. 

 

Brenda Hoffman

http://www.lifetapestrycreations.com/

 

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