Hadith on Habits: Best deeds are consistent, even if small

So, I was considering skipping this week’s email because I have been so lazy and haven’t written anything for my book “Smart Single Muslima” this week but I made a commitment to myself (and to you) to send a regular email and so it will be done.

Just Showing Up

I imagine no one will care about something as trivial as a missed email, but I feel that when it comes to building productive habits, consistency, and ‘just showing up’ is really important.

Let’s say we’re making a commitment to our health that we’ll do 30 mins of exercise every day, or that we’ll read Quran every day or anything like that. We’re definitely going to have days where we can’t be bothered. We’ll make up dubious reasons, telling ourselves that one missed day doesn’t matter and that we’ll work twice as hard the following day to make it up.

This is a trap. Habits are built on consistency. Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace, and blessings be upon him, said, “Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they are few.” Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 4240

The way I see it, it doesn’t really matter how much Quran we read or how long we exercise, as long as we just show up. We can reduce the number of ayat or the intensity of our workout, but as long as we’ve shown up, that’s what matters. You then don’t end up feeling like a failure.

So when I have those days when I can’t be bothered, I like to reduce the intensity but still show up. With this post, it’s by no means a literary masterpiece, but I’ve shown up and written something that I hope will have value to at least one person. That’s a win in my book. Far better to do that than to skip it because ‘it’s not good enough’ and I know I’ll feel guilty :( if I don’t write it.

Just my malformed two pennies on that front. 

Take care and have a wonderful week.

Farhat

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