The Power of Starting Simple

What if we simply started .... and started simple? There's a freedom in starting when you don't know the "right" way to do things.It started out as a simple idea, really.  Or maybe not so much an idea, as a calling.

God said, “Create something.”

Or

“Help someone.”

Or

“Go somewhere.”

And so we started.  Or tried to start.

What we thought was simple became complicated.

Technology to learn. Advice from so many places.  Could’s and should’s and must do’s to be successful.

As our to-do list gets longer, we move farther and farther from the simple thing we are trying to do.

What if we tried something different?  What if we simply started …. and started simple?

There’s a freedom in starting when you don’t know the “right” way to do things.

We are free to write from the heart without the structure of scannable headings and numbered lists.

We can create from our imaginations in any color or font we like.

We can build relationships with kindred spirits whether there is mutual benefit or not.

Starting simple is surprisingly difficult.  We have to be disciplined to stay off the crazy train that compares our beginning to someone else’s end and finds it lacking.  We must be comfortable in our simplicity, knowing that time and patience may bring growth not measured in followers, page views or sales.

But starting simple does not mean we don’t have big dreams.  So our time of simple can also be a time of intentional learning that sets us up for success.

Learn what works for us and what doesn’t.

There is something funny about all of those could’s and should’s and must do’s.  Depending on who you listen to, one person’s “must do” is somebody else’s “don’t”.  Whether starting a blog, creating a product or beginning a ministry, there is not a single right way to do it.  Through prayer and experimentation, starting simple allows us to try different things to see what works.

It also helps us find the mentors and experts whose advice always seems right on target.  In the beginning, cast a wide net and sample several information sources, but quickly narrow it down to a few trusted places that are consistent with your vision and level of experience.

Master one thing before adding on something else.

With so many things to learn, we get caught up in trying to do it all at once.  I don’t know about you, but my linear brain has a hard time processing lots of new things at one time.  I work better in layers.  Do one thing … master it … do it well.  Then add another.  Somethings will take weeks to master.  Others will be only days before you feel comfortable enough to add on another layer.

Develop systems and processes that will grow.

When things are simple, we don’t give much thought about the way we get them done.  How we save our files. How we manage information.  How we handle email. How we juggle our time and appointments.

But as things grow and naturally get more complicated, these foundational systems need to grow with us.  Paying attention to them in the beginning will mean good habits that turn what could be overwhelming annoyances into simple habits.

I have ideas for new things. New products. New courses.  New ways to support and encourage God’s girls who are making him famous online.  That is the simple thing God has called me to do, so I’ll start these new things one simple step at a time.

If God has given you a big dream, don’t wait until you have it all figured out.  Start simple and grow into your dream. There is power in simply starting.


Tired from trying to share your God-inspired message while working your full time job?

Do you wonder if it’s worth it, or even possible, to build a ministry or business on the side?

I have good news for you. It is possible. It is worth it. You can do it.

That’s why I’m glad to share with you the four-part Honor System, to help you honor all the work God has given you to do. These are the hard-earned lessons I’ve taken away from chasing after my dreams and maintaining the career that supports my family.

Grab it here!

 

Linking up with Kelly Balarie at #RaRaLinkup, Holley Gerth at Coffee For Your Heart, Natalie Venegas at Salt & Light, with Susan B. Mead at DanceWithJesus, with Arabah Joy at Grace & Truth

10 thoughts on “The Power of Starting Simple”

  1. So glad you reminded me of this today. I get overwhelmed with the big picture, ideas , the huge list of things to do…. that I want to stop everything. My mind wants to rest and refresh, and at times I even wonder if I am just biting off more than i can chew. did I miss the mark!?
    Then, I sit for a moment and remember, in Whom I trust, has given me the ability to overcome the fleshly strain, as i seek his help, I get refocused…. and do what needs to be done, one segment at a time!!
    in Christ, we CAN do all things we are called to do!!!

    Reply
  2. Such valuable wisdom here, Christa. I’ve been thinking about the same thing: start SIMPLE. Feeling God’s prompting to work on an e-book this summer, so I might launch it in the fall. It’s so easy to over-think, over-research, over-everything. This is such good advice. On IG, I saw that Crystal Paine was encouraging bloggers to have only 1-3 goals for each week. I’m sticking to that!

    Reply
  3. Oh Christa, I do miss the days when I didn’t know all the should dos of blogging. I was ignorantly blissful in doing what felt right at the time. Now I find myself often stifled because it feels like I don’t have the time to get it all done. Thanks for your encouraging words to start again simple and grow.

    Reply
  4. Love this… there is a big pull toward “simple” in my life and church right now (Just finished reading Simple Church…). Jesus did one simple thing- make disciples – and he did it well. I get overwhelmed by the bigger pictures and all the details but all we’re called to do is the next small thing He calls us to do! Loving your wisdom here Christa, as always ♥

    Reply
  5. I love this! I often feel overwhelmed by the “should do’s” but I’ve had to let that go because I really do have limited time in this season of my life. I value spending time with my children (homeschooling mama here) and my husband over blogging. So I don’t pay as much attention to numbers and all the things I “should do” anymore because of it. I really love reading Crystal Paine’s stuff on her new blogging website because she actually encourages us to break the rules.

    Reply
  6. YES, YES, YES!! I want to see the end from the beginning and get stuck somewhere in the middle. Breaking it into bite-size peices helps keep me moving along instead of biting off more than I can “chew” and giving up. Great reminder, Christa!

    Reply
  7. Everything about this resonates with me. I needed this refreshing reminder about not cluttering so many of my daily items, from blogging, to motherhood, to to-do lists.

    Reply
  8. Hi Christa,
    I love this post because I am right there at the starting place and feeling all these things. I have made a conscious decision to post just once a week to keep it sustainable for the long run. I have also had to keep focusing back on one thing when I get overwhelmed by opportunities via emails and offers of free courses etc. There is so much out there and I just can’t do it all right now and keep meeting my first responsibilities. It is nice to hear others confirming that decision to keep things simple.

    Reply

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