Hannah’s Daily Note

This week, I’ve been trying to get back into a running habit. Out of all the forms of exercise I’ve tried, running is the one that genuinely gives me satisfaction. I’d pick a run on a cold, rainy day over a crowded gym any time.

And this got me thinking about starting small.

I knew that if I wanted to restart, I had to start small. I had to go out with zero pressure to run the whole time. A walk–run–walk–run rhythm was not only acceptable, it was the smartest approach. And on day two or three, if I ran less than the day before, that was fine too. My only expectation was this:

If I’m getting out for a run, it means I’m running again.

And we can apply the same to worship:

How often do we expect ourselves to come back perfectly? To pray all five immediately. To read pages of Qur’an. To feel connected straight away. And when it doesn’t happen, we tell ourselves we’ve failed.

But what if we applied the same gentle formula?

I want to pray again.
Today, I prayed.
So I’m praying again.

I want to build a relationship with the Qur’an.
Today, I read even a small amount.
So I’m reading the Qur’an again.

Those small steps matter. They count. And they should motivate us, not shame us.

Restarting anything – faith, habits, routines – requires space to be human. It requires removing expectations and honouring the effort.

So here’s the question I’ll leave you with today:

What’s the small step you’re going to take today?