My life has been like a stained coffee filter.
I swapped a disposable filter for a cloth one and didn't notice a single change for twelve months.
I used it every morning, rinsed it, and hung it up.
One day, I bought a replacement.
When I held the new one next to the old one, I was shocked.
The old filter had changed size, shape, and color entirely.
The change was insidious (one of my favorite movie series). I never noticed it because I was "in it" every single day.
"If you’re not willing to start with small, embarrassing steps, you’ll never make it to the big, impressive ones." - Ryan Holiday
You can't see the needle move while you are staring at it.
You only see the transformation when you stop to compare the "now" to the "then."
Small habits are the grains of sand that eventually become an erg you can't ignore.