One day or day one. Two simple, three-letter words. The order of these two simple words matters. The meaning profoundly shifts when the order shifts. I am sure, like me, you have heard these words before in different contexts. Motivational speakers and coaches frequently use these two words to help their constituents turn wishes into action, or convert passive hopes into proactive commitments.

Let’s break it down. “One day” denotes a far-off, vague future thing or goal. One day is a non-specific, “down the line” kind of thinking. This is not to say that all “one day” thinking is bad. We need to dream, wish, and engage our imaginations when thinking about what might be possible for our future selves. The trick is not to bog down at the drawing board of one day thinking, waiting for some perfect day in the future to arrive in order to begin on a path . A truly perfect day in all probability does not actually exist, but the search for one can certainly keep us stuck and distracted. “Day one” has an altogether different feel. The words themselves feel stronger, more definitive, more action-oriented. Day one marks the start of something, perhaps a new plan, goal, or skill. It feels powerful because in this scenario, we are the decision makers, the drivers of change. Day one can feel scary, though. What if we don’t know what comes after day one? What if day one isn’t perfect? What if our plan isn’t fully baked? Yikes! These fears can be enough to push a person back to one day thinking. But allowing that to happen will only ensure your dreams never become reality. 

I am the example here. Long before I retired from a career in education, I dreamed of writing a blog that shared ideas from my life and from the fitness and wellness classes I continue to teach even in retirement. For years, I’ve jotted down notes for blog ideas and even gone as far as writing a few outlines. I kept saying, “one day I will start my blog when the time is right,” but that thinking was always quickly followed by thoughts of “what if people don’t like my writing,” or “who am I to write about such things”, etc.  So many excuses, so much self-doubt. So much time spent stuck in the “one day” wishing cycle. My daughter-in-law works for her local newspaper. Recently, she needed some content around living a healthier lifestyle, something I know a lot about. I took a chance and offered to write an article for her. I can’t really tell you exactly why I took the chance, but for some reason, I did. If I am being truly honest, it is probably because I am a people pleaser who likes to help. And, to continue being honest, I definitely felt fear and anxiety after I offered to write the article. But this time, something in my heart shifted too. I trusted that I had a perspective to share with others. The article was published, and just like that, I went from one day to day one. It was the push I needed to get off the bench and start writing my very first blog. Do I know exactly where I go from here? Absolutely not, but I know that I feel more empowered by doing rather than by waiting. 

I leave you with these final thoughts. Waiting and wishing will ensure that nothing happens. Start today. It does not need to be perfect. In fact, accept that it will most likely not be perfect and that is okay. Today really is day one if you choose to embrace it. Just start, one step, and then another, and then another. Pretty soon you will find your way to day two and beyond and that is pretty amazing.