We often believe that health is built through big changes. Strict diets, intense workouts, perfect routines, and a lot of hardcore discipline! But ask anyone who was stuck in a habit and broke it successfully to form new habits; they’ll tell you the truth: health isn’t a one-time event, it’s a daily choice.
This World Health Day, let’s talk about the quiet force that makes all the difference – CONSISTENCY.
It doesn’t make headlines. It isn’t flashy. But it is incredibly powerful. Because when we repeat simple actions every day, they begin to stack up. Over time, they don’t just change our routine, but also, they change who we are.
There’s a term for this in behavioural science: “compound growth.” Just like money earns interest over time, your habits do too. Daily walking may not feel intense. But when done regularly, it can improve cardiovascular health, reduce stress hormones and lower the risk of chronic illness. A 15-minute walk daily reduces the risk of heart disease, but only if done consistently.
Consistency also impacts mental health. Studies show that regular routines like sleep, meals and movement help regulate circadian rhythms and reduce anxiety. This is especially true for women navigating hormonal shifts during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause. This happens when you return to your rhythm of being consistent again and again.
Most of us like to check the weight scale more than we check the days we invest in exercising. In our yoga community, we’ve learned not to obsess over the weight scale. Instead, we count the number of days we showed up on the mat. That’s our rule: Don’t count the weight. Count the yoga days. Because that’s what truly changes things, not how perfect you were, but how often you returned. Even on low-energy days, doing something, anything, keeps the habit alive. That’s the real magic of consistency. It doesn’t demand perfection, just presence.
So this World Health Day, don’t wait for the perfect plan. Start small. Start now. And keep showing up. Repeat. Because the real power lies not in how much you do, but in how often you return.
(The author, Saurabh Bothra, Founder of Habuild & a certified Yoga Instructor.)
