Small Steps to a Stronger Faith-filled Life

Building habits to support steady spiritual growth became easier for Kathie Scott-Avery when she began using these four strategies.

Although rooted in good intentions, we can overwhelm ourselves when deciding to revamp our spiritual life. Major resolutions, no matter how enthusiastically embraced at the outset, frequently wane or backfire, often leading us to conclude that we lack ability, conviction, will power, good timing, or even faith.   

Thinking small can help, particularly when we are fashioning a path to a new spiritual habit or trying to improve upon one already established. Of course, the process still requires a commitment to specific and concrete actions related to what we want to accomplish. Is it just for ourselves, or for the whole family? Are we trying to fill a spiritual gap in knowledge? Refresh a practice that’s gone a little stale? Combat a particular sin? Improve on a virtue?  

Once we know where we’re aiming and whether it’s a solo or family trip, four strategies can make the journey easier: starting small, combining, adding on, and tweaking or substituting. 

Start Small  

There are all sorts of cliches — and bunches of research — that advise against biting off more than we can chew. Yet we do it anyway. Instead, we can choose one do-able action, or break down a large goal and take a first step. Here are some examples: 

• Desiring to learn more from the saints? Choose one book and vow to read a page or two each day.  
• Have a vice that’s holding court in your life? Just choose one! Then attack it with a repeatable action to strengthen the opposing virtue. For example, battle greed with a weekly donation to the food pantry.   
• No specific goal in mind? Try one Catholic podcast with episodes that fit your daily or weekly availability; go to Mass one extra day per week; commit to a regular visit to Adoration; participate in a First Friday or First Saturday devotion; choose a small sacrifice that can be offered daily or weekly. 
• Looking for family growth? Say a blessing over your child or children each morning; set a time to recite the Rosary (or a single decade) together; read a daily devotion together. 

Combine  

Successful multi-tasking may be a myth — some say we are actually performing the jobs sequentially — but I tend to think some things can easily be combined without sacrificing quality. A few that have worked well for me and mine are: 

• Morning coffee … with the day’s Mass readings or a devotional. 
• Driving …  with radio tuned to Catholic programming or music. 
• A daily walk … with a Catholic podcast. 
• Driving children to school … with morning prayers. 

Add On  

For habits that are already established, the momentum can be utilized! Adding to the routine can be one of the easiest ways to implement a new practice.   

• Add on to Mass by arriving a few minutes early or (if you’re like me) staying a few minutes afterwards to praise God and pray for special intentions.  
• Add on to a daily Rosary by reciting the Divine Mercy Chaplet. 
• Add on to daily prayer time by journaling. 
• Add on to grace before meals with a prayer of petition or praise (or both) — such as a prayer for the souls in Purgatory and/or one in which each family member recalls a blessing from the day to which all can respond, “Thanks be to God!”  

Tweak or Substitute  

Established routines are critical for smooth functioning, but variety is vital too! Improving a current practice or using that already-allotted time to try something new can bring needed refreshment. Our Church is rich in devotions and traditions, so we have a deep well from which to draw new ways to invigorate our faith. 

• Switch up the habit of praying the Rosary by reciting a different version, such as a Scriptural Rosary, or with pictures as aids to visualize the Mysteries. 
• Improve attentiveness at Mass by bringing a missalette, becoming immersed in the Word through your eyes as well as ears. 
• Set yourself up for greater success in a habit. For example, if you are habitually late for morning Mass, streamline the wake-up routine by dedicating time the evening before to better prepare for the next day.   
• Refresh the kids’ bedtime story to include books featuring parables, saints, miracles, or other Catholic people and truths.  
  
  

Like it or not, to a large extent we’re a product of our routines. Using these approaches to establish new or spruce up existing habits for our faith journeys can lead to significant transformations.  

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Copyright 2026 Kathie Scott-Avery
Images: Canva