The Power of One Minute: Why Small Habits Change Everything

Every spring, I come back to the same lesson:
big change rarely starts with big change.

It starts small.
So small, in fact, that most people underestimate it.

One minute.
One plank.
One decision to show up for yourself.

And then?
You do it again tomorrow.

That is exactly why I created the JRAPPFIT May Plank Challenge six years ago.
Yep—six years ago, during COVID, shutdowns, and the “well…let’s plank” era. Back then, we were all stuck at home looking for ways to move. Now? We’re looking for ways to get outside and live.

That’s why the challenge has evolved into one simple minute you can do anywhere—outside with your family, in a parking garage, from your garden, at your kids game, at the beach, in a hotel room, or even on your European vacation. One minute. Anywhere. Every day.

Not because I think one minute is magical.
But because I know consistency is.

The people who build strength, confidence, healthier joints, stronger bones, better balance, more stamina, and more belief in themselves are usually not the people doing extreme things.

They are the people willing to repeat simple things long enough for those things to become part of who they are.

That is habit stacking.
And it works.

First, you prove to yourself you can do one minute.
Then one week.
Then two weeks.
Then a month.

And somewhere in that process, something shifts.

You stop identifying as “someone trying to get motivated.”
You become someone who moves.
Someone who follows through.
Someone who can handle hard things.

That matters.

Especially in midlife.

Especially for women and men.

Especially when life feels busy, overwhelming, exhausting, or uncertain.

Because confidence is not built by thinking about change.
Confidence is built by keeping small promises to yourself over and over again.

That is why I love planks.

Yes, they strengthen your core.
Yes, they improve posture, balance, stability, and functional strength.
Yes, they support bone health and help reduce injury risk as we age.

But the real magic?
The plank teaches you how to stay.

Stay steady.
Stay strong.
Stay uncomfortable long enough to realize you are capable.

And from there, the next habit becomes easier to stack.

One minute turns into two.
Maybe you add a walk.
Maybe you pick up weights.
Maybe you start focusing on your Queen Bee Meal.
Maybe you finally begin taking care of yourself the way you take care of everyone else.

Momentum creates momentum.

This is the 6th year of the JRAPPFIT May Plank Challenge, and every single year I watch people surprise themselves.

People who thought they were “too out of shape.”
People rebuilding after injury.
Women rebuilding strength in midlife.
People who simply needed a place to start again.

And that is the point:
You will only know how strong you can become if you start.

I can almost guarantee this:
if you commit to one minute a day for 30 days, you will discover strength in muscles you did not know you had—and confidence you forgot was there.

Not because the challenge is extreme.
But because you stayed consistent long enough to change.

One minute.
One plank.
One small promise to yourself.

Stack it.
Repeat it.
Grow from it.

And let May be the month you begin again.

If you would like to join the JRAPPFIT May Plank Challenge, you will receive:

• A new 1-minute plank variation every day in May

• Progressive core training that builds through the month

• Accountability, encouragement, and community

• A simple way to build strength from home

Because aging strong is something you build.
One minute at a time.

Learn more at or follow along on Instagram at @jennyrappole.