Only 30 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. Whoa! That surprised me. After all, at this time of year, the topic of changing your health, finances, and relationships dominates personal conversations and public media.

For the 70 percent of people who can’t be bothered, you’ll get no judgment (because I’m one of you). We all have different reasons why we don’t resolve to change on January 1. Maybe you’re not a resolution kind of person. Maybe you just can’t add anything else to your plate right now. Maybe you’ve tried to fix <fill in your struggle> and nothing ever changes. Or maybe it’s been a bad year and you’re discouraged. Maybe you, like me, just don’t have the personality suited to consistency and discipline.

Deep down though, I think we all want a better life. We want better health, more time with people we love, less time on our devices, improved financial discipline, increased time to volunteer or pursue hobbies. We want authentic community, purpose, and a sense of belonging.

There is something that can offer that—and it doesn’t need a lot of time or effort. As a bonus, it’s free. It might surprise you (it surprised me!) to learn that one simple habit done four times a week could bring some of the positive changes we’re all looking for?*

In a report called “The Power of Four,” researchers found that people who read the Bible four or more times a week had more hope, purpose, and generosity. They experienced less loneliness and better relationships. They saw a reduction in thinking negatively about others, feeling discouraged, gossiping, mishandling money, and overeating

I know it sounds almost too simple for me to say, “Just start reading the Bible.” But how do you actually get started?

Pick one book. The Bible is a collection of books, and they aren’t arranged in chronological order, so feel free to start in the middle with the biographies of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. (You might hear church people call them the gospels.) Or check out the book of Proverbs. These snippets are full of wisdom, and even if you’re unsure about the Bible and what Jesus means for you, you’ll find plenty of truths about life. Some people like the book of Psalms. These songs and poems help give you words for when you’re celebrating and also for when you’re devastated.

Read a little each day. Some people read the Bible in a year, which is a lot of reading, and you’re welcome to do that. Or you could read for ten minutes or one chapter. Focus on learning more about Jesus, and then gradually increase your reading time.

Pray before reading. Ask God to help you understand him and to help you see how much he loves you.

Take notes. Write down questions, thoughts, passages that stick out to you. If you have questions, ask a Christian friend, mentor, or pastor to help you understand what you’re reading.

Consider reading devotions to help explain parts of the Bible. Time of Grace has a number of devotions on the Bible App.

Be consistent. Maybe you only read five passages a day. That’s okay. Building a habit is more important than trying to tackle too much at once.

Here’s a caveat. All the benefits of reading the Bible don’t mean that life will get totally better. Life is still hard. Plus, the benefits of reading the Bible are great, but they are side benefits. The best benefit of reading the Bible is that you’ll hear about God’s love for you and his amazing plan to make you part of his family for life and eternity.

*Pastor Mike talks a lot more about the concept of “The Power of Four” in this week’s message: No More Mediocre Me: More Than Just “Spiritual.”

Linda Buxa is a writer who doesn’t make a resolution because she doesn’t really have the discipline to stick to one for more than 17 days or maybe even hours.