Take the first step

It is so easy to make excuses when it comes to exercise but becoming too sedentary can be harmful to us. Think of a time when you have been sitting for a long time and when you stand up your legs feel stiff, and you might feel slightly lethargic. We need to move and work our bodies even though that first step might be difficult for us. This is what the doctor of my neighbor Jim told him. I run in our cul-de-sac every day and one day Jim came out and said, “My doctor said I have to start walking.” It was obvious how unhappy he was about this, but he knew he had to do it for his health, so he took those first steps. I watched him shuffle around the neighborhood with unsteady legs. Each lap is 1/10 of a mile and the first time he came out he made it three laps and headed back inside. Over the next few weeks, I watched him become stronger until he made it to walking a mile. Even better than making that milestone, he was so much stronger, and he seemed happier. I asked him if he saw the difference and he told me how much better he felt. Yesterday I asked him when he was going to try for two miles. At first, he said, “Oh!” as if that was unthinkable, but several minutes later he said, “You know, I could do it if I split it up to ten laps in the morning, and ten in the afternoon.” That’s what taking the first step and gradually improving can do for you. You start to see the possibilities.