Kicking the can down the road is an easy trap to fall into, and kicking it too far for too long can lead you to kick the can sooner. Okay, I’ll quit with the colloquial acrobatics but my point is most of us are aware of the things in our life that need to change, but find convenient excuses to avoid acting on them. Delaying action and settling or enduring the status quo can damage our lives. Wow, maybe I read too many self-help books, but stick with me.
Change is one of the most difficult elements of life and it’s easy to become overwhelmed and settle for inaction. It’s easy to kick the can down the road, to wait until next year, or next week to begin to change. Most people know what they need to change to lead a better life, but never take that first step toward change.
I see this scenario played out every year at my local gym. Hoards of fresh faces show up in January and February, presumably to act on a new year’s resolution improve their fitness. It’s not like the concept of exercising more occurred to them on Christmas morning. These people had been kicking the can down the road the previous year or longer. Despite the longer waits for the treadmills, I admire the gym newbies because they’re taking action and beginning to change.
So to keep the foot theme going, stop punting. Don’t let the calendar, work schedule, weather, or personal finances serve as an excuse for inaction. You can get better today by picking one aspect of your life you’d like to improve, no matter how big or small, and act on it. If you want to improve your fitness, go for a walk after dinner. If you want to learn a new language, download a bootleg copy of Rosetta Stone. We’re not talking about moving mountains here. Change is incremental, and any action is better than inaction.
What am I doing to practice what I preach? I have a goal to read more books (without pictures) and exercise more consistently. I plan to read at least 30 pages of “Detroit is the place to be” and I’ll be doing at least 20 minutes of hill sprints tonight.
At our last place, I used to do intervals on the treadmill. After breaking my foot, walking for a long period of time doesn't feel right. It might be as simple as getting new walking shoes- but I also think walking on a treadmill is a snooze.
ReplyDeleteI looked into alternatives by our new place and found a community pool. Even though I swallowed half the pool during my first lesson, I enjoyed it and I remembered how good it feels to be active.
I think the biggest motivation could be finding exercise that you enjoy. I hate running- but I love tennis. Since I don't always have someone to play with, swimming is a great alternative. And it's one that keeps me off my feet.