The easiest way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. That’s what they say anyway, and it really does make sense to me. It’s the small seemingly easy things that really add up. Once the healthy habits start, they can lead to a snowball effect of more and more healthy habits. And, by starting small, it can feel less overwhelming. Transformation begins with little habits.
The last few weeks, I’ve felt sluggish and uninspired. Just going through the everyday routine and not having much extra energy for anything else. My eating habits weren’t great and I was back to needing caffeine to get through the day, even though I was probably getting enough sleep. Instead of having an iced coffee because it sounded good, I was relying on it more and more.
I had signed up for a “Move more, Eat Less” 15 week course, and even though at one time I thought it was a good idea, I started to think, do I really want to commit to this? I forgot the first week, and watched the recording. Again, I thought, I can still probably email the instructor and let her know that I won’t be joining the class. But the emails kept coming from the instructor, letting us know how to set up our dashboard and access the class that we had missed. They sent a booklet, and as I read some of the tips, I thought maybe it would be helpful to participate and hear more.
Later that week, I ended up getting a Fitbit because I was starting to realize how little I was walking by working from home. I had one a few years ago, but when it broke, I never replaced it. At work, I would take my breaks to walk, but working from home, I had stopped walking on my breaks. Well, once I had my Fitbit, walking became fun again. I had reminders to move every hour, and I was making a point to get out to my favorite trail again. I felt more energized and more present in my relationships. I was finding myself more engaged and spending less time on social media.
I was talking to a friend this week about how it can be difficult to figure out where to put your energy after working a full day. There can be a lot to balance, with relationships and home life and hobbies. I told her that I’m focusing on that one healthy habit (getting my steps in), and I hope that it will have a snowball effect into other areas of my life. Although it’s been a short time, I have seen good effects. As I exercise more, I am also eating better and feel more prepared. I went to the grocery store last night, and I walked away with many healthy options, and no gummy worms!
I also recognize that it’s more fun to have people to encourage and to receive encouragement. I added some of my friends who have FitBits on the Fitbit Community, and think that it will be fun to know my friends are walking too. When I mentioned to my friend how I was feeling more motivated by using my FitBit, she was inspired to charge hers up and start using it again. For me, going outside is the best way to improve my mood. And I know that even if I don’t feel like getting out at first, I always end up feeling better after I do.
From my perspective, transformation begins with little habits. It sounds like a good theory to try out anyway! After focusing on my steps, the inspiration to write this post came. I would love to know, what has been your experience? Are there any little healthy habits that you have started with that have led to other good changes? Anything that you’ve struggled with, and how have you kept going?
Thank you! I appreciate you reading this, and feel free to share with anyone who you think may enjoy it!
Beauty in the Unknown 