In this sodden grey dreariness otherwise known as “Seattle in the Winter,” it is often hard to think about growth, accomplishment and getting things done. The days grow longer imperceptibly, a half minute today, a full minute tomorrow. A turtle could move faster. And where did all the neighbors go? Does anyone even live here? As far as I can tell, life has stopped.
It can feel the same way when we are trying to get things done. Particularly when it’s something big, something new, an endeavor larger than your day-to-day self. Making a major change in your lifestyle such as committing to losing 40 pounds, deciding to give up gluten or meat, or signing up to running a marathon can generate a sense of euphoria at first – “my God, I’m going to do it this time! I can feel it!”
So you join the gym, go every day without fail for three weeks, and then “Seattle in the Winter” sets in. Suddenly the nights are long. The days are cold and the air is dead. You gain a pound instead of losing two. A well-meaning relative warns you of the dangers of not eating meat and you begin to wonder if maybe you aren’t doing permanent damage because, you know, a burger sounds really good right about now. Your knee swells up for no good reason and now, the thought of a 3-mile jog makes you want to set up camp permanently in your lounge chair with your laptop and Hulu.com.
Does any of this sound familiar? I have to confess that Hulu and I have been friendly – really friendly – on more occasions than I like to admit. So what can you do? How do manage to make real progress when you’re slowly freezing in the despair of “I’m such a failure?”
A Sustainable Journey
You need a sustainable journey. One in which you accomplish goals without burning out. Sustainable journeys are not all-out war. A sustainable journey is one that is made up of small, seemingly insignificant (but only to you), regular steps. Even wars are won only through a series of much smaller campaigns.
I recall my father once asking me why I thought I could lose 10 pounds in a month when it had taken me over a year to put them on. I tearfully replied, “Because I am trying so hard!” I was waging an obliterating war on my body and had forgotten all about the small wins of just eating healthfully.
Your One a Day
Do you remember those One a Day vitamins that used to be so popular? Maybe you’re still taking them. Whether or not you like the product (not my favorite), the concept is fabulous. Just take one vitamin pill a day and you’ll get all the nutrients you need.
In the campaign of attaining a healthier lifestyle, you need your “one a days” but not the pill.
Instead, pick one thing – just one thing – that you can do each day that will help you reach your chosen goal. It might be to eat completely vegetarian for the day. Or to do yoga first thing in the morning. Or to drink 8 glasses of water throughout the day.
But don’t go overboard. It’s hard to resist, especially when you’re bursting with enthusiasm, but try not to follow every rule of health out there all at once. I know that our role models appear to live virtuously every day and perhaps they do, but they weren’t born that way and they didn’t suddenly become paragons of health. They did it slowly and surely, one day at a time.
Having only one thing you must do each day takes the pressure off. It is realistic. It is bearable. It doesn’t mean that you can’t do more but once you’ve had your “one a day,” you’re guilt-free and one step closer to your goal. And you’ll be surprised at how quickly they add up. The turtle finishes the race every time.
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Please tell me about your “one a days” and the progress you are making with your endeavors below. I’d love to hear about them!
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