Saturday, June 2, 2012

Just Take The First Step

Imagine a very long winding staircase is before you and imagine that at the top of that staircase is a wonderful treasure, something great that you've wanted for a very long time. Now imagine standing at the bottom of that staircase, thinking about the treasure and desiring this treasure with all your heart. At this point you know that the only way to acquire the treasure is to climb up the staircase but all you can do is stare at the staircase wishing you could/would climb it.

This analogy describes the dilemma that many of us face when we feel stuck on a plateau or paralysed by indecision and procrastination. We know what we must do but somehow we just feel stuck.

In reality if there was only a staircase keeping you from a great treasure that you desire, you would not just stand there, you would climb that staircase, step by step by step. No matter how tall that building was, you would climb and climb and climb.

Try to see your weight loss and fitness journey in the same way. See your journey as a set of small steps: Step 1. Get up. Step 2. Put on your trainers. Step 3. Open the door and go for a walk or a jog (or go to the gym, or get on your exercise machine, or put on your exercise video). Step 4. Exercise for a few minutes at first and on subsequent days increase the time you spend exercising. Step 5. Prepare a healthy, clean meal. Etc.. Etc..

Step by step is the way even the longest journeys are completed. Don't look at the whole staircase and feel bad about having to climb it all at once, you don't have to climb it all at once, you only have to take it one step at a time.