Showing posts with label Walk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Walk. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Lessons Learned from 1 Million Steps in 100 Days

“I move, therefore I am.” 
– Haruki Murakami 
Japanese Writer
(b. 1949)

While I am not professing my being "grounded" is better or worse than anyone else experiencing Safer at Home and/or Stay at Home, I have been grounded from flying, and with 60%+ of my business coming from outside Florida, it has certainly been a change.

While I have been a workout warrior for many years in order to maintain health and stamina, process through ideas emotionally and physically as the sweat left my body.

With such a change in our dynamic regarding moving about the country, I decided to take movement to a new level by committing to 10,000 steps a day for 100 days. It was about being focused, committed and yes, scheduled at 5:00 AM to get those steps in before sunrise through running or walking or both.

Three people joined me at different times, Lynn, Supna and Michael. Thank you! Each day, I offer 😃 smiles, 👋 waves, and verbal “Good morning!” greetings to those I encountered.

On the day 1 MILLION steps were exceeded by tracking the #10000StepsToSunrise this past  Monday, the 100th day as we remained  #SocialAtADistance the entire time once we were directed. In counting steps, masks, dolphins, people and more...mostly I realized, I was counting my blessings of a new day each sunrise! This was a #KindnessNeedNotBeQuarantined project filled with hope, movement, happiness and health!

Lessons learned included:
1) Routines serve us well if they are well-serving routines.
2) Blisters can "grow" on other blisters, and yet walking or running with blisters is possible.
3) Most people respond to a smile with a smile, and to a "Good morning" with a "Good morning", and a wave with a wave or a nod.
4) Not all people will come around to engaging with others, and that's okay.
5) No matter what is going on in the world, paying attention in your community, and being present in your community is important.
6) Kindness counts. Kindness doesn't go out of style. It's not too early or too late for kindness.
7) Goals are good, and goals drive us to keep moving.
8) Sharing a message and/or a photo each day is about sharing with others to let an experience and a story become part of theirs.
9) Letting something, a person, an experience, or something else evolve can be a way to make that experience become bigger and better than it would be if it were planned.
10) Even though 1 Million steps were taken in those 100 days, a project becomes a passion when the days and numbers fade, and the memories and learnings shine!

Thursday, April 23, 2020

A Lesson from 10,000 Steps to Sunrise


At the time of writing this, it was day 40 of what I am calling 10,000 Steps to Sunrise. Getting in 10,000 steps each day has been part of my day for quite a while.

Being the Chair of The American Heart Association's Circle of Red, being active, and simply being my own health advocate, I find the tracking a challenge and sense of success to know I am doing something good for my body (and mind) each day.

Since I am "Grounded" and most of my typical business is outside my home location, it was my decision to drive up the goal and get to 10,000 steps before sunrise Monday through Saturday and 10,000 steps before sunset each Sunday.

Throughout this longer-than-expected journey on foot, my mind, and my heart gained perspective and many ideas.

The lessons learned from this (still continuing) experiment include:

1) There is a calm in the morning where ideas flow without resistance
2) People who work out at the same time each day (I have worked out between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM since 1992) appreciate their personal space and yet have a connectivity to others who enjoy that same time to feed their movement needs/desires
3) Speaking up and out in the morning with a friendly "Hello" can make someone's day start positively (even if they don't acknowledge you back)
4) Focusing on those who engage versus wondering the reasons people do not means having joy ready and waiting each day

So, even if you do or don't strive for the 10,000 step accomplishment, please think about how your goals and activities can impact and or include others in subtle and grand ways.

I'll continue to make the 10,000 Steps to Sunrise a priority while in this new temporary time with gratitude for my walking and running partners, Lynn, Supna, and Michael, and even when we move forward without being "grounded", I'll certainly continue to embrace these lessons learned!

#PresentingPowerfully
#LearnWithAndThroughOthers
#LifeLongLearning
#ComplementaryThoughts
#BeInspired
#LearnWithAndThroughOthers