I remember a story that my mentor and teacher Martha Beck shared one time. She was working with a client who wanted to lose weight and start working out. Martha encouraged her to drive to the gym in her workout clothes and once there, leave. I can imagine the reaction that the client probably had “what?!”. Martha wanted her to start small. Take the first step.
She taught me that too. Start with a turtle step– something we can do now. If you’ve never worked out consistently at the gym it’s hard to create momentum from nothing to being a gym rat.
Because the creating something out of nothing is the hardest step.
It seems this time of year that we all get swept away into the dreaming of all the life goals we want to accomplish. I totally get that. That’s me too. But those big goals need a starting point. They need a place where we can just drive to the new place and look around. Take it in and reward ourselves for taking the first teeny, tiny step. Create momentum. Build a new habit that will stick. Take the next small step. And the next after that. It’s not glamorous and yet it takes us in a whole different direction than wading around in the nothing.
I love new beginnings. They excite me like the anticipation of Christmas Eve. Like beautiful packages unopened. Like taking in a piping hot sipping chocolate with a homemade marshmallow — before that first sip.
I love the idea that we can create whatever it is we want in life. Starting with that first step. And as one of my other inspiring mentors, Susan Hyatt, asks “what will you wish you started now –this time next year?”.
How can we use that excitement to drive us to the gym or to whatever our first is?
Let’s get in the car and drive. Add some amazing music on the ride too— just to keep bettering our life experience along the way. Because the magic is always in the now.
Much love,
Stacey