Nobody reading this needs me to tell them movement is good for them.
You know.
You’ve known for years.
The interesting question is why knowing something and actually doing it can be so far apart.
I know eating a bag of potato chips probably isn’t going to improve my afternoon.
Still like potato chips. 😂
Humans are funny that way.
I Don’t Wait Until I Feel Like Moving
That’s probably one of the biggest changes I’ve made over the years.
Movement isn’t something I debate with myself every morning.
I move.
Sometimes it’s contracted stretching.
Sometimes Qigong.
Sometimes walking.
Sometimes I’m teaching a class, which makes avoiding movement considerably more difficult.
But there’s usually something.
And after doing this for years, I’ve noticed something important.
A little movement done regularly has been much more valuable to me than occasional bursts of ambition.
I don’t need to crush a workout.
I don’t need to close a ring.
I don’t need somebody yelling at me through a television.
I just need to keep using this body.
The Negotiation Is Where We Get Stuck
I’ll walk tomorrow.
I’ll start Monday.
I’m tired today.
I don’t have an hour.
I missed yesterday, so this week is shot anyway.
We’ve all played that game.
But what if the requirement wasn’t an hour?
What if it was ten minutes?
That’s hard to argue with.
Take a walk.
Stretch.
Put on some music and move around the living room.
Do a little Qigong.
Come take a class.
It doesn’t have to be impressive enough to post on Instagram.
It just has to happen.
Make One Decision
Don’t promise yourself you’re going to exercise every day for the rest of your life.
That’s a ridiculous amount of pressure to put on Tuesday morning.
Just decide what you’re going to do today.
Ten minutes.
Maybe twenty.
Then tomorrow, decide again.
That’s pretty much how I’ve been doing it all these years.
Not because I’m always motivated.
Because I stopped requiring motivation before I move.
You already know movement matters.
Today, skip the negotiation and do a little.