Baby Steps by Steph Beth Nickel

Do you want to lose 20 pounds? Exercise regularly? Eat better? I know I do.

Do you want to finish that online course you began months ago? I have several such courses on the go.

Do you want to rid your house of clutter? Me too.

Each of these goals requires a significant amount of commitment and deals with a different facet of healthy living (physical, mental, or emotional). If we look at the ultimate goal in each area, it can seem overwhelming. We’re likely to give up even before we get started. But let’s consider those baby steps we can take in the right direction.

Before changing your level of physical activity, your exercise regime, or your diet, consult your health care provider.

Exercise More

1. Go for a 15-minute walk every evening.
2. Pop in an exercise video with a 20-minute workout option.
3. Join the gym with a friend and hold one another accountable to get there regularly. Twice a week to start is a good goal.

Eat Better

1. Don’t go back for seconds.
2. Eat dessert half as often.
3. Eat an extra serving of vegetables every day.

Complete a Course

1. Set aside 15-30 minutes three times a week to work on the course.
2. Participate in the online community that is part of many courses. Offer encouragement to others and get the motivation you need to keep at it. You will want to limit your time chatting on Facebook however. We all know how quickly that time can slip away.
3. Reward yourself for each section completed. (If you’re trying to eat better, think of an alternative to food. If you want to declutter your home, don’t run out and buy something you don’t need. You get the idea.)

Declutter

1. Participate in a challenge such as Kathi Lipp’s Clutter Free Bible Study. (I’m doing so this Lenten season—and loving it.)
2. Set a small doable goal (i.e.: cleaning out your purse, tidying your desk, organizing the junk drawer). Repeat regularly, and before you know it, the clutter will begin to disappear.
3. Follow the practice of “one thing in, two things out.” If you bring something new into the house, two things have to go.

Those 20 pounds won’t disappear overnight. That course may take a few months to complete—or longer. And your house may still be overcrowded with stuff.

But even the longest journey is made up of single steps—even baby steps.

You’ve got this!

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Long journeys are made up of single steps. (tweet this)

Steph Beth Nickel is an author, a freelance editor and writer, a labour doula, and a former personal trainer. She’d love to connect with you on Facebook or Twitter, on her website or blog.