This January, three things inspired/conspired to create this
post…
1) Earlier this month, I was traveling for work. My flights
had the tightest layovers of any airline itinerary I’ve ever booked, and I
barely made either connection. And though my checked bag was delayed for
several days on arrival, I found myself laughing at what annoyed me most: no
time for airport laps. That’s what I call my travel exercise when I’m (usually)
waiting in an airport for hours. I often walk until my phone’s health app tells
me I’ve reached five miles. On this trip, I got my cardio in by quite literally
running to catch my planes—not the most pleasant or peaceful exercise!
2) This month also marks the 10-year anniversary of a
promise I made to myself. In January of 2009, I had been teaching for a year
and a half on an island in Micronesia. In that near-equatorial climate, it was sweet
relief to swing by the beach after school and join fellow teachers for a swim. On
the hottest days, we’d buy a pass to one of the swanky hotel gyms and exercise
in the air-conditioning.
By that January, I was in the best shape of my life. I liked
feeling strong and lithe. And so I committed to some kind of exercise every
day. For the rest of my life, for as long as my body can move. Minimum: 20
minutes of stretches. Average: 45 minute hike. And…I’m not really into maximum exertion,
so there’s pretty much never more than a two-hour hike or a long day of walking
in a foreign city. I know my limits!
For the last ten years, I’ve kept this commitment—even on
days of extreme weather, international travel, or minor surgery. I’d made the
commitment, so I found a way. Some days, it’s just those 20 minutes of stretches.
Most days it’s the 45-minute hike in my
town’s Woodlands. One day in Paris, it was walking over a dozen miles across
almost as many arrondissements.
The beautiful thing about doing something over time is the
momentum. Once I reached the year mark, it was easy to keep going. I liked that
I’d built a history of trust with myself. It inspired me to find a way to keep
my commitment, every single day.
3) Also this month, I saw many #TenYearChallenge posts on
social media. It can be fun to look back. It can also be fun to look forward—by
doing things our future selves will be grateful for. What would we like to “see”
in photos taken ten years from now? And I don’t just mean physically.
I write this as much to encourage myself as anyone because beyond
asking myself what can I do that my future self will be grateful for, I’m also asking
what I can do that goes beyond myself. What little thing(s) everyday over ten years
could we do that might translate into healthier world? What daily practices of
spirit, mind, and body could we begin now that will build over the next decade?
What might we see in our lives in 2029 as a result?
Blessings of health & #FutureWorldLove to us all,
Anna
Anna
