Small Steps, Everyday

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” That first step is generally the hardest, and then one small step after that, and after that, and so on, before you know it you’ve made it to your destination.

We learned that recently as Tim’s blood pressure was at an unhealthy level. It was high, very high at times, and knowing that it was critical that he brought it down only contributed to the stress, bringing it up even higher. Of course, medication was recommended, but he decided he’d rather try reducing it with lifestyle changes first.

Now, we’re a pretty healthy family as it is, and yet small steps could be taken to make improvements. For instance, my blood pressure is usually on the low end of the spectrum, so I like my food salty with no concern. Without having to cut out salt completely, it was easy to find ways to reduce sodium intake. And then there were those visits to that well-known coffee chain for a fancy coffee and a sweet. With elevated cholesterol as well, he decided to change course, visiting our local independent shop (win-win) for a yummy but more healthy drink and on rare occasion, a bakery item. And we have all but eliminated processed food. Tim has always been active, so adding intentional activity like walking was easy one.

Finally, he found a way to work meditation into his day. Of course I’ve always encouraged him to meditate everyday, it just wasn’t a priority, until now. So each evening he sits in quiet for a bit.

Each of these small steps, while easy to implement, led to some big changes. The changes brought his weight down some (added benefit) and his blood pressure down A LOT, within the normal range. His doctor is pleased and impressed and says he should take it on the road. Of course, she doesn’t know that a comment like that sets his wheels spinning and he’s already planning his presentation in his head. But, before he gets carried away, let’s see how his cholesterol numbers are in a few months.

But this isn’t really about Tim and his high blood pressure (although if you are experiencing the same, I recommend you cut out processed food, reduce sodium, eat out only rarely, exercise and meditate). What this is about are those tiny steps that lead to big results over time. Big journeys begin with small steps, or as Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

This is true with any goal, whether that’s career, or financial, or health, or travel, or any number of others. Often times however, we feel overwhelmed by all that it takes to reach those goals. The key to getting there, is to just simply start, just take that first step. That will set everything in motion, leading to the next step, and before you know it, you’re there.

For years now, we’ve been talking about a trip to Europe. In all my travels, none have taken me there. Finally, after my broken leg and Tim’s doctors’ visits, we had the “we’re not getting any younger” discussion. That was our first step, and now we are booked on a tour of Ireland in June. We often times wait to take that initial step because of overwhelm, or because we don’t think we have time, or because we feel like we’ll fail, or…

During the course of your journey, you might get stuck, run into obstacles, unable to take that next step. And that’s okay, don’t give up! Just take a step back. Try not to overthink it or project what may happen on the way. And for goodness sake, don’t try to force something to happen. Stay present and focus on one step at a time.

Check in with yourself often. How are you feeling about this journey? Have difficult circumstances made you want to give up? Focus on the things you can change, and stay focused there. Before long, the progress you make with get you right back on your journey.

And don’t forget to remind yourself of the why. In fact, the why is where you should start. Why did you choose this goal? This will give you a clear sense of your purpose in this journey and will help drive the process. If you don’t know your why, perhaps you need to spend some time reflecting on it and that may influence whether you move forward or not. Look for more on the why in a future article.

Take small steps everyday. They will take you in the direction of your dreams.