Tag: New Year

The Friday Photo
A weekly photo inspired by art, community, and spontaneity
December 28, 2012

I took this picture in the fall and saved it as a reminder of what I can do when I stay focused. I didn’t know my pedometer had a maximum step count until I realized one day, after walking at least three miles plus the other steps I had collected that day, that my count hadn’t increased in several hours. Getting to 10K steps a day requires some planning and effort when your work allows, or requires, sitting in front of a screen all day.

I haven’t worn my pedometer in a while, too long. I would like to say that I was going to the three day a week 5:45 a.m. aerobics class I love, so I didn’t need to count steps every day. Or I was walking some known distance and then stopping at the Wellness Center to do some strength training. Or I was using the inexpensive elliptical in my home office during conference calls.

It is silly, not carving out some time to take care of myself. Just like it is silly to not get enough sleep because there is so much I have to do (have to do and want to do are not the same, but I have trouble seeing that too).

Maybe I’ve had just enough time away from my daily work routine over the holidays to realize that I don’t have to return to my usual work habits next week. Maybe I have finally realized that I can’t afford to waste the second chances at life I have gotten (one at 25 years old after a car accident, another at 50 years old with breast cancer). Maybe that homemade eggnog wasn’t low-calorie after all.

Maybe it doesn’t matter why I am making sure I get stronger and more fit as long as I do it. And there is no reason to wait until January 1.