A fresh start

By Buddy Shuh – I have heard it said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The only thing is, the journey is not over after one step. And if you’re like me, you’ve made that first step countless times and sometimes it seems like it’s a backwards step. You start progressing, but then you fall off the track and then wind up back at the starting point, or sometimes even worse.
For me, the struggle is keeping a healthy lifestyle. For others, it might be developing good financial disciplines, or maintaining healthy relationships with other people. Recently, I’ve felt like I’ve been slipping, and that I need a fresh start. Today I’ll be sharing my thoughts about how I plan to get back on track.
The first thing I always address when I’m starting anew is the mental side of things. I remind myself of the costs and benefits associated with the journey I’m about to embark on. I realize that I’ll have to invest time, energy, and resources to get healthy so I convince myself that it is really worth it. It is the path that I want to walk down.
The next thing I do, once I’m convinced of the right direction, is to develop the plan that will help me get to my destination. For my health journey, I use myfitnesspal to monitor my diet and I also come up with an exercise regime that I plan to adhere to.
Lastly, I contact a couple friends. I confide in them that I feel like I’ve been slipping and I tell them my plans to make things right. I find that people are more supportive than you think and having the support of some people really helps motivate you to keep going towards your ultimate destination.
A journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step (if you really plan on walking it) but it also consists of many of those same steps. My encouragement to myself, and to you, is to not overvalue any one step. If you had a good day, great! Use it to motivate yourself to have another one! If you had a bad day, just give yourself a fresh start and go towards your goal!
There is a passage of scripture that motivates me. It is Lamentations 3: 22, 23 and it says: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” I love the part about the newness every morning. I try to remember that each day I have another chance, another shot, a fresh start.
I hope you get your fresh start. I hope this summer is a great season for you and you take many steps towards your healthy destination!