Motivation.

My reply to Vickie's comment on how I keep motivated for the walking challenge.

My motivation comes from within my own head. I can easily fall back a bit, and be too lazy to get off my backside. My daily walks I focus on the time it would take me, 50 minutes for 3 miles, 35 minutes for 2 hours, that's if I don't stop and talk to someone, which often happens, ha ha. 

I should be able to fit that into everything else that I have to do. If I can't then there's something not working with my time management. 

From the moment I get up I am mentally planning my day. The jobs I need to do. Cats feeding and cleaning litter boxes. Keeping the garden tidy at this time when everything is growing. Mowing lawns, trimming hedges, pulling weeds out. Keeping the house tidy, doesn't have to be pristine, just livable. My arts and crafts, working on a piece to get it finished, and thinking about the next one I am going to start. I may make some phone calls. I like to keep in touch with a few close friends, they visit me and I visit them. Of course computer time comes into the equation, I need to be more disciplined with that. 

I have a calendar on my desk, I make notes on it of any appointments, and regular commitments. Next week I have a man coming to sort out my computers on Wednesday. Monday morning is Crafty Club though I don't have to go if anything else crops up. Thursday afternoon I have a talk to do for a crafting group. There will be a trip to town at some point. Every day on my calendar I write down the miles I have walked. It gives me a buzz to see the numbers rising. 

I decide on a daily basis when I am going to do my regular 2 or 3 miles. Sometimes it gets to the evenings and I still haven't done it because I've been distracted with something else. I look out of the window to see what the weather is doing. It's fine, no excuses, just get up off my backside and do it. I'm lucky that we have plenty of street lights, I could walk at midnight if I wanted to. 

My main motivation is that I am doing it for me. No one else can look after my body, it's down to me to do the best for myself. I walk past people's houses and see them sat in front of a TV screen and wonder how many hours they are doing that for. Of course that's their choice, it isn't mine. Getting up and moving about has got to be better for the body, and mind. 

Another motivation for me is that I can't let myself down by giving up, and I can't let everyone else down who have chosen to join me in the challenge. I can just imagine what the trolls would say, can't hack it, no staying power, she doesn't follow her own advice, says one thing and does another. 

I am motivated by what I believe is right. It was right for me to remain single and not have children. It was right for me to leave home when I was 18 and make a new life in a different place. It was right for me to become a lorry driver. And now it is right for me to look after my own body in the best way I can. 

Talking of advice, I don't give advice. Everyone has the ability to work out what is best for them. I am not telling you to walk three miles every day, 1000 miles in a year. I am giving you the responsibility to work out what is best for you. 

Walking group members have reported how much better they feel having increased their walking times and distances. It's a proven fact that it is beneficial to move about a lot. It's not me saying that, it's the medical profession. Take that information on board if you like, or ignore it, that's your choice. 

Thank you Vickie, hope to meet up with you again for another walk. 

Toodle pip.  ilona