How I took 100,000 steps
A story about walking, volunteering, friends, airplanes, and more.
Nowadays, sitting in front of a laptop for countless hours is the workforce standard, which means that sport and exercise have never been more important.
A sedentary lifestyle spells bad news for your heart and brings with it a long, long list of chronic diseases. It also heavily affects your happiness and overall mood.
In the last 10 days or so, I have managed to take over 100,000 steps combined and I will tell you how you can achieve a similar goal.
Don’t make it a chore
Let’s say you want to walk a certain number of steps a day. The moment you make it into a chore, it will become a tedious thing to do.
I know because I fell into the same trap.
A few weeks ago, I decided I was going to walk 10,000 steps every day. I would go out, call my friend and just start walking around my block.
I had no destination, I was constantly tracking my steps on my phone, my surroundings were getting boring, my pace was getting faster, and I just wanted to rush back home.
I was not enjoying it one bit because I was only doing it for the sake of doing it.
Instead, you should find activities that make you forget you’re even walking.
I am talking about going out with your friends, grocery shopping, picking up that long-awaited package on foot, or whichever activity you fancy.
Stay away from shortcuts
You should take every opportunity you get for those few extra steps.
That means taking the stairs, leaving the scooter at home, and going through the streets that you love most even if they’re not the shortest route.
Trust in the process
Life is uncertain.
There will be lazy days.
Maybe you will only reach your goal 8 days out of 10. Maybe two days you spent recharging your social batteries or simply relaxing at home. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
But try to be as consistent as you can, because consistent average work will always beat inconsistent excellent work.
What I did
Firstly, I had a week off from work as I really wished to attend a volunteer course.
During breaks, I walked around the courtyard. A lot. You couldn’t dare pay me to stay inside that classroom.
I took a few trips to the closest gas station for chewing gum too, but I also spent quite some time sitting down on the bench we had outside.
Remember, it’s all about balance. You don’t have to force yourself and your friends to walk. It should come naturally.
After the courses were done, the friends I made there and I went to various places where we walked some more.
We went to a hidden country road by the airport and watched planes fly right over our heads, it was amazing!
I never thought about my steps or anything of that sort. I was simply living in the moment.
Additionally, I went out every night with either them or a different group of friends and despite some of us having a car, we only used it to get to really faraway areas.
Otherwise, we walked everywhere.
Not only is walking good for your physical health and being in shape, but it’s also a great mental relief.
I hope I sparked your interest and you now want to walk too.
See you out there, enjoy it. Remember to stay hydrated!
☔ Here, have this umbrella for a rainy day. If you would like to support me, please share my story with your friends and loved ones.