The kitchen faucet needed fixing and I was getting annoyed with my wife. The faucet had one handle that you swiveled to the left for hot water and to the right for cold. Turning the water on required lifting the handle up. When you were finished you pushed the handle down.
But, now the handle was slowly going down on its own every time you turned the water on. In other words you had to keep pushing the handle up to keep the water on.
It was annoying and my wife wanted it fixed. And, that’s why I was annoyed. I didn’t want to.
After decades of home projects I’m done. Now, when something needs repairing or remodeling it feels overwhelming to me. I had no idea how to take this single handle faucet apart. And, once I did, I had no idea how to get the handle to stop sliding down.
I didn’t want to do it, I didn’t know how, and I was “OK” living with the annoying consequences.
That’s the way a lot of us feel about fitness before we get started. It feels like a huge mountain to climb and we simply get used to living with the “annoying consequences”.
While I might have been OK with the faucet turning itself off while we were using it, Ava wasn’t. She mentioned it to me every time it happened. Finally, in frustrated, prideful anger I declared I was NOT going to fix it. Period.
I know people who feel the same way about fitness. They take pride in their inactivity. That’s how I felt about fixing that faucet. I was tired of feeling pressure to do something I didn’t want to so I dug my heels in and said NO.
Seven years ago I got a device that completely transformed the way I think about fitness. I used to think fitness required “exercise” and time each week set aside to do that. It felt overwhelming. Thankfully, I was on a journey, but it still felt like this “other” thing and not a part of my daily lifestyle.
It was my first Fitbit that helped me embrace walking as a fitness activity. But, more than that, it opened my eyes to all of the fitness opportunities I had EVERY DAY. They were everywhere!
I still remember the moment when it all changed. I had delusions of achieving record setting numbers on my Fitbit. And, like just about everybody else I was really disappointed with my low first day total. It was not record setting. It wasn’t even close to the universal goal of 10,000.
I was determined to do better. That moment…the moment it all changed was when I discovered I could get 1,000 steps in ten minutes. If I could find or create ten minutes of free time I could get 1,000 steps. Find ten of those blocks every day and I’d reach 10,000.
After I cooled down about the faucet I realized my stubborn determination to never fix it was not the smartest decision of my life. I quietly found a video on YouTube. I had no idea the screw that held the whole thing together was hidden under the faucet logo. Pop the logo off, remove the screw and everything else was pretty easy.
Before I knew about the hidden screw it all felt impossible…just like those ten-minute blocks. Once I saw them as opportunities to move and get 1,000 steps it transformed the way I think about fitness.
I finished watching the video on YouTube and grabbed a couple tools. The repair took less than five minutes. What had once felt too overwhelming now felt like a HUGE victory.
If fitness still feels overwhelming for you a Fitbit and a new way to think about all those ten minute chunks of time throughout your day could be a game changer. (I recommend the Fitbit Inspire HR)
To help you discover where those fitness opportunities are I encourage you to download this free Time Log. For one 24 hour period log everything you do. Don’t worry, there are codes to make this very easy.
It will reveal opportunities to get steps you never realized existed. It might even transform the way you think about your day.
Of course, it’s ultimately not about the number on your Fitbit. The real goal is find ways to move more and sit less. This is how we make fitness part of our lifestyle and not simply “exercise” that we do a few hours every week.
If you struggle with motivation to stick with fitness this blog will help. Every week you’ll get a new article with stories, motivation and practical suggestions to help you use something you do every day…walking…to start a fitness journey that builds momentum and never stops. If you click FOLLOW (below on your phone and to the right and above on your computer) you’ll get an email with a link to each motivating article the moment it’s published.