One of my intentions for 2023 has been to exercise more. It took until April for me to make a start, but I got there. Warmer, lighter mornings made all the difference for me!

Having made a start, I quickly got into a rhythm of doing HIIT workouts several mornings a week.

Then, a week away on holiday in May, followed by various family illnesses, and my rhythm was broken.

This Monday, I was awake before my alarm (a downside to lighter mornings!), and then, come 6.30am, saw the notification appear on my phone that I’ve been ignoring for weeks: ‘HIIT Workout’.

This time, I decided it was time to take that first step.

I got out of bed, headed over to the draws where my exercise shorts and t-shirts live, and got ready.

Here’s what I’ve noticed about things like this: It’s all about that first step. After that, the second step is so much easier.

Take Monday. Having got ready, I headed downstairs, turned on my TV, and loaded up the Apple Fitness+ app. Except nothing was working. My watch wouldn’t connect, the video kept stopping and starting, the app crashed. Ugh. If I had known that I was going to have those issues before taking the first step, I’d never have got out of bed! But because I’d taken the first step of getting into my gear, it meant I was able to persevere.

I fixed the problem. And did my HIIT workout.

Behaviours like this are all about momentum. Once you have some momentum, everything else becomes easier. The second step isn’t as hard as the first. The third even less so.

Not only that, once you’ve brought momentum into play, obstacles don’t seem to big.

So, if like me, you’ve been putting off doing something you know you would benefit from doing, take the first step. Whatever it takes, no matter how much inner (or outer) resistance you are running into, find a way.

And make that first step as manageable as possible. For me, in this instance, the first step is nothing more than getting my exercise gear on. Do that, and then momentum is my friend.

Craft a first step that is achievable, and then take it from there.

The second step is easier, I promise!

Thanks for reading,

–Sam