There are 28 days left in our 40-Day Journey to the New Year. We’ve talked so far about growing your awareness in three areas: head, heart and body. I’ve shared some invitations to dig a little deeper below the surface in any one of those areas. Perhaps an area has been poked a little too much and you’re stepping back from these invitations because well, they’ve hit too close to home thank you very much. I understand. I’ve been there. And my guess is others in our group have as well.

Right now perhaps you’re feeling this journey is too much right at the end of the year. There are presents to buy, wrap, mail; a house to decorate, projects at work need attention, a myriad of distractions from allowing time for you. All valid.

What will it take to put yourself on the list— without moving you to the next page of to do’s or the next day, week, month or year? What will it take?

Discomfort.

When you get uncomfortable with something, you look for ways to get back to being comfortable. It’s part of our human nature to seek comfort. Unfortunately, that is also the habit that keeps you from making lasting change, whether it’s your thought-life, your emotional health or your physical strength. 

How do we break this comfort seeking cycle?

Practice being uncomfortable. 

I know that sounds counterintuitive. Brain science has proven that lasting change takes place when an action is repeated over time. One does not go from lifting three pound weights to 150 lbs by willpower. The change in weight takes practice and incremental steps over time.

The same is true of all three of our centers of intelligence. 

We’ve talked about developing awareness of our inner dialogue. We’ve taken time to become aware of emotional connections. Our third center of intelligence is not the least important; I would dare say it is the most valuable since it houses the other two.

My question today is focused on your body: How do you fit in physical activity? Are you a double-dipper: walk the dog for both of your exercise? Do you commute to work by riding your bike? Perhaps you take your children to the park and you actually run, climb and play with them using that time for your own physical activity. There are lots of ways to fit being physically active into your day.

We used to live in a two-story house. I didn’t realize how going up and down the stairs for 15 years had kept me at a level of physical activity that was good for my cardio health until I didn’t climb stairs daily. I took that for granted. Now I have to build that activity back into my days in other ways.

Action step: make a list of the ways you have enjoyed fitting physical activity into your day in the past. Compare what used to be to what is now your reality. Any change needed? What is one thing you can do to move toward the change you want to make?