Just a little step - Forward
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
This has been a weekend of discovery.
One not so surprising discovery is that your legs may hurt for a while after running (and walking) 11 kilometers up and down steep hills in a very rugged part of New Zealand. I took part in a Waitomo Trail run with family and friends.
The first kilometers were hard but satisfying. The weather had been amazing, the company was great. I loved to hear my son saying after about an hour: "We are halfway there". A bit terrified was I when another runner said after what felt like ages after that: "We have done half of it". By then, I wanted to hear that we were at least two-thirds through... I started to become pretty exhausted. We rested a bit by walking slowly on the steep bits and we praised each other for our efforts.
Anyway, we took one step and then another.
I knew I could do it. I had done it before. All I had to do was put one foot in front of the other.
We made it and were pretty thrilled about it.
Hence the sore legs today - unsurprisingly.
The more surprising discovery was the next day, when we took a detour and visited the beautiful Bridal Veil waterfall.
We hobbled to the Upper level platform on our sore legs. My husband, the innovator, found an "off the beaten track"...
There was a log across the stream, and I heard myself saying: "Shall we cross?". My husband, in his jandals (the Kiwi word for flip-flops), swiftly balanced over, even stopped halfway to take a photo of the mount of the waterfall. Yes, the waterfall started falling about 10 metres away from us... The stream was slow and low. Not too dangerous.
When I took my first step on the log, I felt fear.
I shuffled the seven meters or so to the other side in snail speed, very aware of my angst. I was surprised about it. My brain must have gotten into "worst-case scenario mode".
We celebrated making it over.
Then, we had to go back.
I nearly did not make it on that log again because I was so afraid.
By then, I remembered that I do have some mental fitness training...
I took a moment for a long exhale. I then evaluated the situation. The log was a decent width, the water was shallow. I had already made it over in one direction. I am not that bad at balancing.... I smiled and I said to myself: "I know that I can do it!"
I repeated that mantra with every step I took. I actually put one foot in front of the other. No shuffling.
I made it.
This experience was bigger for me than the 11km trail run. I faced my fear - a fear I did not even know I would have.
When I believed in myself, I was halfway there.
I remembered a poem that I have shared with you before. This time, it is fitting from a different angle.
If you are keen on a mindful moment, you may want to contemplate what about this poem may resonate with you:
The Room of Ancient Keys
by Elena Mikhalkova
"My grandmother once gave me a tip:
In difficult times, move forward in small steps.
Do what you have to do, but little by little.
Don’t think about the future
or what may happen tomorrow.
Wash the dishes.
Remove the dust.
Write a letter.
Make a soup.
You see?
Advance step by step.
Take a step and stop.
Rest a little.
Praise yourself.
Take another step.
And then another.
You won’t notice, but your steps will grow more and more.
And the time will come when you can think about the future without crying."
My invitation to you today:
Contemplate on something that you shy away from doing, although you are keen.
What scenario in your head may be keeping you away from it?
How likely is that scenario?
Is there another?
What is one step forward?
I nurture my sore legs for another day and rest a little.
You are worth it.
Yours kindly
Mel
