I invite you to commit to 10 minutes of activity a day for 3 weeks – small changes add up!  For a great read on the topic of habits, pick up a copy of James Clear’s book – Atomic Habits. 

When you build in 10 minutes of activity for 3 weeks each day, you will be 1 step closer to having an active lifestyle by establishing a new habit. A changed lifestyle really starts with building the habit of daily activity and being mindful to fit it in each day. The amount of time you commit to activity will increase once Christmas is over, first build this habit and focus on a little somethin’ somethin'‘ each day! If you’re already active, challenge yourself to incorporate something new into your activity that you haven’t tried.  Or make the transition from outside to inside. All I ask is for 10 minutes!

Each day ask yourself, are the choices I am making getting me one step closer to the active lifestyle I want to have. Think of reasons why you want to be active and use them for motivation to keep you moving.  Discuss your plan with your accountability buddy and support each other each day with a check in, a motivational quote or simple an emoji to represent what you will or have done for activity today.  

Day 1 challenge (whatever day you read this, consider it your day 1)

For your first challenge, I’d like you to reach out to a friend and ask him or her to join you on your fitness journey. It's always more fun with a friend--and you can help motivate each other along the way!  Having an accountability buddy can give you someone to be active with, or just someone you can report to and commiserate with.  Like any new routine or habit, it will take effort and planning to make it happen.  Having the buddy for support gives you an extra insurance policy for your good intentions!

If you already found your person, invite them to move for 10 minutes today in their favorite activity – a walk, dancing in the house or maybe trying something new like stretches, yoga or swimming.  Today start with 10 minutes of something that you are familiar with and encourage your buddy to do it with you!  That’s your new idea for today!  When we surround ourselves with like-minded people who are striving towards or have accomplished the healthy habits we desire, we set ourselves up for success. 

For example, I went water walking the other day at Taylor Park Pool.  There is a group of ladies who walk every day, or most days of the week.  They walk in pairs and chat the whole time.  This is a great accountability system.  I went alone and grabbed a kickboard and the foam dumbbells; and amped up the walking using my arms.  After my third day going (in a week, not in a row) I have seen other ladies who were merely walking and talking amp up their walking!  A few sets of dumbbells were out and there was a bit more pep in the step.  I don’t know them – but I have inspired them and given them fresh ideas to make their water walking more active. 

Be someone’s inspiration today!