Blog #644: Here’s Your One More

For 30+ years…
I was a runner.

Rain? Cold? Wind? Heat?
It didn’t matter.

I ran.

Until one day…
The nudges added up.

And I walked.

______

From college until age 51…

Running was my day-to-day exercise thing.

I easily averaged 30+ miles a week, finished two marathons…and pushed myself to complete a 100-mile event. I loved running in the rain, jogging up mountains, and trying to set personal “records” on routes I regularly ran.

It was inked on my brain…

“I’m a runner!”

______

And then…

Nudge #1 poked me lightly.

It was 1995.

An unimaginable seed was planted.

“Walking is an option.”

Every day…

I would see a neighborhood couple…walking.

I would be on a jog and see them…walking.

I would drive by and see them…walking.

They were always…walking.

But being young in living, I stubbornly thought…

“I’ll never be a walker! I’m a runner!”

______

And then…

Nudge #2 hit me hard.

It was 2014.

I finished reading a book about a guy who walked 500 miles across Spain.

I was inspired greatly by his adventure…and the accomplishment.

I wanted to WALK.

Ninety days later, I was living the pages I’d read.

Including that first walk in 2014…

I’ve walked two different routes across Spain.

I’ve walked across Italy, France and Portugal.

I’ve walked across England, Ireland and Scotland.

I’ve walked 750 miles around Shikoku, Japan.

And…

There are still a handful of other countries on my “To Walk” list.

Following my nudges changed my life.

“I’m a walker!”

______

What’s nudging you?

Maybe…

Changing to a plant-based diet?

Taking up yoga or Pilates?

Joining a book club?

Rescuing a pet?

Starting a journal?

Traveling to the Greek Islands?

Learning a language?

Going back to school?

Making the move?

We can ALL learn new tricks…

and create life-changing opportunities.

We can grow.

We can change.

We can get better.

IF…

We let our nudges lead us.

______

Just one more thing about nudges….

If you’re waiting for the Universe to send you one more before you go with it…

This is it.

S.

______

NOTE: The picture above is a trail near my home. THAT trail has taught me how to breathe again 1,000 times. I hope you have somewhere the same.