By Steve Moran
The year was 2019. I had this big dream, this big plan. I was going to go off-grid for 30 days and hike the entire John Muir Trail, which goes from Yosemite Valley to the peak of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48.
I lost a bunch of weight, got a bunch of new equipment, and did aggressive hikes, all in prep for this adventure. I set a date and applied for a hard-to-get, coveted permit to complete the hike. I was overjoyed when I won the lottery and snagged a permit.
Then came COVID. 😤
2024
I have gained back a whole bunch of the weight I lost. I became much less enthusiastic about staying fit. And at age 69, the body is slowing down, and getting back into shape simply takes more time and more effort.
The last two weekends, I did day hikes. The first one was just under 3 miles, and I was done in. The second was 4 miles at a much higher altitude, and I was done in.
I am pleased with what I accomplished.
Even though in 2019, those two little hikes would have been nothing burgers.
I am pleased with those hikes even though I slept terribly, waking up with painful leg cramps.
I am pleased because I know that next Saturday’s hike will be a bit better.
Self-Improvement
Self-improvement/care is a wonderful thing, except that when you set out on a self-improvement journey, it can be a trap. Every one of these journeys comes with a fresh list of things to do (or not do) — fresh expectations — and those expectations can become a set-up to feel bad about yourself.
That very journey can become its own self-destructive path that will destroy the big goal.
There are two keys to making your self-improvement journey work:
- You have to accept who you are and what you have accomplished already.
- You must celebrate the smallest of wins each day. This is true even when, or perhaps especially when, you fail.
Once you do these two things, you will be on your way to being the amazing you that you want to be — and are already.
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