Keep . Going
Today I took myself for a walk up a small mountain. (500m) The route I took was The 1000 steps walk in the Dandenong Ranges National Park in Victoria, Australia. It is a popular fitness track winding through lush ferns and towering eucalypts.
These are the lessons I learned:
Fitness diminishes if you don’t maintain it.
I really didn’t need my fleece - walking uphill warms you up pretty quickly.
It is not helpful to compare myself (and my fitness level) to other walkers (especially if they overtook me).
Yes, my legs hurt walking up hundreds of steps.
Stopping was only helpful to catch your breath - it didn’t mean the walk had ended.
It is okay to stop and look at the Cockatoos and Rosellas.
Saying a mantra like ‘I think I can, I think I can’ can help (from a favourite children’s book The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper).
Wondering if the next turn would be the last won’t make it happen.
Considering turning around and heading back down is not an option.
There are people faster than me.
There are people slower than me.
What other people are doing or how they are going is none of my business.
When The End isn’t in sight - you just have to keep going.
When you least expect it, The End is just around the corner.
It feels good to reach the top.
The top (or Summit) isn’t The End. (Remember ‘The Everest Principle’*.)
Walking back down can be more painful than walking up.
The people walking down, smile.
It doesn’t matter how long it takes, the achievement is in finishing.
Now that I have done it, I have a base (personal best) time that I will try to beat next time.
It was hard work.
It was fun.
I felt good; physically, mentally and emotionally.
Unless you’ve travelled the path before, You don’t know the length of the journey until The End.
Keep going.
*The Everest Principle refers to setting a goal NOT only to reach the summit, but also to get back down. Most deaths on Mt. Everest were people walking down from the summit.)
