"The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch." -Every Given Sunday
(An excerpt from our upcoming book)
The Inch
“A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step.” --Chinese Proverb
A simple solution to overcoming stress or trouble with any topic or with stress itself is simply to do anything about it, no matter how small and own that step with pride, even if its smaller than what you “used to be able to do.”
Homer Simpson would have a hard time finding the ‘any key’ of wellness, especially along the paths he’d decided were hopeless. Too often, we become so afraid of making the wrong move that we do nothing.
As I said before, the #1 reason people get hit in a fight is because they did nothing. Move.
At the same time, we have this bad habit of ‘all or nothing self-improvement.’ We are either Mr. or Miss universe or we are nothing. We ace that test, or we might as well not try. We have to become a bestseller or why even write etc. When the magic of the very fabric of life and our dreams are learning to take pride in our small steps regardless of what we used to be able to do or what actions we think hold value.
To what degree does that statement hold you ask?
I once had a very depressed client walk in.
I could sense she was in pain and asked, “What are your wellness goals?”
She casually replied, “If I could just make it to next week that would be great,” with no more emotion than if she was talking about a single leaf from a tree that was already on it’s way to the pavement.
It was her lack of emotion with a statement hinting at suicide that made me fear for her life. That moment hit me harder than a truck when I realized the intensity of responsibility in my hands.
“Have you spoken to a psychologist?”
“Yes.”
I was perturbed and had most of the knowledge in this book and decided to do my best, despite my own fears.
Over the next hour, I shared the above stories and some of the information in this book during her massage, and by the end, she planned out her next three months of appointments. I wanted to cry since she went from being unable to see herself alive in one week to three months in one appointment, but I had to remain strong.
I speak constantly about “finding your next inch of wellness, focus on it alone and own it” …For her, it took her two weeks to find her first inch. She decided that instead of loathing herself she would only hate herself. I cheered her on.
Two weeks later she drank a liter of water for the first time. I cheered her on.
Two weeks after that she cleaned her hamster cage and probably greatly increased its life expectancy. I cheered her on.
Two weeks after that she decided to clean up her house when she had company coming over. I cheered her on.
I’ve had many clients who liked my “theory of the next inch” but looked down and said they weren’t sure how ‘quickly’ they could move. I smiled and told them it was ok and reminded them of this story. The sooner we can accept ourselves, including our rate of improvement, especially in the areas of life that we may be blind or ashamed, the sooner we can finally begin to rise into the people that we always knew we could become and have a real chance of making our lives, communities and even the world a better place.
The inches are everything. What’s your next inch? Don’t fret if you’re not sure yet. By the end of this book things will come far easier for you. For right now, I dare you to move one finger.
*cheers you on*
Photo by Juan Salamanca from Pexels
