It seems to take a very long time to form a good habit, and only an instant to stop it. That just doesn’t seem fair, does it? I had been in the habit of regular walks in the woods with my dog. It felt good to get out every day, regardless of the weather. It was good for her. It was good for me… And then, something happened… I can’t even pinpoint exactly what it was.
It took me a while to refit the bindings to my boots.
The weather got too hot. The trail got overgrown. My health took a temporary downhill turn. I got lazy.
Inertia is a powerful thing. Unfortunately, in my life, I’m the object at rest tending to stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. I want to be the object in motion that stays in motion. Oh, I’ve taken the occasional walk. But a couple of winters ago, I went: Every. Single. Day. Regardless of the weather. And it was glorious.
I want to experience that gloriousness again. To that end, I have pushed myself lately to get outside more, and to eat better and less. I made a resolution… last Monday was Day One. I did pretty well through this busy week. But not as well as I hope to be doing.
Thursday, I had a really lovely walk with Lolli, the wonder dog. Snow shoes. Bergman park. Back in the woods. It was clear that Lolli had missed these romps in the woods as much as I had.
We could not resist leaving the trail to follow the fox tracks.
At one point, we left the “trail” to follow some old, snowed-over fox tracks. What an interesting path he took us on. Eventually, it led back to a familiar trail where Trillium, Dwarf Ginseng, and Early Meadow-Rue will bloom in the spring.
There is a place along this trail that always makes me stop. I don’t know if it is because I’m too tired to go on, or if there is some magic that holds me there. A deep sense of peace and connection comes over me when I get there, and I just have to stop and breathe deeply.
Self Portrait (of my shadow) and Lolli('s footprints)
I don’t understand why it is sometimes so hard to get up and go do something that I know will make me feel great. Dang that Inertia.
Interesting Reading
- How Long to Form a Habit? – PsyBlog
A Passion for Nature 
since i’ve returned to work, i’ve been out less and it really changes your outlook. after week 3 of not walking every day, i was in a pouty mood, so now i make sure that i take a good two hour walk on the weekends. i sure understand where you’re coming from. good post…as always.
I love Thoreau’s Walking. In it he mentions that he doesn’t understand how others can spend the whole morning and most of the afternoon inside working without doing themselves in.