Often, a course change of just one degree is all it takes for significant results.
I'm thinking about a ship sailing from Seattle to Singapore. This ship has a compass course that it must follow. A one degree change in course would not be significant or noticeable in one hour of sailing. It might not even be noticeable in a half a day of sailing. But keep on that course for several days, and you'd be sailing toward some other destination.
In other words, very small alterations in course, over the long haul can make a significant difference. Case in point is my daily, 12-minute arm-toning routine, which I do holding socks filled with rolls of pennies. It seems almost too insignificant to count, so unimportant that it hardly matters if I do it or not. NOT true! After some months, I notice my arms are looking much less flabby, in fact, one might even say not bad for a woman my age and weight. It was only a one degree course change, yet the new destination is lookin' good!
What this proves to me is that I don't need to make huge changes in behavior, attitudes or habits. Consistency of a very minor adjustment over a period of time will result in significant progress. I like knowing this!!!
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Gratitude for today: my neighbor's hens and rooster, eggs, women friends, not having to wear a jacket when I walked today, two fantastic workers who are building us a garden fence and pads for our horse trough garden beds.
I like the arm exercise example. 12 minutes a day... huh.
ReplyDeleteAnd the garden! Such a lot of work!! And it looks like it is going to be beautiful. :D
Thanks for thte comments on my blog. I appreciate it.
Deb
This is a wonderful, insightful and inspirational post. I have recently lost 30 pounds and really notice love handles and have been excercising to reduce them without much result....I will stretch on.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter
Carol
Consistency so often referred to but so hard to believe in....
ReplyDeleteJust like tending to a garden...consistency will produce tiny miracles that often could just be started in a styrofoam cup!
I work out about 2 minutes....
ReplyDeletebut then 12 times a day while at work.
That comes out to be almost 30 minutes
of activity per shift. Just enough for me.
But since I've been injured.... not so much!
Baby steps are good for beginners!
Right on course!
You are so right! How often do we decide to go all gung ho on a lifestyle change but can't sustain. Little changes make sense. Much more doable.
ReplyDeleteJust catching up on blogs today..back on your blog about OA and being stuck...I'm in exactly the same place. I've not been to a meeting in a few weeks though. There sometimes is a feeling for me of going and confessing and promising to do better that I just don't want to do..Not sure that is all there is to it. Also the feeling I need to 'do it right'. It seems overwhelming right now. Still find comfort in the literature and the concept......Thanks for your loving support
ReplyDelete"Consistency of a very minor adjustment over a period of time will result in significant progress."
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated reading your arm exercise story, and the results. I needed the reminder... I tend to discount my exercise, on the excuse that it's so little to matter.
Thanks for this post!
Well done!
ReplyDelete