Inertia

An object in motions remains in motion.  -Sir Isaac Newton

Today, we are going to have a small physics lesson.  For all those who are not scientifically minded, please don't be scared to read this one.  Clarissa, if you see anything in here that I explain incorrectly, feel free to correct it!  I happened to miss a few physics classes in high school--I mean skipped them--so my knowledge here may not be up to par!!

The concept is simple--if something starts moving, it will stay moving until another force stops it.  Roll a ball on the ground, drop a ball from the air, whatever it is--it keeps going until something stops it (friction, gravity, etc.).  So why can't we apply this same principle to ourselves as humans?  OH WAIT--we can!!  If we start moving, we will keep moving.  And I don't necessarily mean this in a physical sense (though that much is also true), but that when we get going on something, we will stay going. 

When my alarm goes off in the morning (the WORST sound in the world), I sit and debate about whether or not I should get up and get going.  I recall Newton's First Law and remember that when I get up and going, I keep going throughout the day.  I feel better and more energized.  I am more attentive.  I just appreciate and navigate throughout the day so much better. 

When I start a new challenge (6000 push ups in a month, running a marathon, implementing more vegetables in my meals), all it takes is that one step in the right direction and I can keep going.  A friend and I decided we were going to do a half-marathon, and while we had days where it seemed impossible, it just took us breaking it down and going one day at a time.  And we made it!

 La & Crizz--April 2011:  Mile 8 of our first Half Marathon. 

Keeping in mind yesterday's post about creating motivation, this is a great piggy-back to that.  Once you can identify what you are motivated to do, all it takes is one day to start a pattern. 

Case and point:  An amazing red-haired friend of mine recently decided that she was going to start working out.  She's not overweight by any means--she's got a great little body and has the overall build that most of us would give our right arm to have.  However, after seeing several of her friends doing running and other activities, she decided she would get going too.  A lot of people teased her about it, said it would never last, and were NOT the motivation she needed.  Because she is motivated and has some cheerleaders (not just hecklers), she has kept at it.  She is now doing my push up and crunch challenge of July, going running several times a week, finding a new love for Zumba ("Teach Me How to Dougie"), and has her eyes set on a 5k in October.  It took a motivation and a step in the right direction.

So what is the rest of the law all about--the fact that the object in motion can be stopped?  Yeah, that's part of the hecklers I wrote about above.  There are plenty of things that can stop us--injury, lack of motivation, excuses, others bringing us down, being tired.  The downside of this is that an object at rest ALSO remains at rest.  Falling off your path can and WILL happen.  The beauty of it is that all it takes is one more step to get right back on and stay on. 

Considering yesterday's post and the ONE response I got (thanks ABC), tell me what ONE step you have taken that has started your pattern, or what ONE step you can take.  If you haven't yet taken it, what is keeping you from doing it?  What do you need to give you the courage to take it?

Hope everybody's first day back to work goes well and your fireworks were brilliant!