Just Start

It’s all well and good to have grand dreams and fantastic goals. It can be easy, however, to get bogged down in planning forever and never truly getting started. So today is a very simple message: You just need to start.

Just Start

While I typically change up the titles of these sections with the title of the post itself, I want to underscore just exactly how important it is that you JUST START. Today. Not next week. Not even tomorrow. Today.

While I’m not about to tell you that what you do does not matter at all, it is significantly less important than you simply getting started toward bettering yourself. I have had people “just start” with getting up at a certain time in the morning and drinking a glass of water. That’s it. No exercise, no in-depth nutrition guide. Just that first step: get up, water. Everything has to start somewhere.

Because while what you do DOES matter, none of it GETS done until you start doing SOMETHING. Many people will plan, perfect, strategize, and organize themselves half to death and never actually get anywhere. Don’t let this be you. If you know you have a long way to go, don’t obsess over the end goal. Just start doing SOMETHING towards it. Absolutely plan things. Having no plan is a recipe for disaster. Just don’t let your planning phase turn into the length of time it would have taken you to complete the first steps. JUST. START.

Where to Start

For some people, it is not a matter of not being willing or able to start, but simply not knowing where TO start. For those of you in this position, I have you covered. Here are a few things that you can start doing immediately to get you started:

Get up at the Same Time Each Day

If we’re talking about “just starting,” the start of your day is one of the best places to start. Start regulating your sleep, even if there are no external factors forcing you to. Getting your body on a consistent sleep schedule that gives you 7-8 is one of the best things you can do for your health.

Drink More Water

If I could enforce any single health related habit by law, this would be it. The average American is woefully dehydrated on a nearly daily basis because the incredible importance of this simple practice is so terribly understated. The human body is roughly 70% water. Drink more of it. It’s just that simple. Just like my example earlier, you can start simple. Drink one glass of water in the morning when you wake up. Do this every day. Just start.

Exercise

While this one can be as broad and varied a subject as our reader base, the point here is to just start doing something. If you don’t exercise at all, just start going for a walk each day. Even if it’s just down the street and back. Just start doing it. Once you develop the habit of doing some kind of exercise at least 5 days a week, you can start getting into what kind you do. For now…Just start.

Meditate

Dispel any stereotypes you have about this habit. You don’t need to be “New Age” or even remotely religious or spiritual to start meditating. You don’t need incense, candles, or any other material or circumstantial trappings. It can be a simple as setting aside just five minutes to sit down and breath. Yes, it really can be that simple. Just start.

What Did You Start Today?

As always, I want to hear from all of you. Tell us about what you started doing today. It doesn’t matter how great or small it is, we want to hear about it. Alternatively, if you are having trouble starting, tell us about that. Tell us your struggles, and let us help you get started. The worst mistake you can make is doing nothing at all.