Doing the Right Things

Sometimes doing the right things can turn out to be the wrong things. You say, “What?”

That’s what I said after I took my walk today. Walking is the right thing to do, right? Walking is supposed to be good for me on so many levels. All my doctors and therapists say it is good for at least four reasons. 1. Helps with weight loss efforts, 2. Helps with blood sugar control, 3. Improves overall general mood, and 4. Gives a sense of accomplishment. As one doctor put it, it gives four times the bang for one activity.

So how could I lose? With the benefits keenly in mind, I stopped being sedentary for a few minutes this afternoon to get four times the bang. I followed the advice of a therapist and went for a walk. I didn’t let myself think about it or argue myself out of it. I didn’t come up with a bunch of reasons, good or bad, for not going. There were several that came to mind like the fact that it’s too hot (84 degrees forecasted for today). But I didn’t let that dissuade me. I just did it. I did it for me, for the benefits it can provide.

I didn’t want to hesitate in my resolve to go so I just left the house, iPod playing in my ears, and headed to the housing sub-division next to our house. The cul-de-sac loop is very close to a half mile, round trip. I’ve walked it many times before and survived. I thought I might even try two laps making it an even mile. The walk was going well until the three-quarter mark on the first lap.

The first twinge of a “hot spot.” That’s what I call that prickly, sore spot, where a blister is beginning to form. With no choice than to keep walking toward home, I tried to walk as normal as possible. Each step told me to stop walking but I couldn’t just sit down in the middle of the road and wait for my husband to come home from work to come get me. By the time I sat down in my living room, the blisters, one on each foot, had popped. My feet, which normally ache after walking, feel fine except for the two hot spots.

So what went wrong? In my hurry to not give in to the procrastination I did not change into my walking shoes. My previously tried and trusted sandals were not up for the challenge of a fast-paced walk. I should have changed. But, now I have the blisters to deal with and a lesson learned. Urgency is not always the best plan of action. Next time I will do the right things, starting with putting on the right footwear. There are no shortcuts to doing the right things.