FINDING YOUR OWN PACE

I’ve never been the most athletic guy.

For a long time, exercise felt like something I should do, not something I actually wanted to do. Getting on the rower or the Peloton always felt more like a chore than a privilege. I knew it was good for me, but that didn’t mean I looked forward to it. Most days, it felt like one more thing to check off the list.

But recently, my perspective on movement started to change.

With the mild winter we had here in Colorado, I began walking more. At first, it was nothing dramatic. Just a way to get outside, move a little, and do something active without making it feel like a big production. But the more I walked, the more I found myself wanting to do it again the next day.

That’s when it stopped feeling like exercise and started feeling like something I genuinely needed.

What I discovered was that walking gave me something other forms of exercise never really had. It gave me space.

On a walk, I could listen to an audiobook or put on one of my favorite playlists. I could call someone and catch up for a few minutes. I could think. I could breathe. And some days, I could just be quiet and let my head clear.

There was something different about it.

Instead of feeling drained, I felt accomplished. Instead of forcing myself through something I dreaded, I found myself looking forward to it. And oddly enough, I felt more productive after a walk than I ever had after other workouts.

That surprised me.

I also started noticing that walking wasn’t just helping me physically. It was helping me mentally too. I felt less stressed. Less on edge. My fuse wasn’t quite as short. I had time to sort through my thoughts before the day got too noisy. I’d find myself brainstorming business ideas, replaying conversations, reflecting on life, or simply taking in the moment.

In a world that constantly pushes us to move faster, do more, and optimize everything, walking became one of the few places where I didn’t feel pressure. I could go at my own pace. Some days that meant a leisurely pace of a little over 18 minutes per mile. Other days, I’d pick it up and get closer to 14. Either way, I was moving, and I was doing it in a way that felt sustainable for me.

That may be the biggest lesson in all of this.

Sometimes we have a narrow definition of what “healthy” is supposed to look like. We think it has to be intense to count. We think if we’re not exhausted afterward, maybe we didn’t do enough. We compare our routines to other people’s and assume we’re falling short if ours looks different.

But maybe the best exercise isn’t the hardest one.

Maybe it’s the one you’ll actually do.

Maybe it’s the one that fits your life, clears your mind, helps your body, and leaves you feeling better instead of defeated.

For me, walking has become that thing.

And it doesn’t hurt that I get to do it surrounded by the beauty of Colorado. There’s something grounding about being out on the neighborhood trails with the mountains in the distance. It has a way of reminding me that there’s more to life than deadlines, stress, and whatever is sitting heavy on my mind that day.

After a few weeks, what started as a two-mile walk turned into a four-mile loop that now feels just about perfect. I’ve found my groove. Not because I suddenly became a fitness guy, but because I found a form of movement that works for me.

A recent health scare, nothing too serious, reminded me that I need to stay active. It also reminded me that I’m not getting any younger. That’s not a negative thought. It’s just the truth. And sometimes the truth is what helps shift your perspective.

We only get one body. One mind. One life.

Taking care of those things doesn’t always have to look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like a quiet walk. Sometimes it looks like putting your headphones on, stepping outside, and giving yourself an hour to reset.

That counts too.

Actually, it may count more than we realize.

Maybe the real perspective shift is this: movement doesn’t have to punish you to help you. It can restore you. It can calm you. It can give you clarity. And sometimes, the healthiest thing you can do is stop chasing the version of wellness that works for everyone else and start finding the version that works for you.

For me, it started with a walk.

And somewhere along the way, that walk became one of the best parts of my day.

A thought to leave with:
What’s one healthy habit you’ve been resisting because you think it has to look a certain way? Maybe the better question is: what version of it would actually work for you?