I was on a walk today for the first time in a while. I’m working on getting back into the swing of some kind of consistent exercise, so I decided to take a walk through my neighborhood this morning before the start of a very busy day.
As I was walking, I saw an older gentleman coming from the other direction. I generally just smile at people I pass when I’m walking, because I’m on a mission and usually walking and talking at the same time can be a challenge. And out of nowhere, this man said to me, “Pick up the pace!”
Wait, what? I was a bit surprised, but I kept my smile on my face and immediately shot back, “Or I can just celebrate that I’m moving at all.”
Like, who did this guy think he was telling me I wasn’t going fast enough? I thought I was moving at a pretty good clip. (I’m pretty sure I was going faster than he was, but that’s beside the point.)
I was just glad I was out there at all. I mean, honestly, I technically should have been getting ready for a meeting I had to get to not long after I’d get back from my walk. I could have given a thousand excuses to not walk at all but I pushed past all that and got out there.
Normally, I’d let his words bring me down. I’d start thinking negative thoughts. “I’m not doing it right. I need to be faster, walk farther, be stronger. What I’m doing isn’t good enough. I can’t ever get it right.” (Do you ever take that bait and give in to thoughts like that?) But today I didn’t. I didn’t take the bait. I had made myself get up and move and I was super proud of myself for that. So I just turned around and kept my pace and celebrated the fact that I was moving at all. And it was enough.
So in case you needed a reminder today too, don’t take the bait. Other people are going to have opinions about what you need to be doing and how you need to do it and you have a choice on how to respond. You can take the bait, let the negative thoughts stockpile in your head and hold you back.
OR…….
You can choose to keep moving. Don’t you worry about what they think. Smile at them. Celebrate that you’re moving at all. And keep on going down the lane. If you’re doing what God has put in your heart to do the way He is leading you to do it, don’t bother about anyone else’s opinions on it. His is the only opinion that matters, and He’s cheering you on as you step out and follow Him and so am I!