One step at a time!

Today’s Bloganuary prompt was a tough one for me. 🙄

I looked at it in the morning but nothing struck me. 😔

During my short breaks from work, this topic was all I was wondering about and here I am at 11 pm just before going to bed, writing these words about not being able to figure out what to write about something that makes me feel strong. 😐

Anyway, let’s give it a try!

I am not a physically fit person. I did manage to reduce my weight by about 20 kg and have maintained it within a +/- 5 kg range in the last few years. But I still have a long way to go! I occasionally exercise and try my best to eat a healthier diet, but I often give in to temptations and falter. However, one instance where I actually witnessed my true strength was when I went for three 20 km long hikes in three days during my summer vacation in the German Alps last year (a long post on this is looong due). It was actually crazy and I was undoubtedly amazed at what my body is capable of. Not only my body actually, a lot of credit does go to my mind as well, for continuing on the journey irrespective of how mentally exhausted I may have felt, even while witnessing some of the most wonderful sights I had ever laid eyes on. There was also constant support and motivation from the best travel partner, my husband, to whom I am eternally grateful for pushing me.

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A post shared by Smiti M Dhami (@thedriftingsatellite)

Now I know that this particular prompt is a very subjective topic, but I would interpret strength as a general message from your mind and body (your overall physical and mental self) telling you – “You’re fine, you are doing good”. In my opinion, there is also a mixed essence of critique, motivation and hope, so the entire message could be:

“You’re fine, you did good today and I am immensely happy and proud that you climbed this mountain. But you know you are the best, you are a tiger. You need to be the best you. And you know you can do it. You can do much more. You can improve and be even better. Your biggest competitor is you. And for new challenges, we have tomorrow, and tomorrow will be a new day that will take you to newer heights. So keep going on and on and on”

Is this normal or is it just my body and mind that goes into this blabber mode? 😅

Anyway, I think for me personally, the simple act of completing a task, that I had thought I would do, brings me immense strength (and happiness).

To put it in other words, accomplishments make me feel strong. The key word here is ‘feel’ and I will dwell on that a bit later. But by accomplishment I do not mean the LinkedIn definition of getting a job, completing a project etc. etc. I mean the English word ‘accomplish’ that merely means to achieve a state (He accomplished greatness through his good deeds) or complete a task ‘successfully’ (mission accomplished). Now you may notice I have very cleverly put poor ‘successful’ in quotes to rob it of some of it’s importance. I apologise to the English language, but sometimes my accomplishment-induced-strength is delivered before the said task is ‘successfully’ accomplished. I mean that, sometimes merely starting a task is a task in itself and that makes me feel stronger. Oh, and coming back to ‘feel’. I realised something very basic while recounting my snowy hike to the Alpine lake Schrecksee. It may only be applicable to me but probably someone else would also be able to relate to this. In spite of how exhausted I was, just taking the next step made me ‘feel’ stronger; each new step actually made me believe that I may finally be able to make it to the top. I was in no way getting physically stronger, but mentally – yes. Strangely though, the mental strength pushing me was only getting recharged with steps, not while I was merely standing and enjoying the views (which was also very important actually, once in a while), or not while I was taking water breaks or clicking pictures, maybe a bit while seeing little kids run past me, but mostly by taking the next step. This is what another important highlight about accomplishments is – big or small – they deliver strength.

So it may be the bigger things in life like climbing that mountain. But the joy is just as special and the strength delivered thereby is just as great on achieving the tiny accomplishments. Be it taking that next step or writing this post because I had promised myself I would.

Thanks for flying by my orbit!

See you tomorrow! 🙂