YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!

Who's in charge of YOUR life? Kids, boss, husband, wife, mom, dad? Some days it feels like all of them, right?

I have discovered FREEDOM! I have discovered that when the world about me is going crazy, I can remove myself from it all - all the craziness, the insanity, the tension, the concerns, the politics, the arguments, the money problems, everything. How, you ask?

I put on my walking shoes and head out the door or into a bedroom and lock the door!

So simple but not always so easy. It took me many years to figure out that I was not only able to do this - but also that I didn't need anyone's permission to do it.

Now, everyone in my home and office accepts that there are times when I'll disappear or lock myself away for a while and they better not interfere. There's not much I can do to deter them from interfering. Mostly, I just ignore. When I get my mind set on going for a walk, for whatever reason, I just go.

What about YOU! Can you just remove yourself for 10-15 minutes from whatever is going on around you? Well, yeah.

Legally, we are allowed a 15 minute 'break' in every 4 hours of work (in the workplace - not at home!). We get a lunch 'hour' (an hour which is often just 15 minutes long).

Further, it is not written in granite that dinner must be on the table at 6:00 PM. 6:15 will work. I promise. Time to go to bed or arise in the morning are flexible for most people. Can you afford the 15 minutes each day? Walking just 15 minutes before going to bed is probably not a good idea. It is likely to rev you up a bit much rather than settle your body down. So, in the morning, arising 15 minutes early is likely to be a reasonable solution. Try it for a week or two, especially if you can really not find those 15 minutes at any other time in your day.

I'm NOT a 'morning person'. But even for me, arising 15 minutes earlier than I must would not be a hardship. Might not be my first choice - but not a hardship.

If I'm the boss of me, I get to determine when I take my walk. Even if I already walked my 15 minutes this morning, if the boss is getting to me, I'm likely to lace up my walking shoes and take my mind and body outside for an AA during my lunch 'hour'. Bonus - I get in 30 minutes rather than 15. Twice the bang for my buck!

This is a no lose situation. You just have to take the action. Here's one way to assure you can put the plan into action - ALWAYS HAVE YOUR WALKING SHOES HANDY. If you do most of your walking from home, put your old shoes in your trunk or desk drawer, along with a cushy pair of socks. As your walking increases, you'll find more ways to fit in your walk and your AA.
You can't go wrong with this plan. I promise.