A Single First Step

July 2, 2011 By: Lynne Brick

“Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap character; sow a character, reap destiny.”   – Samuel Smiles

Thank you Samuel Smiles.  Your quote makes me “smile” and makes me  remember some amazing women. I met Bernadette yesterday.

Bernadette was depressed over the passing of her mother, ten years ago. She became reclusive and suffered from pain and arthritis from a work related knee injury. Her physical and emotional pain left her with feelings of hopelessness. Bernadette weighed 363 pounds. She had no energy to leave the couch, let alone the house.  When she did move, she walked very slowly with the assistance of a cane.

Then, one day, a friend called and asked her to come to the gym with her.  It was the anniversary of her mother’s passing on January 18^th.  Hesitantly, Bernadette accepted her friend’s request.  She was determined to do something positive instead of focusing on negative thoughts.

Bernadette described her fear that day:  she was so heavy she thought staff and other people would look right through her as people had done so many times before.  What she experienced exceeded her expectations.  Staff talked to her, encouraged her, smiled at her, laughed with her.  They held her hand.  Bernadette cried when she told me how she felt that day.

But now she cries tears of joy.  Ever since January 18^th, she has not walked with a cane.  Bernadette came to the gym two times a week, then by her third week, she increased to five times a week. Best of all, she has lost 33 pounds in 3 months!  Bernadette committed to changing her life.  A positive thought became a positive action. A single positive action became a habit. All it took was the first step.

The first step to focus on positive behavior. The first step to accept her friend’s request to go the gym.  The first step to strength train. The first step to walk on a treadmill.  The first step on a path to better health.

Thank you Bernadette for sharing your incredible story.  God bless you as you continue on your life-long healthy lifestyle journey, which began with a single first step.