So, I set a goal for the month of February. Considering where I live, this goal may not have been the best one to set.

I decided to challenge myself (yes, you can challenge yourself) to get 10,000+ steps in each day.

I also happen to live in a state where winter can be and most often is bitterly cold, extremely windy, and if there isn’t snow on the ground in our yard, there is most likely ice. Ice is not my friend, since a few years ago when I slipped, smacked my head on the cement and proceeded to have temporary amnesia. That is a story for maybe never, who wants to relive that? 🤦‍♀️

Anyway, since we already know that I am great at finding excuses NOT to exercise, one would think that setting a “daily step challenge” during the winter wouldn’t be the best idea. Obviously, I didn’t think this one through. 🤣

Today was extremely windy, there was actually a severe wind warning issued, along with below zero temperatures.

I thought about getting out and walking when I got up, around 6am, but it was already very windy. I decided to put it off until later in the afternoon.

Can you guess what happened?

You are correct, I put some layers on and headed out for my walk in -14 degree weather before the sun set (it would be much colder after sunset).

Haha, I’m guessing you thought I was going to say that I decided to skip the walk for today? Trust me, I thought about it.

In all honesty, I was trying pretty hard to talk myself out of going for a walk.

• It’s too windy
• It’s too cold
• The sun will be setting any minute
• My warm layers are in the laundry
• It’s too icy, I could slip and hit my head again
• Etc…etc…etc…

In the end, I realized that:

• The wind had calmed a bit and I could walk on the side of the house that would block the wind
• Yes, it was cold, but if I let cold stop me I wouldn’t leave the house (for exercise) at all during the winter months
• There was still over an hour before the sun set
• It wouldn’t hurt to pull my outer layer leggings from the laundry hamper
• If I haven’t learned to be careful of ice then I guess it will be another lesson learned 🤷🏼‍♀️

I decided to carry my hot chocolate along to warm me from the inside and I headed out…after donning 2 layers of clothing, warm winter coat, a neckerchief, headband, thick gloves, and of course, grippy bottom hiking boots.

At about 5,000 steps, I was ready to head back in. Then I saw a few little birdies looking for seeds on the ground. I decided I had best fill the bird feeders. I felt a bit warmer by this time and decided to head back to the trail to finish my steps. I made it to about 7,000 and was ready to give up but my phone rang (I find it easier to get my steps in if I’m not concentrating on every single one).

While I was walking and talking (much to the amazement of my sweet farmer, haha, yes, I can multitask 😂 ) another 500 steps had passed, the sun had set and it was getting much colder.

I headed inside and decided that since I was still enjoying the phone conversation that I would continue walking around inside the house.

That did it! I reached 10,000 steps before the call was over.

I look back now, as I am typing this, and can see all the “God-winks”, as my aunt calls them, feeding the birds, and the phone call that kept me going to reach my goal.

Do you have a daily, weekly, or monthly step goal?