Over the past year, I’ve come to exchange greetings with an elderly couple who go out for a daily walk, stopping many times to rest. They put one foot in front of the other to keep walking, to stay mobile, to experience life as fully as they can.
But it can seem the most difficult thing in the world to take even one step when you’re overwhelmed. Grief, loss of family, job, business or anything else can root us to the spot. It’s too much to get past.
I’ve experienced this and know how much of a struggle it can be to get out of bed when it feels that there’s no reason to do anything. It can all seem too much.
And that’s why one step at a time is so important. We can never solve every problem in one day, but one step at a time helps us deal with them slowly. Whether it’s getting up, washing and dressing, doing some exercise, reading a book, working on a course, applying for a job or working on a business, it’s progress. Each step is one more than the previous one and moves us forward. It’s surprising how fast we pick up speed without noticing.
From my own experience, I have been amazed at what has been possible to achieve from a standing start and I believe it’s possible for everyone, even when it seems there is no way forward.
I think many of us feel overwhelmed at the moment one way or another, especially if cooped up at home, and I hope we can all take one step at a time and move forward.