What’s Stopping You? The Beautiful Truth About Taking That First Step
For years, I asked myself a simple question: What’s really stopping you from exercising?
People swore it would give me more energy, lift my spirits, maybe even make me glow a little. And while that sounded lovely, my metabolism chugged along just fine, and I saw no reason to trade my cozy mornings for anything resembling a treadmill.
But life has a way of offering gentle nudges—sometimes wrapped in the persistence of a grown daughter who knows you too well.
My daughter, mother of four energetic little ones, kept urging me to give the gym just one try. One. I wouldn’t promise anything more. A woman must have boundaries, after all.
But then I watched her. Really watched her.
There she was, juggling toddlers, diaper bags, sippy cups, forgotten shoes, gym cards, and tiny rebellions—all while managing to get everyone into the car, into the gym, and back home again… without losing her sanity or her keys. That alone deserves an Olympic medal.
Meanwhile, my excuses suddenly looked rather pitiful. What was I supposed to say?
“Sweetheart, I would go, but my arms are exhausted from lifting my coffee cup this morning?”
Even I couldn’t say that with a straight face.
So, I went. I tried. And I walked out of that gym feeling something I hadn’t felt in a long time—fabulous. Light. Alive.
It made me wonder: What is it about moving our bodies that awakens something inside us?
Your Body Is Wired for Joy
Here’s the quiet miracle: the moment we start moving, our brain releases endorphins—little messengers of relief, clarity, and contentment. They soothe pain, brighten mood, strengthen memory. God designed our bodies to respond to movement like a flower responding to sunlight—opening, stretching, becoming more of what we were meant to be.
And the benefits? They don’t require months of effort. They begin the very moment you take that first brave step.
Strength Doesn’t Ask Your Age
Exercise strengthens the heart, bones, muscles—and maybe most importantly, courage. It slows the aging process, protects the body from the world’s wear and tear, and restores what time tries to take.
Even if we avoid every harmful habit on earth, doing nothing is its own kind of slow erosion. Movement is how we fight back. It’s how we tell our bodies,
I’m still here… and I refuse to fade quietly.
Maybe We’re Afraid of the Wrong Picture
If exercise makes you think of pain, sweat, and people shouting, “One more rep!”—no wonder you’d rather stay home. But that vision isn’t truth.
Movement can be gentle. Sacred. Joyful.
A walk in the evening breeze.
A swim that feels like floating prayer.
A dance in your kitchen.
A simple, steady stroll that awakens the whole body from the inside out.
One brisk walk can unlock every beautiful benefit your body has been waiting to give you.
Inspiration Is Everywhere
My sisters have both found their own rhythms. One dances her heart out in Zumba classes—so much so that she became a certified instructor. This is a triumph considering the health hurdles she faced when she was younger.
Another swims in outdoor pools in San Francisco—even in the chill—because movement isn’t just part of her routine; it’s part of her life. She’s in her seventies, and glowing.
And then… there’s Ernestine Shepherd.
The world’s oldest female bodybuilder began her training at 71. She’s now in her 80s and wakes up at 2:30 a.m. to run ten miles before heading to the gym. Ten miles. At dawn. On purpose.
I’m not suggesting we all go chase world records, but if Ernestine can lace up her shoes long before sunrise, surely we can manage a loop around the block. Surely we can offer our bodies a little love, a little motion, a little reminder that we’re still full of potential.
So… What’s Stopping You?
Maybe the fear of starting.
Maybe the myth that it has to hurt.
Maybe the story you’ve told yourself for years—that it’s too late, too hard, too much.
But here’s the truth, wrapped in warmth:
It only takes one small step to rewrite the story.
Your body is waiting.
Your spirit is ready.
Your future self is cheering for you from just down the path.
Today doesn’t require perfection—only a beginning.
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