Thoughts and Actions

 

I don’t recall where I first saw or heard the quote, but I believe it was in a meeting, and it has stuck with me since then. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about each part it, I’ve reminded myself countless times of it’s truth, and I’ve even had Jamie at Brand & Design in downtown Kiel turn it in to a sign that hangs in my home. "What’s the quote?", you’re probably asking…

“You are not responsible for your first thought. You are responsible for your second thought, and your first action.” 

Read it again, and you’ll see how deep and true it really is. Our first thought is often automatic—a product of habit, past experience, fear, fatigue, or simply how we feel in that particular moment. For example…let’s think about exercise. “I don't feel like exercising today. I'm too tired. I'm too old for that. My knees are stiff. I'll start next week.”

The same rationalizations and First Thoughts can be made for what we choose to eat, whether we need to drink less, or maybe even in relationships—She’d never go out with me. I don’t deserve to be happy. I’m not good enough.  

The first thoughts can go on and on in so many directions, about so many topics. But for now, let’s get back to getting our bodies moving better.

There is nothing particularly unusual about having those thoughts. The important question is what happens next. Our second thought gives us an opportunity to challenge the automatic response: Maybe I don't feel like moving, but I know I'll feel better when I do. And then comes the part that matters most—the first action. Put on the shoes. Take the walk. Do the stretch. Get on the floor and move. That small action can completely change the direction of the next hour, the next day, and eventually our health.

This is especially true when it comes to exercise, mobility, and aging. The human body responds remarkably well to what we repeatedly ask it to do. Joints that regularly move through comfortable ranges of motion tend to maintain those ranges better than joints that rarely visit them. Muscles that are challenged have a reason to remain strong. Our balance, coordination, cardiovascular fitness, and physical capacity are all influenced by repeated exposure and practice. Unfortunately, the opposite pattern can develop as well. Stiffness can produce the first thought: "I shouldn't move because I'm stiff". That thought can lead to less movement, which can contribute to further loss of strength, confidence, and mobility. A better second thought might be: "I'm stiff, so some appropriate movement may be exactly what my body needs". The first action doesn't have to be dramatic. Five minutes of walking, a few controlled squats into a chair, some gentle spinal movement, or taking your shoulders and hips through comfortable ranges of motion is a vote for maintaining your ability to move.

Perhaps that is the larger lesson of the sign: Health is built in the space between what we initially feel and what we choose to do next. You won't always wake up motivated. You won't always feel loose, energetic, strong, or excited to exercise. Your first thought may tell you to stay on the couch, skip the workout, or accept that stiffness and declining mobility are simply part of getting older. You don't have to feel guilty about that thought—but you also don't have to obey it. Give yourself a second thought: "What choice would be good for me today?" Then follow it with one small action. Stand up. Move. Walk. Stretch. Train. Take care of the joints and muscles you want to carry you through the decades ahead. You may not control the first thought that enters your mind, but your second thought and your first action can help determine the direction your health takes from here.