I’m participating in a program that Target is sponsoring that will run for a month. The goal of the program is promotion of fitness and health. Each week, they are providing a writing prompt that bloggers can use (or not). This week, the theme was “Today’s Victory,” and it really resonated with me.

Multiple times recently, I have found myself in a conversation with someone who believes he/she cannot embrace a vegan lifestyle (even though he believed it would be good for him) or do yoga (even though she wants to) because he/she won’t be able to maintain it every day or every week. I completely understand this perspective, because I’ve felt it. I have certainly not started projects or worked toward goals because I was so overwhelmed by the larger goal that I was paralyzed.

But, as I tried to say to my friends during these conversations, and as I try to remind myself, when it comes to having a more healthy or active life, it’s the little accomplishments that matter. Doing 20 minutes of yoga 3x a week is an hour more yoga than none. So, every time that 20 minutes is done, it’s a victory. Eating one plant based meal is one less helping of cholesterol and animal proteins that the body takes in, and that’s a victory.

The best thing about thinking about those larger health goals in this way is that there are many many opportunities to make the choice that you want, to create those little victories, in every day. Yesterday, I didn’t feel up to a 90 minute vigorous asana class. Sometimes, that makes me feel really bad and I get very angry at myself. But, this time, I heated my rice pads and sat down on the floor for 60 minutes of yin. Victory. Today, I wanted to come home from work and eat some junk (vegan junk, but still junk), but I came home and had a big glass of water and a little avocado instead. Victory.

Focusing on the moments that we “do right” instead of the times we don’t meet our own expectations is, I think, a good way of creating more motivation. And, it’s only fair to give ourselves credit for what we do. After all, being healthy is also about being kind to the self.

What was your little victory today?

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