Are shoes the secret to a new start in 2023?

January can be the epitome of a boom-bust cycle, where social pressure pushes us to make big changes and take charge of our lives. It’s easy to come out hot and burn out quickly.  To build on the importance of wellness that we discussed last month, let’s dive into strategies for making attainable, sustainable change.

I once worked with a pediatric physical therapist who instructed parents to buy only tennis shoes for their child.  She pointed out that when kids wear slip-ons that they can’t easily run around in, it unintentionally reinforces stillness and lack of movement.  We can use this same jedi-mind trick on ourselves! Darcy puts on her gym clothes and shoes early in her morning routine so it’s mentally harder for her to NOT do her workout—after all, her gym shoes are already on! I change into my gym shoes before I leave the office for the same reason.  Am I really going to change clothes just to go home? Nope. If the shoes are on, I’m going to the gym. Initiating a workout routine is often harder than the exercises themselves. Building new habits is all about finding the path of least resistance.  Don’t try to make yourself into a morning person AND start a 5:00 a.m. workout routine! Fit your routine into your day, whether that means a walk outside at lunch or an evening stroll after the kids are in bed.

A great way to jump-start your wellness is by putting on your walking shoes! Yep, just start with the shoes. Once they’re on, see if it’s easier to get yourself to trek down your driveway, or maybe around the block. Start with walking every other day and see if you can make it a week. Once you have proven to yourself that you can make that commitment, increase to five days a week. Perhaps you’ll notice that by the time you’ve laced up, you’re willing to walk an extra block or two to get more bang for your buck.

Let your shoes become the cue that reminds you how much better you feel after movement. The days when you really don’t want to move are the days you will benefit most from doing it anyway.  The mental toughness of powering through a low-motivation day is huge. Putting your shoes on and going for that walk even though you didn’t feel like it is an even sweeter win than going when you’re up for it. Good habits are what offer consistency when we are out of motivation.

So step into 2023 with confidence, consistency, and kick the boom-bust cycle to the curb! Those shoes were made for wellness.

                                                                                    -Written by Lexi Klawitter, DPT