As a mindfulness and well-being speaker, I always assert the importance of moving forward. Letting yourself drown in self-pity or anger will lead you nowhere. Not moving forward can compromise your health — not just your mental health, but also your physical well-being. Studies show that excessive stress can be linked to heart failure, high blood pressure, and stroke!
Moving forward can be done by anyone. This makes me remember the old lady who somehow always walks past the main glass door of my gym when I work out. She always takes this walk around the vicinity at around the same time as my scheduled gym sessions.
However, her gait is far from normal. In fact, she is ferried to the area in a wheelchair by her maid. She then climbs out of the chair and starts her daily exercise with the help of a steel walker. Each step takes about 5 seconds and is just a tiny distance. It seems she may suffer from some kind of disease, perhaps Parkinson’s.
Even though walking may seem normal to most of us, each step this old lady takes requires tremendous effort. But she never stops, and she consistently does it every single day. She always takes a moment to stare into the gym, and we usually exchange a quick glance at each other before moving on with our own routine.
Seeing this old lady greatly inspires me. Despite her challenges, her tenacity fuels not only my workout but also is a grave reminder never to give up, no matter how difficult things may seem. We may not be able to control what happens to us, but we can always do something positive about it.
Ways How to Move Forward
In the darkest of times, moving forward may seem impossible. In actuality, moving forward just takes time. But some of us might need extra help, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Here are some ways to move forward:
- Reflect on your current situation. Spend some time analyzing your current situation. Think about your opportunities, difficulties, shortcomings, and strengths. Reflect on your priorities, values, and areas of enthusiasm.
- Set clear goals. Specify the goals you have. Your objectives must be SMART, specified, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. You’ll feel more purposeful and have a feeling of direction if you set specific goals.
- Stay persistent. Goal-achieving frequently needs tenacity and grit. There will be challenges and failures, but keep going. Even when things are challenging, keep moving forward.
- Seek support. Never be embarrassed to ask for assistance or advice from mentors, friends, or experts in your field of interest. An encouraging network may offer insightful advice and motivation.
- Surround yourself with positivity. Read a good book. Attend an insightful event with a mindfulness and well-being speaker. Participate in motivational seminars. Oftentimes, when you consume positivity, you tend to emulate it.
- Celebrate your success. Celebrate all of your accomplishments, big or little. You may increase your motivation and maintain your commitment to your trip by recognizing your progress.
For those of you who are undergoing challenges in these unprecedented times, perhaps you can learn a lesson from this article or the old lady I’ve mentioned! The future may seem bleak and uncertain, so taking one step at a time is best. We must not let our condition hold us back. The most important thing is always to move forward, no matter how tough each step may seem. How you move forward doesn’t matter — whether you’re taking time off to reflect, listening to a mindfulness and well-being speaker, or staying persistent. What matters is that you’re doing something to move forward, no matter how small your steps may be.
