If you had asked me in early January 2021 if I would commit to achieving a 10,000-step daily routine for an entire year I would have laughed out loud, considering my health at the time. Later that month, however, I found myself considering the possibility while watching “The Octopus Teacher,” a documentary about a filmmaker who decides to dive 365 straight days in the freezing waters of South Africa. It would profoundly alter the trajectory of my life from that moment onward.
I thought to myself, “WHAT IF”.
“What if I walked 10,000 steps a day, what would my health look like in 1 year?”
“What would my life look like in 1 year?”
I decided to do it.
Well, that’s how my story started out, anyways. After just 2 months, I had to forfeit my goal when I incurred a second-degree sprain on my left ankle. Still determined to do this though, just 6 weeks later on May 10, 2021, I restarted my goal of getting 10,000 steps a day.
I’ll be honest here. I never really thought I would succeed in pulling off 10,000 steps a day for an entire year. A year feels like a very long time on Day 1. But it feels a little less so on Day 2, even less on Day 3, and eventually on Day 365 (May 10, 2022), I had done it! I succeeded in successfully reaching my “big audacious goal” of getting over 10,000 steps a day for 1 whole year! I was immensely proud of myself, as each day of that year felt like a hard-fought victory, conquering every single one of them.
On Day 357 though, I thought to myself, “Now what?” Roll it over TK (and not your ankle), roll over your step goal. Could I actually go a second year and still get 10,000 steps a day?
Despite my success, I still had doubts that I would succeed, the first year I must have just got lucky. Lucky for 365 days in a row, right? I decided to lay all my cards down and I openly said I was going for 2 years! It turned out that keeping that momentum going was not just easier but enjoyable; in that second year I added the goal of hiking the Grand Canyon Rim-To-Rim in a day (North Kaibab to South Kaibab, for those hiking aficionados), one I achieved in just over 12 hours. It was just over 62,000 steps that day (my biggest step count day in over a year)! It was a banner day, one the 365 successful 10,000-step days that culminated on May 10, 2023.
I took time to reflect a bit on my original “What if” questions at that 2-year mark. What happened to my health? For starters, my “what if” created muscle mass from head to toe. My “what if” helped me build my core back up, and increased my stamina. And “What if” made me emotionally and spiritually stronger in life! My “what if?” just proved to myself that I did NOT get lucky the first year, nor the second year. Luck had nothing to do with it and it had EVERYTHING to do with the mindset I had cultivated!
In those first 2 years of getting my 10,000 steps each day, many were far from easy. There were times that I was so sick or in so much pain that I cried and said to my husband, “What’s the point? Why am I even doing this? Why don’t I just stop, in the end who really cares if I don’t get 10,000 steps in today?”. Fortunately, Bob wouldn’t let me stop because he knew how hard I had worked to get to this point. I literally cried on some of our walks because I didn’t want to do it but every time Bob said to me, “TK, you may not want to today, you might not see a reason to take another step, but in a few days when the storm passes you will, and you’ll be happy you did.”
Bob’s advice didn’t stop my tears but it gave me enough strength to get my steps in because he was right. Sometimes success comes with pain and tears but that’s not what we need to focus on at that moment. In those tearful moments we need to focus on the bigger goal and not just the difficulty we’re facing; lifting our eyes up off of our feet and focusing them on the horizon can keep us going at those times we feel like giving up. Do it enough times, and it creates a mindset that strengthens your resistance to quitting! In my case, over time, I came to realize that my original goal of continuing my streak has become part of who I am… I’m no longer just someone out for a walk, I am TK the Tardigrade!
You see, when we want a new mindset we first have to start creating new neuropathways. When I planted that first seed, it was just 10,000 steps a day. But I came back faithfully every single day for 365 days and watered that seed. By doing this, a new little neuropathway was built, after a year it turned into a young vibrant tree. Just like the Great Sequoias, I not only watered that little “neuro sapling” of mine but I fed it all the right things that allowed my little sapling to grow into a big beautiful young redwood tree.
So now it’s May 10, 2024. I’m still not sure what’s more shocking, the fact that three years has passed since I started or the fact that TODAY marks my third year anniversary of getting over 10,000 steps a day! (Both seem a bit unbelievable, honestly.) Now, for me, choosing to take over 10,000 steps every single day, rain or shine, sickness, travel, pain or COVID, I choose myself and the miracle of what tomorrow may look like!
I’ve learned a lot along the way. Some by doing things the right way, some by doing it the wrong way, and some things, well, just luck I suppose. It really boils down to these three things:
- THINK SMALL. Know when to look at your feet, and when to look at the sky. It’s important to keep your long-term goal in mind, but obsessing about the end of it can feel overwhelming; it’s often best to keep your focus on small milestones that can feel achievable and celebrate them when you do. Celebrating the small wins doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, it can be something as simple as “Hey, I did it today!”. Be thankful you made it yesterday, praise yourself for doing it and be positive you will make it today.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)
- WHY? To achieve a long-term goal, it’s crucial to possess a compelling WHY that goes beyond “just because”. Those tough moments, the ones where you just don’t see any reason to continue, require taking your focus off your feet and placing it on the horizon. Your motivation might be AWOL today, but tomorrow it won’t be. Sometimes not letting your “tomorrow self” down is the only justification you can come up with, and it’s a good-enough reason to keep going.
“The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.” – Napoleon Hill
- MINDSET. It’s crucial to begin cultivating a positive growth mindset. Without it, the old mental patterns we’ve built up over the years will eventually sabotage our goals, unless we utilize neuroplasticity to retrain our brains. It’s not about constant positivity; rather, it’s about recognizing our thoughts, intercepting the negative ones before they take hold, and reframing them to work in our favor, not against us.
So today I’m celebrating myself! I’m celebrating achieving my goal by hiking Potato Chip Rock to get my 10,000 steps today, but I’m also celebrating the bravery and dedication that I’ve developed along the way.
In the end, these steps are just my goal. Everyone’s goal is different, whether it be a physical one like hiking the Grand Canyon (or even getting up off the couch!), to an emotional one like wanting to thrive despite a difficult diagnosis. These goals are challenging, and so often are made easier (or even possible) by having someone walk alongside you, and it’s another one of my goals to help you do it! I would love to hop on a free discovery call to help you foster and achieve whatever “big audacious goal” you might be dreaming of.
Three years ago I would have never thought I would have taken over 15 million steps over 3 years, but here I am today to tell you, I JUST DID! I have met my goal (for now). And so can you!
“Yesterday is the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” – Bill Keane
It’s never too late to start, and there may be plenty of excuses to put it off but there will always be at least one to get moving. Outlier Healing can help you “step up and step out!”
Until next time,
BE BRAVE BE STRONG BE KIND TO YOURSELF
AND KEEP ON STEPPING!
About the Author
TK is a symbol of resilience and personal growth, dedicated to helping others find genuine healing. As a loving spouse, caring parent, enthusiastic rock climber, and adventurous spirit—she once completed an impressive Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hike in just 12 hours—TK embodies a life lived to the fullest. Known affectionately as “TK the Tardigrade,” she shares the tenacity and vitality of these microscopic creatures famed for surviving harsh conditions. Her nickname reflects her unwavering spirit, having faced mortality several times and emerging stronger each time. As a Certified Flourishing Wellness/Trauma Coach and the founder of Outlier Healing, TK is deeply committed to guiding others from illness to vibrant health. Her journey of overcoming challenges such as seven cryptogenic strokes, cervical dystonia, and dysautonomia has led her to develop a holistic approach that empowers individuals to strengthen their resilience and embrace wellness. TK’s determination and belief in life’s possibilities offer hope and inspiration to those she meets, encouraging them to find peace amidst life’s challenges. Her life serves as an example of thriving rather than just surviving, and she is eager to support others as they write their own stories of triumph. Join TK on this transformative journey and allow her to light the way to a thriving life.