Since 2011, I’ve been spending a lot more time at my desk, getting this indie publishing thing squared away. It’s been a lot of work, plus details kept changing so the work had to be updated and done again. (And again and again and again. Gah!) I’ve also been writing new stories at the same time and publishing them myself. Right now, there are over 80 books on my dashboard at any given portal. That’s a lot of content and a lot or work. Moving to indie meant not just long days at my desk but every single day at my desk, which meant I was feeling a lot less healthy.

I tried a number of different things over the past year, none of which seemed to stick. But on August 6, I decided to walk. I’ve always liked walking and I’ve always – at least until 2011 – walked a lot. I used to walk with my dog, but she’s getting older and doesn’t always want to walk a second time each day. (She goes for a run with Mr. Math every day.) Also, she tends to dawdle on her second walk, so I decided to walk by myself. I picked a route and walked it. My phone says it’s 4.5 km, or about 5600 steps. My phone also says that it takes me between 42 and 44 minutes. That’s not even an hour. I figure I can invest an hour a day in my own well-being.

Beginning August 6, I walked that route every single day, rain or shine, for two weeks. (It was actually quite nice in the rain.) I changed the time around a bit, experimenting with what worked best for me. The next two weeks were very hot and sticky, so I only walked it six times in those 14 days. I also had my annual canning to complete during those two weeks, plus I did a lot of weeding and mulching in the garden. I was still active, just not walking every day. So, I walked my route 20 times in 28 days, which isn’t bad for a new habit. I’ll try to improve on that in the next 30 days, and do my walk every single day.

And what’s the result? I have lost a couple of pounds over the past month, which isn’t epic but is better than gaining a few. 🙂 I haven’t changed my eating habits, so didn’t expect otherwise. (I might be eating a bit more – ha! – because walking makes me hungry.) The more important thing is that I feel better. I’m sleeping better. I feel less stressed and more organized.

And the most exciting thing is that walking for 45 minutes daily is a marvelous way to unravel plot tangles. I feel joyous about writing again, and I feel creative. This next year is going to be very exciting for new stories – and maybe I’ll even lose a few more pounds.

Have you started any new habits lately and stuck with them?