One Step At A Time

Robert Kyprianou and I have just completed Offa’s Dyke walking 184 miles in 14 days. On the final day of this walk we also completed 500 miles of the 1000 miles we are walking to raise money for Research in to a treatment for Multiple Sclerosis. We have donations of over £33,000 so far and we will raise £100,000 this year. The Offa’s Dyke walk was the biggest physical challenge Rob and I have taken on in our lives. I reflect on the three insights that float to the top from this experience.
1. 500 miles is over one million steps. It is too daunting to think I am going to walk one million steps. Instead if I concentrate on one step at a time then each step is easy and after a while I pass one million steps. The same goes for ascending steeply two thousand feet. Look up the hill and the task is daunting and looks impossible. Instead take one step at a time and the summit eventually appears and what a view and great feeling it then is.
2. I am terrified when high up and close to an edge with a sheer drop a couple of feet away. I cannot overcome the feeling of panic when in this situation. I had to walk along a couple of sections like this on Offa’s Dyke. One almost a mile long after an aptly named section called ‘World’s End’. I learnt not to think about these sections to come before they happened. Enjoy today and what I am doing now and then take on the challenge when it arises if I can. This enriched the enjoyment of the moment in the moment and the stunning views, smells and feelings around me. I walked the scary sections and my heart did beat fast and I was scared but I did do it one step at a time and my fear lasted while I did it rather than all the hours beforehand.
3. My body and mind have more resources and resilience than I think. When I believe I have reached my limit but somehow push myself on I can go much further than I thought possible. The body strengthens and the mind finds new ways to get me through to my goal. I must remember this the next time I think something is not possible.
One step at a time, one conversation at a time and one penny at a time and we will walk 1000 miles, meet 10,000 people and raise £100,000.
Len