Trending Tuesday: Chop Wood. Carry Water. Keep Showing Up.

We tend to celebrate the big moments.  Finishing the race.  Losing the weight.  Opening the business.  Getting the promotion.  Reaching the goal.  But what creates those moments usually isn’t very exciting.  It’s everything that happened when nobody was watching.

This week I’ve been thinking about the value of doing the small things consistently—especially on the days when we don’t feel like doing them.

Book I’m Reading: Chop Wood Carry Water

I’m currently reading Chop Wood Carry Water by Joshua Medcalf.  The book explores a concept I think applies incredibly well to health:  Fall in love with the process instead of being obsessed with the outcome.  We naturally want results.  We want to lose 20 pounds.  Run the marathon.  Get out of pain.  Improve our posture.  Build the business.  But those outcomes are created through hundreds of seemingly insignificant actions.  Going for the walk.  Doing the exercises.  Preparing a healthy meal.  Getting enough sleep.  Showing up for the workout.  Doing your rehab.  And then doing it again tomorrow.  That’s the “chop wood, carry water” part.  It’s not glamorous.  Nobody applauds you for it.  But eventually those small actions compound into something remarkable.  After 18 years in practice, I’ve seen this repeatedly: the people who create lasting changes in their health aren’t necessarily the most motivated. They’re often the people who become the most consistent.

Product I’m Using: A Bike Cargo Trailer

My ideal lifestyle naturally connects exercise with productivity and enjoyment.

One tool I’ve been enjoying is a cargo trailer for my bike. It allows me to carry the things that would normally make me think:  “I need to take the car.”  Instead, I can load them into the trailer and ride.  And I love the concept behind it.  We often think improving our health requires adding another task to an already crowded schedule.  Another workout.  Another class.  Another hour at the gym.  But sometimes there’s another solution:  Change the way you do something you’re already doing.  Walk somewhere instead of driving.  Take the stairs.  Ride your bike for a short errand.  Walk while making a phone call.  Carry groceries.  Play outside with your kids.  None of these things individually feels like a huge workout.  That’s precisely the point.  Movement becomes part of your lifestyle rather than another item on your to-do list.  The bike trailer is just one more way I’m trying to make the healthier choice the easier choice.  My favorite part of this product is a sticker I added to the frame that says, “All Ass, No Gas”.  Haha!  

Quote I’m Loving

“Live by principles, not by emotions.”

— Chop Wood Carry Water

This may be my favorite takeaway from the book.  If our behaviors depend entirely on how we feel, consistency becomes almost impossible.  Some mornings we feel motivated to exercise.  Other mornings we don’t.  Some days eating healthy sounds great.  Other days pizza sounds considerably better.  Some weeks we’re excited about our goals.  Other weeks we’re tired, stressed, distracted, or overwhelmed.  That’s where principles become powerful.  Instead of asking:  “What do I feel like doing today?”  We can ask:  “What does the person I’m trying to become do today?”  You don’t have to feel motivated.  You just have to keep chopping wood and carrying water.

This Week’s Action Step

Choose one healthy behavior this week that you will do regardless of how you feel.

Keep it small.

Maybe it’s:

10 minutes of walking every day.

Protein with breakfast.

Five minutes of mobility before bed.

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Putting your phone away 30 minutes before sleep.

Then remove motivation from the equation.

Don’t ask whether you feel like doing it.

Just do it.

Seven days.

One small commitment.

See how it feels to live by a principle instead of an emotion.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Whether you’re looking to improve your posture, recover from an injury, move better, or simply feel healthier, we’d love to help.

If you or someone you know could benefit from our care, please reach out.

 Call: (858) 521-8022

 Email: alignedlifewell@gmail.com

We look forward to helping you build a healthier, more active life.

Have a healthy week everyone! 

In Health,
Dr. Devin Shea, DC

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