What’s Better for your Health and Happiness? Climbing up One Step vs Free Gym Membership
/
In today’s video I shared an amazing research story.
Researchers have repeated this experiment all over the world. They get two groups of people - let’s call them Group GYM and Group STEP. Neither of them have exercised since high school, and even then, usually only under force. They don’t like exercise.
Group GYM - Here’s 3 vouchers. One for free gym membership, one for workout clothing and one for gym shoes. Off you go!
Group STEP - Today, go up one flight of stairs. Tomorrow, go up one flight of stairs and add another step. The next day, add another step and so on. Off you go!
After one year, three years and five years, guess what happened?
Group GYM - Nothing! No improvement in their health is seen.
Group STEP - After one year, three years and even five years later, they are exercising regularly, have better cardiovascular health and greater wellbeing!
My explanation for this: Group STEP are encouraged to do something simple and easy. So they do it and feel good about themselves. Success comes easily. They build upon that success. Group Gym - even though it’s free, going to the gym still takes time and it’s scary the first time. Not so easy or simple. Hence no effect.
How Can You Apply This In Your Life?
How can you apply this incredible insight into your own life? Think about an area of your life you wish to develop or grow in. How can you break it down to a tiny step and practice it regularly? How can you make it fun and easy?
Perhaps you want to be kinder to yourself? Or more mindful or grateful? How can you get started in a really really small way today?
My practice - I’m going to smile at the end of each blog post I write. :-)
If you’d like to learn more about my approach of combining mindfulness with kindness, consider my free 7 day course. Or my full 8 week program which is currently on sale - includes 60 mini daily videos and over 15 guided kindfulness audio meditations to try.
20 guided Kindful Meditations,
50 High- Definition Videos
200 students have completed the program
5 stars is the average rating!
