How to Get Motivated to Walk: Just Get Out the Door

A few weeks ago, I was invited to a midweek girls’ night hang.

Nothing fancy. Good food, good people, and a chance to catch up with friends I hadn’t seen in a while.

I had every intention of being there right on time.

But I had a few work things to wrap up “real quick.” (They were not quick.)

Then my daughter casually mentioned that her science project was due the next day. (It involved a poster board, a hot glue gun, and a very specific blue marker we did not own.)

By the time I looked up, I’d only make the last thirty minutes of my girls’ night.

So I stood in the kitchen with glue on my fingers and thought, “Is it even worth it?”

“I’ll just text them. They’ll understand.”

But something made me grab my keys anyway. I threw on my shoes, swiped on some lip gloss at a red light, and walked in just as they were ordering dessert.

“You made it!”

I stole a bite of someone’s chocolate cake, laughed my face off and ended up filling my cup more than I knew I needed.

Driving home, I kept thinking about how close I came to missing it.

All because of one little voice: “Is it even worth it?”

That voice was so convincing before I left. And completely silent the moment I walked into the restaurant.

Why it’s so hard to get motivated to walk

When I ask women what keeps them from walking more, so many describe that exact same moment.

One woman told me that once she gets out the door, it’s magical. It’s the getting out that’s tricky.

That’s the thing about motivation to walk. It’s rarely the walk itself we’re resisting.

It’s the moment before, when the voice shows up: “Is it even worth it? I’ll just go later.”

But I have never once come back from a walk and thought, “Well, that wasn’t worth it.”

Not even the cold, drizzly ones I almost skipped.

The benefits of walking (even a short walk)

A walk always gives something back, even a short one.

It clears your head and softens stress. It lifts your mood.

It helps you sleep better at night. It keeps your joints moving, your heart strong, and your bones healthier. For women especially, that matters more and more as we get older.

And maybe best of all, it gives you a few minutes that are just yours.

It fills your cup, the same way that girls’ night filled mine.

How to build a walking habit: shoes on, out the door

So here’s my invitation this week.

When you hear that voice, “Is it worth it?”, don’t argue with it. Just put on your shoes and step outside.

That’s the whole commitment. Shoes on, out the door.

If you want to turn around after that, you can.

(You almost never will.)

That’s how a walking habit is built. Not with a perfect plan or a burst of motivation, but by getting out the door, again and again, even when the voice says not to bother.

What does your voice say?

Mine likes “It’s too cold” and “I’ll go after I answer this one email.” (Spoiler: there’s always one more email.)

Tell me in the comments: what does your voice say right before a walk?

If you want someone to walk with, I’m your girl! Inside The Movement, you’ll find walks of every size, from 10-minute indoor walks to full Soul Strolls. Try it free for 7 days here.