I worked with a fantastic girl back in my Nielsen days that once told me “all you need to do is walk 10,000 steps a day.”  At the time, I thought she was crazy. 10,000 steps….certainly sounds like an exorbitant amount. In reality, it is just about 5 miles and thanks to the invention of the handy Fit Bit or Garmin or the like that track each and every step you take, it is now easier than ever to account for all that walking you do every day.

Before we arrived in Hawaii I was just about hitting 10,000 steps every day. A long walk with Yoda in the morning and afternoon would usually get me there, and if not, a bit of jogging in place towards the end of the day would close the gap. Part of our whole point in coming over to Hawaii was to improve our health, the whole “mind/body/spirit” focus that the Hawaiian islands celebrate.

Though I thought I was in pretty good shape, but realized I would never be the person again that I was at 30, I thought this focus would be more for Gary, who needed to refocus on his work out regime. We are just over two months into this escape and he is doing amazing! Though he prefers to keep his progress private, he looks and feels amazing. I too have been refocused. I always feel I do some of my best work here, inspired by the air and the islands, but taking my workout up a notch is also improving my overall well being.

Today 10,000 steps is often hit before noon, as our walks to the ocean with Yoda every morning take us a long way there, and my goal was 20,000 for several weeks. After hitting it, and then 25,000, in my head I had the impossible goal of 30,000. Yesterday we hit it, with me walking and Gary running, around our beautiful resort looking at lava rock and blue ocean, searching for a sprinkler I can walk through to cool off a bit before going on.

It is silly really, but satisfying as I know our head and heart thank us. Yes, we downed a gallon of water, a cold beer, and a stellar bottle of Chardonnay afterwards. Aloha.