Change your expat life
Tortoise steps
We have a large tortoise at home that came with our African thatched house. It loves eating grass and the avocados that fall from the trees in our garden. We often see it sticking its neck out in the sun, especially when winter is on its way in the Southern Hemisphere.
Surprisingly, our tortoise is astoundingly adventurous. It climbs all sorts of steps, and we find it in the most awkward places. I often wonder how such a slow-moving creature gets where it does, but the answer, of course, is classic: it reaches its destination by taking one step after another.
Reaching our goals is not a race
I like to remind myself that in order to reach my goals and make my dreams reality, I do not necessarily need to take elephant steps. Small tortoise steps will do just fine.
Often, we believe we need to take gigantic steps or action to change our lives. We believe that nothing we do will make a difference unless we make drastic changes — that nothing is possible without immediate transformation.
In fact, real change starts with one small tortoise step.
For years, I told myself I wanted to exercise a minimum of three times a week. I tried many sports and many different settings. Each time it would last about three months. Then, two years ago, I decided to ask my husband if he wanted to exercise with me first thing in the morning. With this goal in mind, we decided to hire a coach. This was my first step. Now, it’s been more than two years, and I exercise a minimum of three times a week.
An inch, not a mile
We all want to jump to the finish line. We want to be in the part of the story where we have dropped the weight, built the abs, have the six-figure income in the bank account, own the house of our dreams, and can play the piano in our sleep. But we need to start the journey somewhere.
In order to reach your goals, all you need is to start with a single tortoise step. It’s easy to dismiss it. Perhaps it seems too small, too insignificant. But one tortoise step after another tortoise step, you can redirect your life and end up exactly where you want.
So, what tortoise step will you choose to take today to get you closer to your dreams?
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