Breaking habits is hard. Creating them can be just as difficult.

A few months ago, I decided that I needed to make a change. It had been months since I'd consciously and purposefully done any true physical activity. My life, I thought, wasn't allowing for it. Between going to work, running a website, and still trying to be superdad/husband/fur poppa, I just couldn't justify taking away from those things to go work out.

But dogs, as it turns out, like walks. Kids, as it turns out, like them too. And walking, as it turns out, is great exercise. And what better way to be superdad/husband/fur poppa than giving my wife a break by taking the boys out for a walk?

So I set out a steps goal for myself— starting slow since my new "normal" had become a very sedentary one in which 5,000 steps a day wasn't always a given— and I started taking walks.

5,000 steps became 7,500.

7,500 steps became 9,000.

9,000 became 10,000, often more.

I was spending time with my son and my dog, giving my wife a break from mommy duty, and being more active than I've been since I taught Phys Ed, all by doing just one thing, once or twice a day.

As a “numbers guy”, I’ve always been comforted by the symmetry of the number 4, and so here’s a fun little trend of progress:

In late May, I went 4 straight days without hitting my goal.

In June, I went 4 total days without hitting my goal.

Since July 1st, I've missed 4 days total, and I haven't missed a day since August 3rd.

For 58 straight days, I've reached my steps goal.

And as I write this on my morning walk on October 1st, I'm on my way to 59.

To all the parents out there trying to be supermom and superdad, I know the struggle. I know the pressure we place on ourselves to be perfect every second of every minute of every day. My OCD reminds me of this all the time and likes to turn that pressure up to 11. But you can't be superparent if you're not taking care of YOU. Sometimes, making a change is simpler than we think, and even the simplest changes can have a significant effect.

I'm sure I'm the millionth person to say something like this, but it doesn't matter. Change effects us all, and we can all affect change. Make the ones that may seem insignificant at first. They're not. Apply it. Make it a daily goal. Start a streak. And when you miss a day, don't abandon it., but start a new streak. Adjust as you need to, but stick with it and take it step by step (literally, if you have to).

Everybody has a struggle.
I'm with you.
Let's do this.

What is one small goal you can set for yourself that could make a big difference?
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