Keeping the streak alive

When we arrived in Boston I realized I had forgotten my Fitbit charger. The battery was at 9%.

Instantly the end of my 400+ step streak flashed in my brain. And I confess that Mr. Taoism freaked out. I’ve sacrificed some to maintain this streak, and the thought of it ending because of a dead 🪫 was really upsetting.

Then my brain kicked in. I’m in Boston. Surely I can find a charger somewhere.

Calmer, I searched, and sure enough the nearby Best Buy had a charger. I ordered it, got in a cab, and picked it up:

Charging in the cab

I was immensely relieved and a little humbled. If I learned a lesson, next time I’ll skip the meltdown and go right to solving the problem. I’m sure my wife would appreciate it.

Go Streaking!

I find streaks extremely motivational. I am at a 300 day step streak on Fitbit. My goal is 13000 steps a day. This means I am doing at least 6 1/2 miles of physical activity daily. This keeps me at a reasonable fitness level, though I could be doing better in that regard.

Part of my motivation, always, is inspiration. Clearly, this is the positive side of the streak. The other part that motivates me is fear. Fear that I will miss a day and lose my streak. It may not sound like a big deal, but I’m a “know thyself” person. The last time I lost my streak, I didn’t get back on it for three months. So the concern is not losing the exercise for a day, but for weeks or months.

My second streak is here. I am on a 150 day steak posting to my blog. Sometimes it is a struggle: I don’t want to post crap content. That’s why I always have my eye out for a good picture. If its a day that I’m not likely to be able to write an article or poem, I am hopeful one of my nature pics is at least a nice glance for my followers and viewers.

This streak definitely motivates me to write more, to try to figure out a topic that I think is interesting enough to publish. I’ve also given myself permission to write fast. My past is full of time I spent editing, which now I feel may have been better spent publishing.