🌻 The WALK Formula to Thriving (It’s Not What You Think)

Here’s Where You Start

“How you start matters more than how you finish because you can’t finish what you don’t start.”

~ Bryan Holyfield

So, you shuffle out of your annual physical with a shocking surprise: your blood pressure is creeping above the normal range.

But it’s never been high before.

You’ve exercised most of your life.

You’re a vegetarian, for goodness’ sake!

You’re shocked, until you take a moment to grudgingly acknowledge that work has been overly stressful the past several months. Your BP was high the last time you donated blood, too. Then there’s your elderly parents whom you help, your siblings you argue with concerning those same parents, and your adult kids with their adult problems. To be honest, you haven’t even gone for a walk (except in the grocery store) for weeks … or has it been longer?

The doctor isn’t worried, but she does suggest you lose some weight (Ack! Have you seen your BMI?!) and start taking better care of yourself now, before meds become a necessity.

Even though it feels like the worst time to take time for yourself, it’s actually the most important time.

We’ve all heard of the Oxygen Mask Philosophy: you have to care for yourself first before you can truly make a difference for others, at work, or in your community. And you’ve heard stories of fit people in their 30s who suddenly have a stroke. What you never hear are stories of people who on their deathbed say, “I wish I’d spent more time working” or “I wish I could watch just one more episode of ...”

Says no one ever.

And so you Google “how to lower your blood pressure without meds.” There are an overwhelming number of articles, books, podcasts, YouTube videos, and social media posts (plus 1,000 more search pages of the same).  We even have a blog post titled “Tame Your Inner Cavewoman & Caveman.”

Basically, you know what you need to do, right?

And, yet, here you are.

The Feel-Good Formula for Life

We at Times 10 are not medical professionals (remember our BP and BMI numbers?), but we can share a few ways to help you feel better and, hopefully, put your toes on the path to better health.

According to Bryan Holyfield, personal fitness coach, corporate wellness consultant, speaker, and author of Small Wins, Big Health, “How you start matters more than how you finish because you can’t finish what you don’t start.”

And a great way to start is to WALK.

Yep, we mean that literally and acronymically (Yes, that is a word.).

Point 1: Small wins are the key to sustainable actions. Small wins create momentum and teach your brain that these new actions are worthwhile and should be rewarded. Build the small wins into your regular routine, and you’ll see how simple those actions feel after a bit of practice.

Point 2: Let’s go! Which of these small wins can you start now?

• Getting to bed on time so you can get enough sleep.
• Getting up early enough to incorporate some exercise into your day.
•  Walk.
• Or ride a bike. Or dance. Or vacuum. Or lift weights.
• Choose the apple instead of the donut.
• How about a cup of herbal tea instead of an adult beverage?
• Unplug from the tech 2 hours before bedtime.
•  Toxic people
• Say no.
• Say yes.

Point 1: You can’t do/finish/win/change/fix everything … at least not right this moment. Chill out a bit. Pick one thing and do it as well as you can. Then close out your computer, go home and take your kids or your dog (or both) for a walk.

Point 2: Give yourself and all those around you a measure of grace. There’s great freedom in believing that everyone – you included – are doing the best they can at that moment.

Point 1: Bryan mentions the Sphere of Control Model in Small Wins, Big Health. Basically, when faced with an issue, problem or stressor:

• Outside your control > let it go
• You control >
  • make a list of what you can do
  • try to do one thing
  • then do the next
  • then, well, you get the picture

Point 2: An all-wise Dove candy wrapper once shared this simple insight: “Reset, restart, refocus as many times as you want to.” That means that if you mess up, you can try again tomorrow (after a good night’s sleep > see W above). Oh, and the dark chocolate is good for you, too. Win-win.

Tip 1: In Life Reimagined, Barbara Bradley Hagerty details numerous scientific research that strongly suggests this key to longevity: “If you want live a long and healthy life, invest in friends.”

Not family. Not a romantic partner. Not your kids. Not your career.

Friends.

This is easy but not easy. You have to work to keep friendships going. But the returns are, well, lifesaving. If you’re having a bad day, call someone. Better yet, take him to dinner. Go for a walk together. You’ll be amazed at how you feel afterward.

And always remember that the stranger you meet today might be your next good friend. Be kind to everyone and be open to meeting people.

Tip 2: Many people also find peace (and, thus, often lower their stress levels) by connecting with a Higher Power. This could be God, Allah, Spirit Mother, or a peaceful walk in the woods. In Simple Abundance, Sarah Ban Breathnach states, “Today be willing to believe that a companion Spirit is leading you every step of the way and knows the next step.”  If this is your groove, it may be time to reconnect.

Final Word

A higher-than-average blood pressure reading might not mean a lot today … or it might be an eloquent sign that you need to take some steps to care for your health and happiness. Why don’t you do one thing to WALK today? And do another tomorrow, and the next day. What can you lose, except some stress, a few BP points or a few pounds?

Learn How to Win Small

Read More

• Holyfield, Bryan. 2024. Small Wins, Big Health: 10 Simple Hacks to Boost Fitness, Tame Stress, and Build a Healthier Version of You! Times 10 Publications.
• “Connect! You’re Not Done Making Friends.” X10 Publications blog post. November 20, 2024.
• Hagerty, Barbara Bradley. 2016. Life Reimagined : The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife. New York: Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. 
• “How to Move More and Live Longer.” Sunday Morning Life Hack, Times 10 Publications. March 14, 2025.
• Mayo Clinic Staff. “10 Ways to Control High Blood Pressure without Medication.” Mayo Clinic. July 23, 2024.
•  Rhimes, Shonda. 2015. Year of Yes How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person. New York: Simon & Schuster.
• “Tame Your Inner Cavewoman & Caveman.” X10 Publications blog post. December 13, 2024.‌
• “The Sleep Cure: How to Reclaim Your Nights and Recharge Your Life.” Sunday Morning Life Hack, Times 10 Publications. November 3, 2024.
• “Transform Your Life with 4 Small Steps.” X10 Publications blog post. December 30, 2024.

Check out all of our Sunday Morning Life Hacks. From working on your emotional health to starting your own business to dealing with the neighbor from hell … we’ve got you covered!

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‌Resources

• Sunflower field main post image by Zszen John from Pexels.
• Single sunflower image by Leopictures from Pixabay.
• Letter A by Marc Pascual from Pixabay.
• Letter L by Lumpi from Pixabay.
• Letter K by Stefania Grieco from Pixabay.
• Letter W image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay.