Well, well, well, 2020 you are almost over, and I will be glad when we no longer need to refer to the current year as a “dumpster fire.” But alas, we aren’t there yet. And on top of the coronavirus, why not just add that daylight savings premature darkness every day too! What a fun month to prepare us for the holidays. But you know what makes me feel better? Helping people!
This month, Merritt Clubs has decided to partner with Shepherd’s Clinic, to help adults who do not have insurance get free, comprehensive healthcare. What could be a more relevant or important thing to support this year, when healthcare is so desperately needed? Shepherd’s Clinic is a local Baltimore non-profit, and we are thrilled to be able to support members of our community. And personally, I couldn’t be more thrilled to have something positive to focus my attention on right now.
So, let’s step it up guys! Literally. We are having a Step Challenge. I don’t know about you, but my seasonal depression hits super hard as soon as daylight savings ends, and the best way for me to combat this is exercise. Yet with everything going on in the world, I am not really motivated to work out.
But this challenge isn’t about me, it’s about helping others. That is the best motivation I could have right now. (And it doesn’t hurt that walking is the easiest form of exercise ever, so I still don’t have to put as much effort in.)
Walking is something I have to do all the time anyway with my two dogs, so I am challenging myself to reach 10,000 steps with them each day during this challenge. And I know from doing the Step Challenge last year, this really helped keep me going through my lack of motivation, and helped combat my seasonal depression. See how happy I am in this photo? I went hiking and my dog Cheddar got so tired I had to carry her for a while, and my endorphins tricked me into thinking it was fun and hilarious. I need that kind of endorphin power more often!
You can participate in this challenge too, all you have to do is keep track of your steps from Nov 9 through Dec 9. The best part is that it’s free, and you can win awesome prizes, like an entire month of free membership dues or personal training sessions.
If walking isn’t your thing, there are tons of other fun things to do to support this Baltimore charity. You can bid on an auction item in our virtual auction, sponsor a patient appointment at our Welcome Desks, and more. And for those who are keeping themselves way more motivated than me, Merritt will also be hosting donation group fitness classes. Learn more about them and our other programs here.
Need a little workout inspiration? Purchase a DIY workout sheet from the Welcome Desks at our clubs! They feature a 1000 rep challenge, a bodyweight workout, and a mobility recovery workout, all of which can be done in your home or at the club. It makes a great gift too for that co-worker you don’t know what to get.
