Picture the scene. It’s grey and wet and cold and miserable outside and it’s warm and snug and dry and comfortable right where you are. You know full well you should find some get up and go to clear the cobwebs but you discover your get up and go has already gone, PLUS you’ve discovered a newly acquired fondness for cobwebs.

However, towards the eve of the day you have the heavy weight of the cobweb build up dragging you down, leaving you wishing you’d worked a little harder to find that misplaced get up and go.

I can describe the reality with such accuracy because I, like you, have days where the morning suggests a day of inclement weather and I relish the thought of hunkering down, lighting the fire, eating cake and pudding while drinking hot chocolate all before breakfast.

Yes indeed folks, inside of me can be found the sloth of all sloths and it’s not that far from the surface either. HOWEVER, my sloth like fantasy soon morphs into a state of leadened disharmony as my mind and body feel the full weight of apathy as the day draws on, to the point where I wish I could start the day all over again and make one or two more dynamic changes.

I would like to start a self-help group for the sloths like me (I know I am not alone). Help would be offered to those needing motivation to exercise on those inclement days. This would ensure you had a greater chance of feeling better in yourself. You could then end the day celebrating the fact that the grey mizzle stayed outside and was not permitted to infiltrate your psyche.

Inclemency Self Help Group (ISHG)

The 7 steps to success

1. Admit you are a sloth.

 2. Picture how your sloth like self will feel as the day draws on, NOT  how you feel right now.

3. Do a couple of stretches that will perk up your whole body and start the momentum for wanting more:

 Stretch your arms above your head, bend sideways, march or jog on the spot swinging your arms with enthusiasm.

4. Imagine the reward of hot chocolate, cake and pudding by the fire on your return and how satisfying it will feel having earned it.

 5. Plan a route that can be lovely on the mizzlest of days. Woodland is ideal because it offers shelter from the wind and rain. Even in the drizzly mist and fog it can be wonderfully atmospheric. However, simply walking out of your front door and around the block is a better choice than embracing your inner sloth, hook line and sinker.

6. Set an appealing time frame. Tell yourself, ‘I’ll venture out for a brisk 20 minute gander’. The chances are once you’ve taken a deep breath and left the safe harbour of home for the wilds, wrapped up and ready, you’ll end up walking further and dare I say it, you may find the experience enjoyable…

 7. Other possible motivating options could be to ring an up beat friend and ask them to join you. Alternatively if you have a pedometer take that and see just how far you walk in your set time.

It’s February. It will be grey and wet and thoroughly disagreeable at times but as the Romans would say:

ne sit descendite.

Forge on my friends. Walk tall, breathe deeply and celebrate having kept your sloth like genes in check.