As I sat back down at my desk this morning for the first time this year and was contemplating my intention for the week, I was reminded of an analogy from when I was training for half marathons and getting some long training runs in.

Start slow, yep, even slower than that.

My reality for the last few months has been job searching. Job searching is a marathon. Last year felt long. By the end of December, I was struggling with job search burnout. So “sustainable pace” was top of my mind when I sat down this morning. Slow down. Ease into it. Be ok with a slower pace.

I suddenly flashed back to those long training runs, I would often listen to guided Nike Run Club runs that coach you through your run, and this often came up. Start slow. Even slower than that. Give your body a chance to adjust to the activity of movement, and slowly bring your heart rate up. You will naturally speed up and move more efficiently as your body warms up and your body gets used to the motion. Set that first mile up well and you’ll be so much stronger towards the end of that marathon.

For me, this is super helpful to remember as I start the year. It’s week 1. Start slow, yep, even slower than that. Let your brain and body adjust. Things will speed up. You will get more efficient and effective as the weeks go on. You are setting a great foundation so that you can thrive over the coming miles.