Last week, I inspected my husband’s teeth using his eyeballs.

Not literally.

Although honestly, at this point, we’re not that far off.

Let me explain.

We were deep in end-of-school-year chaos. Bake sales. Award ceremonies. Ditch Days. Parties.

Permission slips that needed to be filled out 20 minutes ago.

You know, the usual.

My youngest daughter, Fiona, had an awards banquet, so I dropped her off at school for the pre-banquet warm up.... The Talent Show.

(she wasn't in the talent show and how many renditions of 'air guitar' does a parent really need to see?)

I gave myself a pass; which meant I had exactly one hour before I needed to be back.

Now, a 'normal person' might have grabbed a coffee.

But because normalcy is not something I like to practice... I put on my sneakers and went for a walk.

The catch? I was wearing a dress.

I'm happy to report, it was the kind of dress that suggests I'm allowed to go out in public.

The sneakers suggested otherwise.

Off I went.

Because when you know this might be your only window all day to move your body, you take it. (despite the rising temps of the late morning)

Dress or no dress.

Forty-five minutes later, I was sweaty.

Not glowy. Not dewy. Sweaty.

The kind where you’re hoping nobody hugs you and you consciously keep your arms nailed to your sides for the entirety of the ceremony.

I got back to the school parking lot, just as my sweat started to show through the fabric, and changed from my sneakers into my “I’m not here to embarrass my kid” shoes.

That’s when Mark pulled in beside me. I waved as I watched him aggressively chewing what I can only assume was an emergency handful of nuts.

I headed inside to save seats. (and to get myself into an air conditioned building)

A few minutes later he sits down beside me and immediately asks:

“Do I have anything in my teeth?”

Now. This is where things take a turn Reader.

Because my eyes are 51 (and-a-half) years old and I wear glasses and/or contacts for distance...

BUUUT the older I get, the further I have to hold things away from my eyes when I have my contacts firmly placed on my eyeballs.

Then I got progressive lens contacts.

YES!!!! I’d be able to see up close again.

My middle age eyes laughed at me. "There's a sucker born every minute" is what I think they said.

So, I basically operate like a human telescope.

I can see a squirrel three blocks away. (mostly because they're massive)

But a menu? A text message? A piece of stray almond in Marks' teeth?

Absolutely not.

The staff at the cafe know better than to ask me to read anything.

My kids hand me things to read and I immediately hand them back.

It’s become a bit of a 'mom's eyes are old' joke.

So when Marks asked if he had anything in his teeth, I leaned in confidently.

Looked. Squinted. Moved back a few inches. Looked again.

Saw absolutely nothing through the blur.

Then he took his glasses off his face and handed them to me.

I put them on. Looked again.

And said:

“I don’t THINK so… but I can’t be certain.”

We both started laughing because honestly, that was the most accurate answer I could give.

And when we think about our own choices, our good intentions, our desires that only push us to over-analyze rather than take the right action, maybe we’re all waiting for perfect conditions that don’t actually matter.

On the very same day that I couldn’t confidently identify a peanut in my husband’s teeth… I had already gone for a walk... in a dress.

Matching workout clothes were nowhere to be found. (I don't even own such a thing)

My favorite sports bra... (in my drawer at home)

I wasn’t dressed for fitness. I was dressed for an awards banquet.

And yet… I still moved my body. Because that's a priority I set for myself 12 years ago.

As my glow sweat began to show up on my top lip that morning, I HAD to press record!

No script. No plan. No perfect words. No perfect gear.

But I had the PERFECT message!

That's what this week’s Walk With Me episode is about.

The perfect gear.

Or more accurately… why you don't need better gear or perfect gear, you only need to start.

I know a lot of us convince ourselves we need the perfect setup before we start. (guilt as charged) 🙋‍♀️

The right shoes. The right outfit.

The right weather. The right schedule.

The right bra. The right app.

The right plan. The right Monday.

Meanwhile, I’ve walked in jeans. I’ve walked in dresses.

I’ve walked in Crocs (which I do not recommend; there was a lot of gravel involved)

The point is:

The more steps that have to happen before you move your body, or make the choice that supports your health goals, the less likely it is to happen.

Real life is messy.

1. Kids have activities.
2. Work runs late.
3. Laundry isn’t done.
4. Sometimes you’re sweaty in a fancy (ish) dress.
5. And sometimes you’re borrowing your husband’s glasses to inspect his teeth.

Every-time, the best thing you can do is stop waiting for perfect and just go for the walk.

Because consistency has never cared what you’re wearing. (or if you can see up close)

A simple walk done consistently will always beat a perfect plan that never happens.

If you’ve ever told yourself:

“I’ll start when I get the right shoes.”

“I’ll start when I buy workout clothes.”

“I’ll start when things calm down.” (hi 👋 never!)

This week’s Walk With Me is for you.

👉 [Listen to the episode]​

I’ll be out there on the trails.

Possibly in a dress. Definitely in sneakers.

And almost certainly unable to read anything up close.

Nat - your favourite sweaty dress walker