The First Mile That Opens the Day

I started running again recently, and it’s hard! Some mornings I lace up and still feel reluctant. The surprise for me is what happens after the first few minutes. Once I’m moving, that reluctance loosens up a lot, and what first felt like resistance turns into an opening I didn’t see from the office chair.

That small turn has taught me a lot about integrity and connection. Integrity, for me, isn’t about polish or perfect pace. It’s showing up as I am. Sometimes that’s tired, messy, not especially fast, and doing the honest thing anyway. Some days that means running in the weather I’m given and letting today’s pace be today’s pace. Other days it means owning the next step and setting a clear plan. None of it is easy, but it holds the rest of the day together.

Connection also seems to grow out of the same soil. When we keep showing up, people notice. A nod on the sidewalk becomes a hello. A quick hello becomes a real check-in. The habit of doing the hard thing first makes it easier to be present with others later, because I’m not carrying any weight of avoidance, but of connection. Integrity makes that connection feel safe; connection reminds me that integrity matters.

That’s why tackling the hardest thing first changes the story I tell myself. After the run, the rest of the list looks different, and I trust myself a little more because the day started with action, not excuses. That confidence comes from keeping a promise I made to myself. Trust me, not the speed on the track!

So no, not every day is smooth. There are slow miles, and sentences that don’t land the way I hoped. Still, showing up has a way of softening all of those edges and by evening, the first mile is long behind me, but it’s still working. A knot is gone because I did the thing anyway. A neighbor feels less alone because the wave turned into a conversation. I showed up. 

When you show up, everyone feels it.

Begin the First Mile at The Nexus

The Nexus is where we at JHD try to put this all into practice. This is a place for makers, doers, and business owners to bring in the hardest thing on your list. We’ll help you name a clear first step and maybe even find a neighbor to walk it with you!

Join us at The Nexus to see recent work, explore what’s offered, and take that first mile together.

The Nexus – 461 Sandy Creek Rd, Suite 4109, Fayetteville, GA

Open Monday through Friday starting at 9:00 AM

P.S. We’ll be at Night Market on Friday, October 3rd, 5–10 PM at Drake Field, Peachtree City, Georgia! Come say hello.

P.P.S. Join us for Artisans at the Avenue, a Pop-Up Holiday Market Powered by Night Market

Every Weekend from October–December 2025 • Peachtree City, GA

Fridays 4:00–8:00, Saturdays 10:00–8:00, Sundays 12:00–8:00

Learn more: artisansattheavenue.com