How do I start a consistent exercise routine when I have chronic pain or stiffness?

I've watched people move through pain for decades, and the first thing I tell them is this: you're not starting from zero. Your body already knows how to move—it's just learned to protect itself. That protection is wisdom, not weakness. Begin by noticing. Not fixing, not forcing. Spend a few days simply observing where you feel tight, where you move freely, what time of day your body feels most available. This isn't meditation; it's just honest attention. Then choose one small movement you can do without pain—maybe it's gentle shoulder rolls, or walking to the mailbox, or lying on your back and moving your ankles. Do that one thing consistently for two weeks before adding anything else. Consistency matters far more than intensity. The body responds to gentleness and repetition. When you prove to yourself that movement won't harm you, something shifts. The nervous system relaxes. Then, very slowly, you can expand what's possible. I've seen people walk again, lift again, dance again—not by pushing through pain, but by befriending their body's current truth and working from there.