Did you start off the year with big lofty dreams and mountain-top goals?

No matter how enthusiastic we are on January 1st, the best-laid plans are often derailed before the first month of the year is even over.

Don’t let that discourage you from what it is that you want to achieve this year. It’s pretty typical to have the wind taken out of your sails. Life happens. We get busy. We get tired and it’s easy to slip back into our regular habits.

But here’s the thing…if we WANT something different in our lives, we have to DO something differently in our lives. Here are my best tips to help you bounce back onto the track for success – and create the healthy lifestyle you’ve envisioned for yourself.

Allow Yourself to Process Your Emotions

Have you made these mistakes time and time again, or have you felt disappointed in somebody else for making a similar mistake? There might be an underlying reason for your emotions, and they’re worth digging in to.

• If you feel like you’ve let yourself or others down, give yourself some time to really process how you’re feeling about it.
• If you’re angry, sad, or frustrated, allow yourself to feel those emotions and try to understand precisely what’s causing them and exactly why you’re upset with yourself.
• Write your feelings in a journal or self-reflect in whatever way works for you.

Talk to someone About How You’re Feeling

Call a friend or a loved one or talk to your partner or health coach about your situation and how you’re feeling and brainstorm ways to solve the problem.

Being open and honest with someone you trust or know has your best interests at heart can be extremely therapeutic and feeling like a huge weight is lifted off your shoulders.

Maybe all you need is someone to listen and as you talk through it, solutions will come to you, or they may suggest a different perspective you hadn’t considered.

Don’t Allow This Situation To Define You

Don’t let your mistakes define who you are. Try to be kinder to yourself while you process your emotions. Don’t speak negatively about yourself. Flip it around and give yourself a pat on the back and remember, you’re an awesome person.

If you’re feeling challenged to believe that try this little Affirmation Exercise:

1. Take out a fresh sheet of paper or start a blank page in your journal
2. List out your positive attributes, talents, natural qualities
3. What makes you unique?
4. Why do people value you as their friend, colleague, parent, partner, sibling, son, or daughter?
5. Aim for 100 things

Forgive yourself and keep moving forward – you’re totally worth it and deserve that grace. Just take a look at that FULL sheet you’ve written out.

Learn From Your Past Mistakes

The very best thing you can do when you come through any negative situation is to take a lesson from it.

Learn what went wrong and try to understand why you did (or didn’t do) something. This way, the same mistake doesn’t have to happen again and leave you feeling disappointed in yourself. If you learned something, then the experience, even if it was a negative one, was an important one.
NOTHING in life is a wasted experience, regardless of how painful, humiliating, difficult, or challenging… if the lesson is learned.

Every experience has led you to where you are today and shaped the person you’ve become.

Become the Person You Need To BE

If you can learn from your slips, you’ll grow.

Often the most difficult and challenging times are the ones that shape us and help us improve.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re disappointed in yourself because of finances, relationships, work, or missing a personal goal you’ve set for yourself.

Just find a way to improve, to become the person you need to be to achieve what it is that you want. Your new perspective might even help you see a clearer way forward. Perhaps you’ll even become more compassionate or forgiving of other people who make mistakes.

“My greatest hope regarding the future rests on the mistakes I’ve made in the past, for those are the most effective things I’ve got to build with.” ― Craig D. Lounsbrough

Reset That Goal (The Most Important Step)

Don’t give up on what you’ve started.

There’s still plenty of time to reach your New Year Mountain Top Goal.

And if there isn’t – there’s enough time to get closer to it. A little slip doesn’t define your success. If you do slip off track, take a deep breath, forgive yourself, and re-adjust.

Besides, you’re in this for the long-haul – for that healthier lifestyle, for more joy, more balance of mind~body~soul and making long-lasting change takes consistent, persistent efforts…over time.

So be gentle with yourself, and remember to take it one step at a time.

Now it’s your turn. I’d love to hear what you’re striving for. Leave a comment below and if I have a resource that’ll help you move forward, I’m happy to send it along to you.

Want something a little more personal? You’re invited to schedule a FREE ‘Your Healthy Life’ Clarity Call. By the end of it, you’ll have a crystal clear vision of what you’d like to achieve, have an action plan to achieve it, and even some tools to help you along your way. Let’s design your healthy living strategy together.