Rerouting Habit Missteps into Learning Opportunities For A Healthier You
Let’s take a moment to embrace the imperfection of our wellness habits and practices.
One of the biggest hurdles we often face when considering a wellness goal is our own fear of stumbling along the way. And let's be real, stumbles will happen. Life is unpredictable. Sometimes symptoms flare up. Sometimes other obligations take priority. But does the likelihood of a few hiccups along the way mean we shouldn't even attempt to improve our health?
While there are certainly factors beyond our control, like the unpredictability of chronic illness symptoms, many of the challenges we face are universal - faced by everyone, regardless of their health status.
Yet, what if we could shift our perspective a bit?
What if, instead of viewing these missteps as failures, we saw them as valuable feedback? What if we used each stumble as a chance to learn and adjust our approach, rather than a reason to throw in the towel?
There's no need for self-judgment, guilt, or feeling bad about not getting it perfect.
I've noticed that many of my clients living with chronic illnesses are incredibly tough on themselves. But, trust me, shame and self-punishment are not the answer. As a health coach, I see these 'failures' not as something negative, but as precious information that can guide us towards a better path. When a client struggles to maintain a wellness practice, it opens up a conversation - a chance to reassess and adjust.
So, let's dive in and explore this together…
For The Occasionally Derailed Effort
For those of you who regularly commit to your wellness habits but occasionally find your efforts derailed, remember that everyone has off days or even off weeks. Sometimes, life requires us to press pause on our routines and that's completely okay. The important thing is to resume when you can.
Certain life events can sometimes throw us off our wellness journey. This could be due to travel, stress, illness, medical treatments, among other things. It's okay to recognize these disruptions and adjust your expectations accordingly. For instance, when I fall ill, I temporarily let go of my usual exercise routines. Instead, I shift my focus to getting ample rest, eating nutritious food, and staying well-hydrated.
While I might be frustrated, I don't see this as a failure. Rather, I view it as an understanding and acceptance that my needs and capabilities have momentarily changed. Once I'm feeling better, I attempt to get back on track, picking up where I left off or gradually building back up to my routine, based on my current state.
During these times, practicing self-compassion is crucial. It's perfectly okay to hit the reset button and start again when you're ready.
So, how about you? Do you have strategies for adjusting your expectations when faced with challenges that disrupt your wellness routine?
For related reading, check out these other blog posts:
Turning Knowledge Of Your Symptom Cycle Into A Powerful Tool Blog HERE
How To “Just Do It” When Living With Chronic Illness HERE
If You Are Consistently Struggling To Maintain A Wellness Practice or habit
If you find yourself consistently struggling to maintain a particular wellness habit, it may be time to re-evaluate and make some adjustments to set yourself up for success. The goal here isn't perfection - it's progress. But, it can be frustrating when there are consistent roadblocks.
First, check in with your motivation. Do you truly want to commit to this habit? It's okay if your enthusiasm has waned or your priorities have shifted. Reflect on why you wanted to start this habit in the first place and see if those reasons still resonate. For a deeper dive into motivation, I invite you to read this other post on the first step to living Chronically Well HERE.
Next, take an honest look at whether your expectations are realistic. If you're not making progress, your goals may need some tweaking. Ask yourself:
Could I break this down into smaller, more manageable steps? If the thought of completely changing your routine feels overwhelming, don't be afraid to start small. Make subtle, incremental changes that gradually build upon each other over time. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to establishing new habits. For example, if you set a goal to walk 2 miles 5 times a week and that is feeling daunting, can you ease into it and slowly build up from 1 mile to 2 miles or slowly build up from twice a week to 5 times?
Is there an alternate habit that would be a better fit for me right now? We all go through different seasons in life. What worked last year may not serve you anymore today. Stay open to exploring new wellness practices that resonate with where you're at currently. Listen to your intuition. And, if that is telling you that you need to tweak a practice, go for it! For example, if you want to work on managing your stress, but you can’t seem to settle into a meditation practice, consider whether there is something else that feels like a better fit for you. Some alternatives might include a walk outside, listening to music, taking a technology break, etc.
Is the timing right? Life happens. And, sometimes there are things going on in our lives that can make it difficult to commit to a habit until things settle down.There's no shame in pressing pause if life feels extra hectic at the moment. Give yourself permission to reassess when the timing is a bit better. Wellness is a lifelong journey, not a race to the finish line. Patience and compassion for yourself are key.
For more relevant reading, check out these blog posts:
For Support With Your Habits and Practices
Join my one-on-one Chronically Well Coaching Membership! It’s a membership, an app and a coach right in your pocket!
The Role of Self-Compassion
Don't be hard on yourself if the timing or approach needs adjusting! This is about learning and figuring out what works best for YOU. Patience and compassion go a long way. With some thoughtful reevaluation and positive restructuring, you can get back on track with habits that enhance your wellbeing in ways that feel nourishing rather than burdensome. You've got this! For more reading about self-compassion, check out THIS blog post.
The Struggle Is Real
As you may know, there are many reasons behind why you might be struggling to make a habit or practice happen. However, your reasons don’t require negative self-judgment, particularly since they provide important information as to what will or will not work for you. Being open to learning from whatever challenges you are facing can help to fine tune a habit or practice so that it fits more easily into your life.
If you could use some support in how to incorporate a wellness habit or practice into your life, I invite you to check out the Chronically Well coaching membership. It provides a way to work one-on-one on integrating wellness into your life, your way. You can book a free, no obligation call to learn more.
IS there a habit or practice that you want to be more consistent with? What ideas do you have about how to make that work more seamlessly?
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