Some days and weeks are harder than others. Looking at my tracking sheet this past week, many days are colored in red, meaning I did not reach my sugar reduction goals. It has been challenging to stay the course with goals for various reasons including a couple of holidays and a medical procedure. I’m not going to beat myself up over this and give up on what I set out to accomplish. Instead I’m going to accept it and move forward with my journey and get back on track with my goals. When faced with challenges, here are a few tips to help you stay on track:
Make a Conscious Choice: I knew this week was going to be hard because I had a medical procedure situated between two holiday weekends – Valentine’s Day and my birthday. It was a double whammy – I couldn’t eat fresh fruits and vegetables because of the procedure and I knew that the holidays were going to carry into every day of the weekend. Knowing this, I made the conscious choice to relax my goals and made an agreement with myself that I would get back on track after my birthday.
Acceptance: I didn’t worry about the fact that this was going to be a difficult week for me. Nor did I beat myself up over it. Instead I accepted it for what it was and made plans to move forward.
Progress Over Perfection: I have made so much progress over the course of these past 6 weeks. Striving for perfection was not my goal. Letting go of perfection is hard to do, but I have learned that allowing myself a little grace supports my mental well being rather than beating myself to try and reach an unrealistic search for perfection. I’ve also learned that as long as I keep moving forward and course correct, I will get to where I want to be along the journey.
Positive Self Talk: The way we speak to ourselves shapes our mindset and influences how we handle challenges. Instead of criticizing myself for how this week went, I can offer myself compassion by saying “It’s okay. I knew this would be a challenging week, but I will get back on track starting Tuesday.” I choose the latter.
Setbacks are part of the journey. By making conscious choices, practicing acceptance, focusing on progress over perfection and nurturing positive self talk, we build resilience and stay aligned with our goals. Every step forward brings us closer to where we want to be. So be kind to yourself and keep moving forward.
-Megan
*AI Generated Image
