“But if at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again…” Aaliyah Houghton

Have you ever started something, missed a day or two and then the day becomes a week, the week turns into a month and before you know it, it’s spiraled right out of sight & mind? Sounds like something you do? Keep reading. If you can relate with consistently being inconsistent, search no more. You have found your tribe leader. I’m not boasting about being inconsistent, but I do recognize that’s a major flaw that I NEED to work on. Don’t we all?

I recall having a conversation a couple a weeks ago with a girlfriend of mine about how I often abandon routines, projects, and goals when I get disappointed with my lack of consistency and effort. I beat myself up over not pushing myself toward completion of my list of “things” and just quit cold turkey.

Here’s my track record:

Spanish lessons on Duolingo: I was on a roll with completing 100+ days of consecutive lessons. Then, I missed 2 days, lost my lesson streak, and stopped practicing.

Journaling: My routine was to start my journaling at 9 pm which would signify my evening wind down.  I started pushing the time back and told myself I could get it done right before I got into bed. Well then I just started getting directly into bed without journaling a single word or thought and putting it off saying I would play catch up the next day. My bed was more appealing than any of the cute notebooks or fancy pens I own. Spoiler: It never happened the “next day”.

Working out: Since the pandemic, we set-up a weight rack in our garage for a home gym, so all I had to do was roll out of bed, open the door, and get to it. (I could create a million and one excuses—). Hello procrastination!

Dairy-free lifestyle: Yea, so let’s just say that dairy-free lifestyle turned into a “minimizing” one and then dairy became an ever-present staple in my diet. To be honest, this has been the hardest habit to stick with. I’ve tried various ways to compromise one thing for another. For instance, I opted to cut out cheese (in my Chipotle bowl, etc), but I will choose to have a splash of dairy creamer in my coffee. I just can’t get with the oatmilk/coconutmilk/almondmilk creamer substitutes y’all. The coffee doesn’t even look like it’s supposed to—I digress.

When I fell off the wagon and didn’t stick to the “smaller” habits I was trying to build, that led to me not being motivated to tackle larger tasks like posting on my blog. So here we are.

It’s time to cut the excuses.
I decided to start/restart somewhere. That somewhere didn’t have to be the first of the year, the first of the month, or even the beginning of the week. The point is that I needed to just do it. It doesn’t matter what the calendar reads. Just start where you are.

I had to take practical steps to get the push I needed to refocus. Here are some tips that worked for me:

1. Re-evaluate the importance of that task/goal. Ask yourself these questions: Does this goal serve to meet any of my target areas: wellness, spiritual, financial, etc.? Will I be satisfied/pleased with the outcome?
2. Decide what aspect of your routine makes it difficult to stay consistent. Location/environment: Am I setting myself up for failure if I journal while lying in bed when my eyes are already heavy or do I need to move to my desk? Pick an environment that is conducive to setting you up for success. Time of day: Can I trust myself to wake up early or stay up late to journal? Gauge the time of day when you are most productive and optimize on that time. Level of commitment: Is my schedule conducive to committing to journal 7 days a week or can I commit to weekdays because my weekends tend to be a busier time? Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Be realistic about your goals.
3. Find an accountability partner. Is the person your partner, coach/mentor, colleague, or family member? Be willing to answer questions honestly and accept constructive criticism. Translation: Find that person who will gather you in the name of love.
4. Reward yourself for being consistent. Have you been eyeing a new {insert anything on your wish list}? Set a short term goal (think 1-2 weeks) and give yourself an incentive along the way to stay on track. It’s so vital to celebrate the small wins. Reflect on those very things and continue to build on it.
5. Don’t beat yourself up if you get behind or miss a day. You just have to get back to it right away. That’s no excuse to be undisciplined and repeat the same habits over and over again, but a prompt to give yourself grace. You have good intentions to want more and be better overall. Be patient with yourself.

Today’s takeaway: Restart, refocus, readjust, and reset as many times as you need to. It’s your life to edit as often as needed. Whatever the routine, goal, or project is, get restarted on it. What are you picking back up to add value to your life?