I realized, it was high time. I needed to start again. I needed to start over. But how? It had been more than two months.
More than two months since I wrote a word on this blog. I have been doing a lot of other writing. Writing my book, writing study and coaching notes and material for my clients, writing social media posts etc. However, amidst all of that, this blog got compromised. And it felt super difficult to start again.
Have you been there? You exercise for 3 days, and then you stop for some reason. And with every passing day, you find it increasingly difficult to get back to exercise?
You decide to have a daily reading habit. You do it for a week. Then you have a few busy weeks at work. Now you feel guilty about abandoning the habit and find it challenging to pick up the book again.
This is what happened to me with the blog.
Every time I could not check off that “Write a blog post” from my to-do list, I felt a sense of loss, disappointment and frustration. With every passing day, the resistance grew.
“It is too late to start the blog again.”
“I will come to it when I finish writing my book.”
“What am I going to say after all these weeks and months?”
Even for a seemingly simple thing as writing my blog post, I began to have all these doubts and questions. And then I realized, I was not alone.
I have spoken to so many friends, family and clients who have told me how painful they have found to reboot and start working on a goal again after taking a break. Once the momentum is lost, it is not easy to get back on track and start running again. The resistance increases.
So, I took a deep breath. “This is not the first time I am starting over”, I told myself. And pressed “RESTART”.
Today I want to tell you how to press that restart button and get back on track with your goals and projects again. You ready?
Step 1: Identify which goal do you want to start over again. Quickly write it down on a piece of paper with me. Want to start exercising? Want to start waking up early? Just write one simple goal that you want to restart.
Step 2: Accept that falling off the track, is part of the journey. Life happens. Stuff takes over our attention and energy. What matters most, is that you are making a decision to try again. Over and over again. Pick yourself back up, every time you fall. Without judgement. With compassion.
Step 3: Take one step, right now. Write the smallest step that you can take with regards to that goal you want to get back on. Is it exercise? Stand up right now and do 3 star jumps or squats. It is healthy food? Get up and drink a glass of water. Is it reading? Read just one paragraph of any book. Take the hammer and break the jinx. Do just one minute of that task. There you go. Now you have started over again. Yes. It’s done. Now you are back on the track. Now you just need to keep running.
Step 4: Schedule a time in your calendar right now for when you will get back to this goal again. I am coming back to this blog to write on 30th June 3:00 pm for 30 minutes. That’s all. Yes of course, when the calendar reminds you, don’t press dismiss.
Step 5: Reward the Restart. When you feel like you have made a small stride in your goal again, reward your efforts. You have just won over your own internal resistance. And that is something to celebrate. Appreciate yourself. We need to do that more often.
Step 6: Repeat and follow up. Ask yourself, “Is this goal important to me?” If yes, create a check in and follow up system. Measure your progress after 3-4 weeks. Observe without judgement. And if distractions have gotten you again, remember, to press restart.
I will conclude this conversation by saying something I wrote on my Instagram page last week.
Always remember, your power is in the now. That’s all.
Hey friends, I hope you found today’s post useful. I hope it stirred up some thoughts of your own. Now it’s your turn.
In the comments below, can you write down one goal that you are going to restart today?
What action step will you take to restart that goal?
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Also, if you want daily motivation like this, do join me at my Instagram page.
See you soon! (As I said, I have already put updating my blog on my calendar. 🙂 )
Until then, Happy Monday and have a great week ahead!
Lots of love and inspiration,
Nidhi
Brave, Brilliant & Fabulous You 