is the key to your success?
A few years ago, I ran a holiday health challenge with a group of clients, and we had some really great results.
But here's what made this challenge different.
We weren't focused on doing more workouts, adding extra cardio, or following a stricter eating plan during an already busy season. Instead, we focused on a different meaning of the word challenge.
We looked at the challenges we each faced and figured out how to work through them.
For one person, it might have been finding time to exercise between work, family, and holiday commitments. For another, it might have been navigating all the tempting treats, managing social situations, or trying to maintain healthy habits when the usual routine went out the window.
We all had different stumbling blocks, so we worked on finding solutions that made sense for each of us.
As I've been revisiting that experience and preparing to help my clients navigate the coming holiday season, I've been reminded of something: recognizing our challenges is one of the most important parts of making progress.
Think about it.
How many times have you set a goal with the best intentions, only to find yourself struggling a few weeks later?
Maybe you planned to exercise consistently, but your schedule got crazy.
Perhaps you intended to make balanced food choices, but found yourself grazing your way through every holiday gathering.
Or maybe you simply felt so overwhelmed that taking care of yourself ended up at the bottom of the list.
It's easy to get frustrated and think you need more discipline, more motivation, or a little more willpower.
But what if that's not the problem?
What if you're repeatedly running into an obstacle you haven't fully recognized or prepared for?
It's hard to find a solution to a problem you haven't identified. And when we don't understand what's tripping us up, we can end up repeating the same patterns over and over again.
The good news? Once you recognize your stumbling blocks, you can start doing something about them.
You can anticipate the situations that tend to throw you off track. You can make a plan ahead of time. And you can find workarounds that help you stay connected to your goals, even when life doesn't go according to plan.
Maybe that means scheduling shorter workouts during busy weeks instead of skipping exercise altogether. Maybe it's deciding ahead of time how you'll approach a holiday buffet. Or perhaps it's learning to set boundaries, ask for help, or let go of the expectation that everything has to be perfect.
The goal isn't to eliminate every challenge. That's definitely not realistic!
The goal is to understand yourself well enough to meet those challenges with a plan instead of being caught off guard by them.
Here's your challenge this week.
Take a few minutes to reflect on your own health and wellness goals.
What tends to get in your way?
- Is it time, energy, or an unpredictable schedule?
- Is it temptation or difficulty navigating social situations?
- Is it stress, overwhelm, or putting everyone else's needs ahead of your own?
- Is it an all-or-nothing mindset that makes one less-than-perfect day feel like failure?
- Or is it something else entirely?
Once you've identified one of your biggest stumbling blocks, ask yourself:
What could I do differently to make this easier next time?
You don't need to solve everything today. Just start by recognizing the challenge and considering one small step that could help.
Because sometimes, the biggest breakthrough isn't trying harder. It's understanding what's been holding you back and finding a better way forward.
This is one of the things we work on through the Align and Stabilize Framework portion of my online program - identifying the obstacles that get in the way and creating realistic solutions that fit your life, as well as building the mindset and practical and strategic habits to support your goals.
If you'd like some help figuring out your own stumbling blocks and preparing to meet them, I'm here to help!
You don't have to wait until the holidays are over to start taking care of yourself. And you don't have to figure it all out on your own.
Here's to understanding ourselves a little better and making progress that lasts!
Kim
