When Fear Sounds Like Logic (and Your “But” Gets Really Loud)

Last week, we talked about prioritizing what truly matters. Deciding ahead of time what you’re committed to, instead of letting life, schedules, and everyone else’s needs take over.

This week, I want to zoom in on something a little more uncomfortable.

Excuses.

More specifically… the perfectly reasonable excuses we make when fear starts creeping in.

Because here we are—toward the end of January.

The motivation boost from the new year has faded.

You may be doing “the right things”… 

But the scale hasn’t moved much.

Your clothes don’t feel dramatically different.

Your energy is hit or miss.

The results just aren’t obvious yet.

And that little voice starts whispering things like:

“I want to lose the weight, but my hormones are a mess.”

“I want to be consistent, but my schedule is unpredictable.”

“I want this to work, but I’ve tried before.”

“I want change, but what if I fail again?”

There’s a quote I love that says:

“If you want to reach your goals, you must shrink the size of your but.”

It makes me laugh—and if we're being honest, it’s also painfully accurate.

Here’s the thing most people don’t talk about:

Fear doesn’t usually show up as panic or drama.

It shows up as logic.

It shows up as very reasonable thinking.

It sounds practical. Responsible. Self-aware.

But underneath it is often fear of failure… or fear of hoping again.

Especially for those of us who have tried programs, plans, and promises before.

And that’s exactly when people start drifting—not because their goals don’t matter anymore, but because they haven’t seen results yet.

Yet is the key word.

Here’s the truth: real, sustainable change—especially as we age —takes time. Your body is recalibrating. Your habits are rewiring. Your nervous system is learning consistency again.

Progress often happens before it becomes visible.

And the people who succeed aren’t the ones who never doubt themselves—they’re the ones who don’t let doubt make the decisions.  This is usually the moment when people don’t need more information—they need support.

That might look like:

• Accountability when motivation dips
• A cheerleader reminding you that slow progress is still progress
• Guidance from someone who’s already helped people navigate this exact phase
• Or simply a pause to refocus instead of throwing everything out and “starting over”

If this is where you normally tell yourself, “I’ll come back to this later,” I want to gently challenge you.

Later is where goals quietly go to die.

Don’t let yourbut be the thing standing between where you are and where you want to go.

Shrink it.

Refocus.

Stay the course.

And get the support you deserve instead of trying to white-knuckle it alone.

You’re not behind.

You’re right on time—If you keep going.

You’ve got this. And I’m cheering for you.

Kim