Do not let one bad decision define you. One bad decision does not permit you to make 20 more. This is the exact type of thinking that underlies overeating. I know because I lived it. I would think to myself, “Well, I already gave in to that one craving so today is ruined. Might as well eat everything that I want today, and then tomorrow I will start being healthy”. As if the next day I would have more willpower than I did today. I was lying to myself. All or nothing thinking holds you back from accomplishing what you want in life. There is no such thing as a perfect day. One lazy hour does not need to turn into 8 hours of binge-watching tv. One missed day of your exercise plan does not need to mean months of being off track. It is easy to get lost in the lows when you are between the highs. The power lies in knowing that, without a doubt, those high moments are coming again. You just need to hang on and hold true to your own ideals.
Many people have similar thinking when it comes to goals. They do not have an hour to execute an entire workout routine so they give themselves the sweet relief of delaying to another day. As if tomorrow an hour of exercise will be more realistic than it was today. Is it helping or hurting you to hold on to those delusions? You always have time to do something toward your goals even on your busiest days. You have 5 minutes to do crunches or 10 minutes to take a walk. The power lies in those little things that are so easy to do but just as easy not to do. While everyone else sets unrealistic goals and finds reasons why they can’t accomplish them, be the one that steps up for yourself and commits to doing just one small thing that moves you forward. Years down the road, you will find yourself leagues above others.
So remember, life is not an all-or-nothing game. Accept that one miss does not ruin your streak. Making an occasional bad decision or having a bad day is part of living life. Sometimes you need to pivot, get creative in your thinking, and accept that one step backward for two steps forward is indeed still progress. Play the long game when it comes to your health and your goals. Take pride that you are making incremental gains, however small. Give yourself grace and know the power lies in the fact that you know, better than others, that you will recommit the moment after you fail. Maybe, just maybe, this is the actual secret to success and living your best life.