Why You Should Look Forward To Setbacks

When we start something new, like a new way of eating or a dedication to X amount of exercise per week or 10 minutes of a new hobby each day or even something like committing to flossing your teeth every day (WHICH YOU SHOULD BE DOING ANYWAY, IT FEELS GREAT), there’s a common pattern and it goes like this:

*start something new*

*do it for a little bit*

*miss a day*

*get sad*

*give up*

*spend the next few months lamenting over the fact that you’re a failure who can’t even floss their teeth and what sort of adult can’t get their shit together enough to make a decision and stick with it my therapist was right I really do have commitment issues and on it goes*

But my very favourite part of starting something new is that inevitable setback. I used to piss and moan about them, but somewhere along the way I realised setbacks are actually extremely helpful. They are the BEST way to:

and

2. Reassure you that you’re on the right path

For me, I’ve had a few things I’ve been trying to do lately. They’re easy, I just want to eat better and move more. So I’ve been focusing on eating right, and doing some sort of physical activity each day.

But I’m in the middle of a setback. We’ve had a busy few weeks with the holidays, we’ve been sick, and I’ve had deliciously awful shit like KFC, Subway and pizza. I’ve done fuck all exercise on top of that and I’m really feeling it. I’m bloated, my stomach is in a perpetual state of cramping, I have less energy and my whole body is sore. It’s a killer setback and I’m feeling so lucky because it’s making me realise how much better life can be when you’re taking better care of yourself.

Setbacks also help you see the positive ways in which you’re changing. I used to consider junk food to be like a gift to my taste buds and I’d feel such decadent glee whenever I “treated myself”. I can see now though that the things that used to make me feel so good, actually do the complete opposite. Is it actually a treat if it makes you feel like shit?

You NEED setbacks to reinforce your decisions. Don’t dread them, don’t fight them, and don’t give up completely when you experience them. If you’re stagnant with your goals, you’re in a setback. All you can do is accept and embrace the brief failure, and once you’re over the peak, just keep moving towards your goals.

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