The Change Waterfall
How familiar is this scenario?
You set a big goal, plan how you’ll achieve it, and set about changing activities into habits that sit nicely into your new daily routine. It’s taken time to make changes, but overall, it’s going well. You think, I rock! or Oh, yeah, Life. Is. Good! because you’ve really hit your stride. Then, bam! You get a new job or move or something else happens in your life that upends your schedule.
And just like that, it’s a waterfall of change: You’re time-crunched, so you’re not eating as healthy, which zaps your energy, so you start exercising less; you’re stressed and your lack of exercise isn’t helping you destress, so you’re not sleeping well. Each change flows into the other like water splashing down one steep drop to the next and the next—and all those hard-won fit-life habits start drifting away.
It can be frustrating when a big life change sends all your hard work and effort rushing downstream. But you can get back in the flow. Here’s how…
First, and most important, cut yourself some slack. Be kind to yourself and have patience. It took time to create the habits and routines that life just upended, which means it’s also going to take time to create new routines and embed those good habits into them.
Shake your fist at the sky. If you’re frustrated or disheartened or angry that you’ve had a big setback in your journey to living your ideal fit and healthy lifestyle, feel it fully. Be honest with yourself about what you’re feeling—even call it out: “I feel so sad right now!” But don’t get mired in it. Feel your feelings and move on.
Focus on your goals. Take time to rewrite your goals with your new reality in mind. (And I do mean write: People who set explicit goals are 10 times more likely to achieve them than those who don’t set them explicitly, according to a study by the University of Scranton.) What was “SMART”—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-framed—before might not be sustainable now, so make any needed adjustments without giving up on the goals that are most important to you. Instead, reprioritize your goals as necessary.
Update your action plans. With your new goals in hand, it’s time to plan the steps you’ll take to achieve them. What will you start, stop, or continue doing? When will you exercise? How will you ensure that you make time to prepare healthy meals? How will you measure success? Write that all down, as well. Be specific.
Create a new support system. First, find an accountability partner. Even if that person is working toward an entirely different set of goals, you can support each other along your individual journeys. Then, find ways to involve your friends and loved ones. For example, consider going for walks together or cooking together as ways to spending quality time with the people you’re close to and work toward your fit-life goals.
Ride the wave. Sure, you didn’t plan on splashing down the change waterfall, but here you are at the bottom, which is actually a beautiful, sparkling pool of new opportunity. So, tie your new goals, plans, and support system together like a raft to buoy you as you ride the currents of your new fit-life journey. And if you get splashed along the way, think of it as a refreshing reminder to check in on your progress, and perhaps adjust your goals, as you keep streaming along.
Enjoyed this post? Subscribe to our free newsletter and be among the first to see our latest articles, exercise tutorials, assessments, and lots more.
