Coming through a setback

Hi coaches,

My goal for this season was to prioritise my mental and physical health. A key rock to this was not drinking more than 14 units alcohol a week and exercising 4-5 times. It had been going really well and I was feeling the benefits but over the last week, I had a set back. Both my children came down with chest infections, I got a cold and we had to juggle childcare, doctors appointment, work etc. I ended up reverting back to reaching for a drink and not exercising for over a week.

I had a particularly stressful couple of days where I can accept that I reverted to my bad day protocol and make peace with that. But it’s been the days that followed where I wasn’t even having an especially bad time but I’d allowed myself to slide back into the old behaviours – these are the days I’m finding it hard to forgive myself for and to get back to where I want to be.

UIM
C – drunk X units of alchohol and haven’t exercised for 5 days.
T – I’m so weak
F – ashamed
A – compare myself to others (esp those doing dry Jan) / carry on eating and drinking / don’t exercise
R – believe I’m weak and have failed

IM
C – same
T – this is a setback and I will find find a way through
A – self coach / plan for next week / AAC / try to understand and learn from the setback / look at what went well
R – believe I can find a way forward

I would love your feedback please x

 

Answer:

 

These models look wonderful – and it makes sense why you’re reaching for the things that bring you comfort – change is hard! Is it possible that you having drunk X number of units of alcohol and not exercising for 5 days means you’re having a human moment of leaning into something familiar and having a hard time breaking that patterning?

If that were true, and it’s also true that it’s just as human to try to reach for your goals again, where does your brain take you? What options are available to you? So what if you had a setback and fell into old patterns? Give yourself some love, and some space to be able to decide again.