Right now, I’ve got the Welcome Back Kotter theme song on my mind. I am not sure if you remember the show from the late 70s – I was just a kid at the time and didn’t actually watch the show, but I remember the theme song– and as I was thinking about this episode, it was the first thing that came to mind, so welcome back, welcome back, welcome back!
As many of you know, I took an unexpected break from publishing new podcast episodes over the last few months. I thought about how they do intentional breaks between seasons in Hollywood, but in all honesty and transparency, between the holidays, an intense period at work trying to get my small business certification, and some personal issues, I just didn’t have the bandwidth to produce content up to the standards and quality you deserve. Enough about that, though – as my husband says – don’t tell me about the labor pains – just show me the baby. And no, we don’t have kids. LOL.
First, thank you for your patience and support as I took this time to restore and reset. I am incredibly overwhelmed by the kind messages from many of you checking in and rooting for a comeback. You all inspire me so so much.
You know, it’s hard when you have momentum going and things fall off track for one reason or another. But I’ve realized that sometimes, getting off track is necessary for a few reasons. Ultimately, getting off track can illuminate areas for potential improvement and self-care, so it isn’t all bad. Right? But it’s great when have a bit of awareness around what happened, and we can understand the inner workings of things.
That said, I am thrilled to announce new episodes are returning every Wednesday! Get ready for a reenergized season with some of the most inspiring ideas to help you create change, foster resilience, and improve your well-being – basically everything you need to do life right. LOL
Whether you are trying to get your health back on track, improve your relationships, excel in business, bring more passion and purpose into your life, or reinvent yourself, I’ll share powerful stories to help you get back on track. Tiny nuggets of easily integrate- able wisdom that I hope will spark incredible breakthroughs for you, me and all of us.
The podcast return is just the start, too! Over the coming months, I have some exciting new offerings in store to continue serving this community at my best. But for now, let’s dive into today’s episode exploring how we can all tap into our inner phoenix rising…shall we?
We’ve all been there before. We start the new year strong, full of motivation and grand plans, only to slowly fall off track as the year progresses. The gym routines fall away. The side projects collect dust. The business initiative that was going to 10x your growth is gone. Before you know it, you look up, and it’s spring, and the first quarter is in the rearview—and you are questioning why you’ve fallen so far from your goals and dreams. If this sounds familiar for last year or seems like a premonition for the coming months, no worries – this episode is going to be exactly what you need.
The beautiful thing is—it’s never too late to get back on track. As Proverbs says, “A righteous man falls seven times and gets back up.” No matter how far you’ve strayed so far this year, there is always a path back to growth and progress IF you want it badly enough. If being the operative word. You see, there will never be an absence of obstacles. That is life. But our character is defined by how we continually lift ourselves up with courage and faith after inevitable falls.
So how do we do that?
In The Expansion Experience, my signature framework, I focus heavily on awareness. What is awareness. Quite simply Awareness is that 50,000 foot view. It’s being able to determine the gap between where you currently are and where you want to be. It’s turning inward and becoming a witness to what is. And that’s the first step when things aren’t going as planned. You have to recognize why you fell off in the first place. Sometimes life just happens—an illness, a demanding period at work, relationship troubles, what have you. It knocks you off your game for a bit. But let’s be honest, how often do we consciously choose to veer off track?—How often to we get lazy, lack discipline, and give in to distractions and quick pleasures. Right? So, the first step is stepping back, and honestly answering why you got off track in the first place because that will be the key to figuring out the proper support needed to get back on course and stay on course long term.
So, if I were to ask you about a goal you had set that you’ve not kept up with and you were to step back and honestly think about it. What would that answer be? Did external events throw you off? Do you need better systems and routines to keep you locked in even when life gets chaotic? I love the saying – every struggle signifies a missing system. So, what systems need refining?
Or, maybe your answer was rooted more in the area of personal sabotage? We are all guilty of sabotaging ourselves. I love that IG meme with the lady in the pantry. It’s like when bad Karen is looking for something good to eat and good Karen did the shopping. I so identify with that one!!!
Here’s the deal – with some introspection, whether it’s an external or internal issues, getting your mindset right and recommitting becomes possible. Chances are, some combination of external and internal factors got you off course. But if we are honest with ourselves, taking ownership is the only way we’ll get back on the road again. And I want all of us to get back on the road.
So let’s talk about a step that is often bypassed or written off an unnecessary. That next step is forgiving yourself. You may be thinking, “well that’s cheesy.” That’s ok. But let me ask you this how often have you beaten yourself up for not following through on something? I can’t tell you how many times I swore I’d lose the same five pounds and the next event rolled by and the same dress didn’t fit and I got so down on myself.
Those feelings of guilt and shame over what we perceive as “wasted time” or “failure” for falling short of our goals and resolutions just set us further back. They actually breed more inaction. Show me someone who has yet to stumble. The stumbling is here to grow us. We all struggle, and (spoiler alert) often, the greatest growth comes from picking ourselves back up with wisdom and resilience. So, if you’ve gotten off track, I’d encourage you to focus instead on the opportunity ahead of you now—a fresh start unburdened by the past. Let the guilt go. We don’t have time for that this go round. Instead, get clear again on your “why” to reignite motivation. Revisit how accomplishing the original goal will improve your life? And if you need a stark wake-up call – What are the costs of continuing to slack? Consider what it will take to get your fire burning once more and as Nike says, “Just do it”.
For the last month, one of my mentors has been asking me how the podcast was coming. I had excuse after excuse. Then, putting what I’ve talked about into action, I had a realization. That was when I thought about who and what beyond myself depended on my showing up. When we put things outside the “me-me-me” light, a new set of dynamics comes into play. And here’s the thing, when we link our growth to how it allows us to contribute to others, it adds another dimension. It adds accountability and purpose and that’s what will pull us through when willpower alone falters.
How often have you heard someone say, “I wanted to get healthier so I could play with my kids.” They realized unhealthy eating and exercise were chipping away at that ability, and they adjusted things by doing meal prep or starting a walking practice, or whatever it was they needed to do. Or, maybe the person that needed to be more energized to perform better at work. It led them to adapt their bedtimes, ban digital distractions, or start using better systems. Bottom line, when we want something bad enough we learn to get creative with new lifestyle changes and ultimately when we see how our progress ripples outward it can be incredibly grounding.
So, I want to give you some tips to get back on track.
1)Try to reframe how you’re approaching things. The last thing we need is stress and feeling overwhelmed as we are getting started again. To avoid stress, breaking down big goals into daily progress so it feels manageable versus all-consuming is the ONLY way to go. I know a lot of people had workout goals for this year. Focusing on showing up to the gym three times this week rather than losing 30 pounds is one way to look at it. I’m all about checking some boxes, and this effort has helped me with my commitment to walk. I’ve got a calendar, and each day I walk, it tracks it. It’s become a game for me not to see white spots on my calendar. What is your equivalent? Maybe there’s a project at work or a passion project that you want to accomplish, what are those turtle steps? Are you looking at all the possible angles to make things a reality? It’s a game changer when you build gradual momentum and start rooting your identity consistently in the outcome instead of demanding perfection and results right away, especially after a long hiatus.
2) That said, you may also need additional accountability from those around you on this second go-around if going solo has led you astray. That’s what I love about coaching.
In my coaching practice, I help clients with mindset changes, motivation, and troubleshooting when their determination wavers. There’s nothing wrong with a little gentle nudging when you backslide, and praise, when you push through. The support can go a long way. We all need that community to lift us up at times. I personally have coaches and business masterminds, and knowing others are on this journey, too, makes it feel less lonely. Not only does it expand your perspective but it also normalizes the ups and downs of growth, which ultimately fuels your reboot.
3) Just the facts. I heard somewhere that everything is just information. It’s all in how you look at things. Failure and setbacks included. Really and truly – they are just a reminder of how not to do things. So, you go back to the drawing board with different inputs and get different results. And I love that growth mindset. Building a growth-oriented mindset as you start again is crucial. You now have valuable data exposing where you still need to develop grit and discipline. Temporary setbacks are merely forging you into someone stronger. What’s that saying, “Setbacks are merely stepping stones.” Wow!
When you own the journey, not just the outcome, you realize that progress will ebb and flow, and in that flow, you learn to stay patient and persistent with yourself. The path is never linear.
Here’s the deal – with the right mindset reset, systems, and support in place, it’s possible to regain traction in no time AND to feel proud of your direction, even if the path there is still unfolding. Every time things start to veer sideways, I try to remember there will always be another opportunity to pivot with courage, curiosity, and awareness. I hope that is helpful as you pivot.
