There have been a few times in my life where I’ve needed to start over; both physically and financially. In my early 20s I went through a financial crisis that lead me to Dave Ramsey, and Financial Peace University. It was around that same time that I was also going through a lot physically and realized I needed to make a change.
Through each job change (including being unexpectedly let go twice) and each pregnancy/child born I have had to reset and go back to basics. In 2019 I got divorced, which is a whole different kind of starting over. The last few years have felt like a physical, emotional, and financial roller coaster. The last 2 years have been some of the hardest of my life. I’m the unhealthiest that I have ever been physically, and though I am definitely not at my unhealthiest financially I have let my budget get lower on the priority list too many times.
At the end of last year I started over. I dug my heels into the sand and again decided I was ready to take control of my physical and financial health again. I lost almost 20 lbs, started an extra side hustle during the holidays, started contributing to a Roth IRA from the side hustle, and was feeling like I was getting back on track. Cue life happening.
I know that I can’t use “life” as an excuse, and I’m not making excuses, but following a series of life events I have found myself back at the starting line again. I’ve gained back the 20 lbs and let my nutrition and fitness routine fall to the wayside. I have also seen a new shift in my primary business as the COVID-19 Delta variant spreads, and gotten far too comfortable with spending money on eating out while I should’ve been stock-piling cash.
Starting over is hard. First, it’s hard to even admit that you need to start over. The thought that I lost those 20 lbs and have to lose them all over again is so defeating. I’m angry with myself for letting my health fall lower again on my list of priorities, when I’ve always known that it should be at the very top along with my fiancé and children. Second, all of those habits that I had worked to create no longer feel like habits, and the temptations of eating out or watching Netflix instead of working out are fierce.
So now I’m faced with starting over. It’s time to reset my focus on my health and finances, and bring those healthy habits back into my life. There is absolutely zero shame in starting over or admitting that you need to start over. The famous self-help author, Napoleon Hill, said “Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure.” When you feel like you’ve failed, the first step towards success is to get up and start over. There’s no way around that.
I’ve started by trying to drink more water (I love Sprite, so this is a good place to start for me). I also took a job working the front desk a couple of mornings per week at a local yoga studio. My shift ends just as a daily class begins, so I will have the opportunity to take the class following my shift. I have committed to training for another 5k. I’ve done countless 5ks in my life, so it is frustrating to start training and realize how far I’ve let myself get behind where I have been in the past, but I’m just going to take it one day at a time using my tried and true Jeff Galloway 5k training plan.
My business, though still feeling the effects of COVID-19, is having it’s best year yet, and between that and my gig at the yoga studio I am looking forward to contributing more to savings in advance of the holidays and 2022. I am really hoping to spend these last 90 days of 2021 with a fresh start, and gearing up for an AMAZING 2022!
What do you hope to accomplish in these last 90 days of 2021? Are you gearing up for 2022? There is no better time to start than today.
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