Maybe you’ve hit the same issue I have this time of year:
Leading up to the new year, you had big plans for yourself. New year, new you. You were going to eat differently, work differently, move differently, even think differently. And you were off to a great start. Your success streak for your new life’s system was going strong. Then you started to smell that familiar aroma...sniff sniff...hmmm, yes—burnout.
It is around this time that many people quit their new systems due to burnout or fear of it. They throw in the towel, plop down on the couch, and tear open the Doritos with a long “Well, maybe next year will be different” sigh. But you know it won’t—not unless we build in what we include in any long road trip itinerary, yet not the journey of self-improvement: a pit stop.
Not a full stop, just a pit stop. A time to rest, refuel, recalibrate, and return.
Think about it: you’d never plan to drive across the country without periodically taking an off ramp to fill your tank, kick the tires, clean your windshield, grab a bite, rest your head, reset your GPS, and head out again. Without these stops, you’ll end up slumped over the wheel, famished, with an empty tank, maybe a flat tire, possibly on the wrong road. Why do you think you can skip this process for your own journey of self improvement? Just like a road trip, plan pit stops for yourself.
We’re not talking anything too regimented about these pit stops.
Take one weekend day away from your inbox, your diet, your workout routine, and definitely your phone. Spend some quality time with your journal. Soul puke all over a few pages. Note your initial motivations and gauge if they’ve changed. Note what you feel were the first symptoms of burnout. Sit and consider if your new lifestyle was or is sustainable or if modifications and recalibrations would help get you back—maybe not on the same track, but one still aligned with your goals.
Jot down ideas for beginning afresh—a plan that is managable, sustainable, and one you’re even (dare I say) excited to execute...tomorrow. Don’t start it that day—you’ve done enough. Enjoy tonight’s meal without counting it’s macros and calories. Design tomorrow morning’s workout and lay out your workout clothes. Write next week’s action plan. Then go to bed at a reasonable hour to allow you to wake up fresh, ready to hit the road again.
You got this.
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