So, it happened.
I missed last week's newsletter. And you know what?
That's okay.
In the last few months, I've started a lot of new things. YouTube, Instagram, this newsletter. Starting is hard enough, but what’s even harder?
Continuing. And then continuing again.
The problem is when I beat myself up for not accomplishing "enough."
Maybe you do too. Maybe that mindset is stopping you from even starting. Either way, here’s a way to reframe consistency so you can actually maintain it.
What Does Consistency Even Mean?
Consistency doesn't mean you have to be at 100/100 every day. It also doesn’t mean you can’t take breaks. It just means that you keep showing up on a regular basis.
This can look very different depending on your goals. These are all examples of consistency:
It’s impossible as a human being to hit a 100 every single day.
Life throws you flaming curveballs, unexpected things come up, priorities shift. If you only have 50 to give one day, 50/50 is still 100% effort. Work with your capacity levels and plan for breaks to avoid overwhelm and burnout.
Your best day will not happen every day. You don’t have to beat yourself up because of that reality.
Begin Again - Let Go of Past You
In order to achieve some semblance of consistency, it’s important to let go of what past you did or did not do.
I have ADHD, which means I love starting and hate finishing things. To work with my brain, I reframe my life so I never have to “finish” anything.
Every morning, I begin again.
Press a mental reset button, let go of any stress or anxiety about how much or how little you accomplished the day before, and tell yourself you’re starting from 0 that day.
Treat every day like you’re starting a new project. Throw away the TODO list from the day before, and rewrite item number 1. It doesn’t matter if number 1 is the same thing as number 1 from last week or last month. Start over.
Every day, you have a choice. You can either start the day or hour with the stress of the past, or without it. Your task list will look the same either way.
Give a Gift to Future You
Dr. K from the YouTube channel HealthyGamerGG takes this mental reset concept a step further. He says to view yourself as a different person each day. Every single day, we are a different version of ourselves, with a new set of starting conditions:
Physical energy level
Stress level
Social battery level
Hydration level
Confidence level
etc
Think about it like a relay race. You’re passing the baton to tomorrow you. Today you disappears once you go to sleep.
What can you do today to best set that next person up for success?
In the long run, this is how you consistently make progress and improve your life. One day at a time.
This Week: 2 Questions
Are you beating yourself up because you haven’t made “enough” progress?
What tiny action can you take every day for one week straight? Make it a goal to hit at least 1% every day and see where that takes you.
Do 10 pushups a day
Write one paragraph a day
Drink one bottle of water a day
Hi, I’m Kat! Welcome to my newsletter—your weekly dose of mindset, perspective, and mental health for sustainable success.
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Thanks for reading! If you have any thoughts or questions, simply reply back to this email. Chat again soon!
— Kat