Overcoming the First Hurdles: How to Stay Consistent During the Initial Weeks
Overcoming the First Hurdles: How to Stay Consistent During the Initial Weeks
Starting fresh in the New Year is exhilarating. We set goals with bright optimism, envisioning ourselves sticking with them all year long. But as the first few weeks unfold, reality often settles in: new habits aren’t easy to maintain, and motivation can fade quickly. When I’ve set big New Year’s goals in the past, like overhauling my lifestyle all at once, it’s felt exciting at first. Yet, by March, I’d often find myself slipping back into my old habits. This experience taught me the importance of pacing myself and breaking down big goals into manageable steps.
Why Starting Slow Leads to Lasting Change
It’s tempting to dive in headfirst with ambitious targets—losing a specific amount of weight, committing to long workouts every day, or meditating an hour each morning. These “big goals” are fantastic but can become overwhelming without a clear, gradual path. Just as a child doesn’t jump from picture books to Ernest Hemingway, we can’t go from zero to expert overnight. Building sustainable habits means starting small and focusing on gradual improvement. This doesn’t mean compromising; rather, it’s a strategy to make lasting change achievable.
Imagine setting a goal to “get healthier.” Without specifics, this goal can feel abstract and challenging to follow. Instead, try setting incremental steps, like adding one extra vegetable to your meals or taking a short walk each day. Over time, these changes build a foundation that supports even bigger health transformations. I’ve found that these small adjustments feel much less intimidating and make it easier to stay consistent even when life gets busy.
Common Struggles in the Early Weeks
Let’s acknowledge the challenges that most of us face in the initial weeks of forming new habits:
- Motivation Dips: Initial enthusiasm can quickly give way to resistance. We may feel excited for a few days, but without ongoing commitment, that motivation can wane. Studies show that the excitement of starting something new tends to drop around the two-week mark, just when building a habit requires the most effort. Knowing this ahead of time can help you mentally prepare for that moment.
- Below I have provided some journal prompts that may help you prepare for this dip in motivation before you start your journey. On days when motivation is low you can ask yourself why you are doing this 5 times and use that as a motivation, making a vision board can also be a good way to maintain motivation. A different vision for each step of the big goal and how they all start to look a little different.
- Overwhelming Goals: Huge goals feel inspiring at first, but they can become paralyzing when they don’t fit into daily life. Trying to make big changes immediately—like a daily hour-long workout when you’re new to exercise—can quickly lead to burnout.
- Breaking big goals into smaller achievements on the road to the big goal is much more manageable for long term lifestyle changes. If you’re looking for a healthier lifestyle maybe try goal one being cooking more meals at home, don’t worry about how healthy they are just start with cooking at home. After a few weeks work on ways to adjust your diet to include a wider variety of foods. And go on from there to work on the big picture.
- Inconsistent Routines: Life throws curveballs, and it’s easy to miss a day, then two, and then feel like you’ve “failed” the whole endeavor. Missing a day doesn’t mean you’re back to square one; in fact, recognizing this can be the key to maintaining momentum even when challenges arise.
- Rest days are important, sometimes they don’t always appear on the schedule we have in mind. Later in the New Years Series I’ll be addressing some concerns around rest days and how to use them to propel your self forward rather than losing momentum from your rest days.
Recognizing these struggles upfront helps us develop strategies to overcome them. Building a new habit doesn’t happen without some discomfort—embracing these hurdles can empower us to keep going.
How to Set Yourself Up for Success
To set yourself up for sustainable change, think about your current routine. What small adjustments can you realistically make? Rather than creating a strict, time-consuming schedule, aim for flexibility. For example, if you want to meditate daily, start with 5 minutes, and allow yourself to choose the best time each day. This flexibility makes it easier to stay on track, even on busy days.
Building Grit and Mindfulness: Tools for Staying the Course
Grit is the perseverance to keep going even when motivation fades. Mindfulness allows us to observe our struggles without judgment and stay present, even when things are challenging. Together, these qualities provide a toolkit for pushing through the toughest days.
Consider that the journey isn’t just about reaching the goal but also about who we become along the way. Mindfulness teaches us to stay curious about our journey and to bring compassion to ourselves in moments of doubt or difficulty. Grit reminds us that setbacks are a natural part of the process.
One mindfulness technique to build grit is to regularly check in with yourself by asking, “What’s my motivation right now?” Rather than relying on willpower alone, this practice helps you reconnect with your “why,” making it easier to overcome obstacles that feel draining. For example, if you’re working on a yoga practice to reduce stress, remind yourself that even a short practice today contributes to long-term calm and resilience.
Journaling Prompts for Self-Reflection
Journaling can be a powerful way to reflect on these questions, helping you to anticipate potential challenges and develop your resilience. Here are two prompts to try:
- What challenges do you anticipate in your journey? Think about the specific obstacles that might come up. For example, if you’re trying to incorporate a daily walk, consider how you’ll handle rainy days or days when you’re particularly busy.
- How can you prepare for setbacks, both mentally and practically? Imagine the habits you want to form as a journey. What supplies, planning, or mental shifts do you need for the road ahead? Visualize a small toolkit with your strategies for getting back on track after a missed day or a moment of doubt.
By writing out your thoughts, you create a mental roadmap for navigating obstacles, building confidence that you can overcome any challenges along the way.
An Energizing Yoga Sequence to Boost Motivation
Starting each day with a short, energizing yoga sequence can set a positive tone and remind you why you embarked on this journey. Here’s a quick sequence to bring some energy into your body and mind:
- Mountain Pose (Tadasana): Stand tall, grounding into the earth, and feel your intention for the day.
- Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar): A few rounds to warm up your body and build gentle heat. Move slowly, connecting each movement with your breath.
- Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II): Strengthen your body and mind by holding this powerful pose, focusing on your breathing. Picture your own strength in overcoming any obstacle.
- Tree Pose (Vrksasana): Cultivate balance and focus, gently steadying yourself for the day’s challenges.
- Forward Fold (Uttanasana): Release any tension, bringing calm to the mind and closing the practice with a sense of openness and calm.
This sequence can be done in just 5-10 minutes. Think of it as a ritual to reconnect with your goals each morning, reminding yourself that each small step contributes to your larger vision.
A Breathing Exercise to Overcome Resistance
Resistance is natural, especially when new habits start to feel like work. A simple breathing exercise can help you reset when that resistance builds:
- Sit comfortably with your spine tall.
- Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose.
- Exhale through your mouth, letting go of any tension.
- Begin breathing in for a count of four, holding for four, then exhaling for six. Repeat for five rounds.
- Focus on the sensation of the breath, noticing any shifts in your mindset.
This exercise can help you calm mental resistance, reconnect with your intention, and approach your practice with a fresh perspective.
Embracing Setbacks as Part of the Process
The journey to forming new habits is rarely a straight line. It’s normal to stumble or take steps back. When these moments come, remember that each setback is an opportunity to learn and reinforce your commitment.
Try to be gentle with yourself. It’s better to pick up where you left off than to dwell on the missed days. Acknowledge the setback, reflect on why it happened, and think about how to avoid it in the future. Missed days aren’t failures—they’re reminders of the journey’s natural ebb and flow.
Breaking Down Big Goals into Manageable Steps
Instead of aiming for perfection from day one, break down your goals into smaller, more attainable steps. For example, if your goal is to walk 20,000 steps a day, start with 5,000. Gradually increase it as it becomes part of your routine. This way, you’re building both the physical stamina and mental resilience to support bigger changes over time.
Finding Inspiration in Small Wins
Tracking small achievements along the way can help keep your motivation up. Every small step matters—each day you show up is a win. Celebrate these small victories as evidence of your commitment and progress. This reinforces the mindset that progress, no matter how gradual, is still progress.
One effective way to track small wins is to keep a “mini milestone” journal. Write down each accomplishment, even if it feels minor. Over time, you’ll see how far you’ve come, and this visual reminder can fuel your motivation on tough days.
Embracing Change and Moving Forward
Nothing in life is permanent. Our goals, our struggles, and our mindset will evolve over time. Accepting that things won’t be perfect, that motivation will ebb and flow, and that struggles will come and go is essential for lasting change. Embrace the process and remain open to the journey.
Additional Resources
For those who want to dive deeper into habit formation and sustaining their practice, check out the following articles in our New Year’s series:
- Setting Intentions for the New Year: How Yoga and Meditation Can Help You Define Your Goals
- Overcoming the First Hurdles: How to Stay Consistent During the Initial Weeks
- Rest Days Done Right: Recharging Without Losing Momentum
- Breaking Through the Plateau: How to Maintain Momentum When Progress Slows
- Reigniting Your Fire: How to Stay Motivated Through the Year
- Balancing Self-Improvement with Life’s Other Responsibilities
- Yoga for Mental Toughness: Building Grit and Resilience Through Practice
- Visualizing Success: Using Meditation to Stay Focused on Your Goals
- Adapting to Change: How to Adjust Your Goals Without Giving Up
With patience, grit, and mindfulness, we can build habits that truly last
