A couple weeks ago I made the 9-hour drive to New York with a friend.
Despite the plethora of winter storm warnings on Google Maps touting the dangers of highway travel and snow squalls, the drive was totally fine.
The main goal of the trip was to plan the 2026 year for Business For Unicorns, a company I do some consulting work for, that helps personal training gyms like ours improve their systems, leadership, and, well, business as a whole, to get clients better results.
Planning was a success, and it was a draining 4 days.
And, I saw my first Broadway show (Stranger Things – it was a AMAZING!!!) and spent all of 30 seconds in Time Square so I could say I did.
This was a lot of fun, and my routine was completely thrown out the window.
Like you may be, I am a creature of habit.
When my routine goes out the window… It feels like an uphill battle to get back to it. .
We talk a lot about habits and skill building at LSFW, and despite my very understandable approach of “well I was out of routine I didn’t eat/sleep/exercise/do anything well”, there is a lesson in here.
We’re in what is often the busiest, most lovely, most stressful, most joyful season of the year.
Your routine is going to be challenged. Maybe even derailed.
The train might even come off the tracks, roll down the mountain, and explode.
If you are like me, you are starting to get those “that’s a future problem…” thoughts creeping into your grey matter and you’ll figure out how to get the train back on the tracks in January.
Instead of embracing those devilish thoughts, I’d like you to consider that you have an opportunity this holiday season.
In the word of Charles R. Swindoll, “Life Is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You React To It”.
It wasn’t my trip to New York’s fault I was sedentary as hell and made poor food choices.
It’s not the holiday snack’s fault that you ate more than intended.
And it’s definitely not your family’s fault you didn’t exercise for 2 weeks.
For each of the health and fitness challenges you’ll face over the holidays, you’ll have a brief moment where you have two options:
- Say screw it and get back on track in 2026
- Or lean in, get curious with yourself, and see what you have to learn
With my trip to New York, it was that I haven’t made my routine an engrained enough habit that it’s automatic.
I have skillbuilding to do, and although there may be challenges along the way, the juice is worth the squeeze.
What will it be for you?
