One day doesn't define you

I was talking to a client the other day, and she said, “I was doing so well, but then I wasn’t able to work out for a few times because of travel, and I feel like I ruined all the progress I made.”

This is a common misconception many of my clients share.

It’s an all-or-nothing mentality. If I didn’t get to something, then all my progress is halted, and I’ve taken two steps backward.

I bring this up now because it’s mid-January. This is the time of year when we’re trying to be consistent with our goals. We’re three weeks into a new routine that may be totally different from what we were doing before. We are still recalibrating.

And this is usually the moment where people start to panic.

Because if we haven’t yet built a flexible mindset and real life starts happening again, you might miss a workout or skip a meal you planned. You get thrown off by travel, stress, hormones, work, family, or exhaustion.

And at this point, some of my clients, instead of thinking, “It’s okay, I’ll do one small thing today toward my goal,” their mind goes to: “I messed up, so was it all for nothing?”

This moment is where the work begins with my clients.

Together, we uncover the truth behind the voice running through their heads. We get to the root of the misalignment between their body and mind. We create a space where they feel safe, supported, and able to move out of protective fight-or-flight mode and into a place where healing can begin.

We identify the belief underneath the pattern and rewrite it into something that promotes self-love, adaptability, and support. We move away from the ideas of failure and the “not enough” mentality, and into a new way of thinking that makes consistency feel possible.

Progress doesn’t happen overnight, and therefore, it can’t be ruined overnight.

It’s not one day, one meal, or one workout that changes everything. Instead, it’s the consistent choices we make over time.

In a nutshell, it’s what we do daily.

Do we consistently choose food that nourishes us? Do we consistently move our bodies in ways that feel supportive? Do we consistently tune in to our minds and create more ease and calm in our lives? Do we consistently face challenges and unexpected change with more flow and flexibility?

That’s what makes us resilient. That’s what makes us adaptable. That’s what allows us to have a “bad day” and wake up the next morning able to make choices that are fueled by love, not punishment, and motivated by our positive desires.

We all know what we need to do logically. But it’s about teaching ourselves how to stay consistent, flexible, and adaptable when life gets busy and unpredictable, without falling into guilt, pressure, negative self-assessment, perfectionism, or the all-or-nothing mindset.

It’s being able to look at an off hour, day, week, or even a month, and turn away from defeat and toward a new question: “What is the next supportive choice I can make today?”

That’s the real work. It’s about learning to meet yourself with compassion and creating a plan that fits your real life.

The good news is it’s easier to get back on track toward your goals than you think. It’s as simple as drinking more water, eating a nourishing meal, taking a walk, stretching, or going to bed earlier.

The goal isn’t to “make up” for what happened.
The goal is to rebuild trust in yourself through small, supportive choices, because that’s what creates real consistency.

Here is an example:

My client traveled for work for three days. The first day, she was up at 5 am for her flight, landed, and was in a meeting all day until 6, had a work dinner out, and was back in her room at 11 pm, exhausted. Unfortunately, this was her routine for the next three days.

When she got back, we held a session, and she told me, “I feel like I ruined my progress. Before my trip, I was cooking all my meals at home, going for daily walks, and working out for 30 minutes, and this just ruined me. I have so many work trips this year, so I’m feeling like there isn’t even a point.”

My next question was, “Tell me more about the trip in detail. What’s one choice you made that was supportive of your goals?”

And this is where the magic happened. She proceeded to find small moments like drinking water, limiting her alcohol consumption, walking instead of Ubering to her meetings, reading before bed, and choosing a meal that was primarily protein- and vegetable-focused.

What happened in the session?

We paused the spiral of shame, guilt, and self-loathing.

We rewrote the story, highlighting the supportive areas.

We came up with a plan for the next trip that would be more supportive towards her goals and was flexible if things didn’t go exactly as planned.

We explored shifting the mind from “I ruined it” to “What’s the next best choice I can make?”

The truth is, your health journey is not a straight line. It’s an ebb and flow. Some days it’s easier, some days it’s harder, but the secret sauce is learning how to navigate through them with compassion.

If this resonated with you, I want you to take a moment and remember:

You don’t need to start over.

You just need to start again, one supportive choice at a time.

And if you’re ready to create a routine that feels realistic, supportive, and sustainable (even when life gets busy), I would love to help you. This is exactly what I work on with my clients: how to build consistency without guilt and create wellness habits that actually last.

Services I offer:

• Reiki, 30 & 60 minutes

• Health Coaching Sessions using my NLP and Nursing background

• Essential oil rollers & all-purpose cleaning spray

Mark your calendar — some upcoming event

• IN PERSON, Fort Greene Market, Brooklyn:

  Date: Saturday, January 31st

  Time: 9 am - 4 pm EST

  Location: Fort Greene Park, Cross Street

  DeKalb Avenue & S Portland Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205