Research shows that people who practice self-compassion are more likely to set goals for themselves after failure–rather than succumbing to frustration and giving up the goal entirely.

This makes sense!

Adding a new habit or routine to your life takes a lot of energy. To be successful in reaching your goals, you’ll have to incorporate some extra self-love and compassion into your day.

Here’s something else that’s important to recognize about our current societal standards: pushing ourselves to the brink of breakdown, skipping out on sleep, and chugging caffeine all day has been romanticized as a step toward “having it all,” but when we push our bodies and minds too far – even if we do reach our goal – we’re too depleted to celebrate it, which defeats the purpose altogether, right?

Here’s another universal truth: You can and should choose to find ways to remain happy under sustainable conditions rather than keep putting pressure on yourself to be perfect.

As you’re working toward your goals, keep these pieces of information in mind, and take time to check in with yourself and watch for signs that you’re pushing yourself too hard.

Here are a few signs to look out for:

-You feel irritated frequently.
-You forget everything you’ve accomplished and can only seem to focus on what you still have to do.
-You put your self-care on hold, for example skipping out on your favorite yoga class, making daily visits to the drive-through for dinner, or not getting enough sleep.

If you get to this point, take some time to pause and recalibrate. Ask yourself, what part of your new habit or routine is most difficult, anxiety-provoking, or uncomfortable for you? What can you do to take a step back and make the experience more comfortable, and therefore sustainable?

If you ever need help with these steps, I’m happy to coach you through it!