Last year I completely failed. I failed at keeping up with my “good” habits and not just some, all. I failed at running, exercising, eating well, drinking water, meditating daily (or at all), blog writing, and even sleeping properly for at least a week.

Worst of all, I failed at checking in with friends and loved ones consistently (or ever), keeping in contact, and being the overzealously organised but spontaneous contrasting person who does random things for those I care for. All I did in any quiet moment was make some serious attempts at sleeping. Or napping. Or hiding…under a blanket since rocks big enough weren’t close by.

A previous couple of years allowed us lovers of the “joy of missing out” (JOMO – yes, it’s an actual thing) to thrive and bask in the glory of as little socialising as possible (I did have a breaking point though where I accepted that it’s possible to miss people…even just a little…mine was day 500). Last year instilled a lot of FOMO for many which meant all attempts of trying to make up for the 2 prior years were at its highest levels. It was 3 years wrapped in one. And boy, was it exhausting.

Towards December, all that was needed was an acceptance that even though many good habits had fallen to the wayside, many of us had not been through a year like the one that has just passed or like the 2 previous ones before that.

Deep breath.

Lots of comforting self-talk.

The good habits will start again. And not all at once. Slowly.

Deep. Breath. In. Out.

And pick one small habit to start with.

This was a failure of epic proportions. Agitation, irritability, depression, weight gain, insomnia, or even oversleeping. Many of us experienced some of these at one point or another. Towards the end of the year, it felt like many people’s tolerance levels for much did not exist.

Reflecting on it all, something had to give. A good break from everything that required mountains of discipline showed me why all these good habits are all needed in the first place. All the good habits hold me together in all areas of my life. When they’re not being followed I physically feel lethargic and bleh. I mentally feel exhausted. I emotionally feel drained. I spiritually feel ungrounded. Failing to keep them in place showed me precisely why they are required in my life.

A good reboot doesn’t mean I’m starting from the beginning. It now means I’m going to start from a place of knowledge and experience.

I’m therefore not starting all good habits all at once again. I’m starting slow and steady. I’ve now been reminded why I put all these good habits into place and the improvements I could make now that I’m rebooting them.

Failed habits are a great opportunity to reboot them; adjust them and remember why they are so important so I do not take them for granted. Failures when reflected on and used as opportunities are good for adjusted reboots. Experienced and learning.