Well, I realised it was enough of a challenge just to get back to a full week of our daily routine, including full-time schedules at school (primary and secondary) and in the office, plus welcoming guests over the weekend (thanks to my cousins for coming!) Even with all that, I got off to a really good start (as it\u00b4s often the case), dedicating time to different kinds of exercise every day: walking, yoga, rowing machine... It was all going swimmingly, and then on Thursday I got swamped and didn\u00b4t have the chance to make time for exercising. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u00b4ve ever done a challenge of this type, or you\u00b4ve established (or tried to establish) a new habit, you\u00b4ve probably bumped into this problem as well: what happens if, for whatever reason, you skip a day? Is it time to throw it all away?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We may have a natural tendency to think this way, in absolute terms (or we could also say, honouring this blog\u00b4s title, in binary terms): all or nothing, black or white. If you haven\u00b4t managed to finish the whole thing, then it\u00b4s as if you hadn\u00b4t done anything at all... Our brain makes these simplifications in order to save energy,, and also because it doesn\u00b4t like uncertainty at all, so it looks for a categorical response (and if it can\u00b4t find one, it makes it up). According to this supersimplified reasoning, skipping one day equates to failing; there\u00b4s nothing more you can do, the 30-day streak is broken, so you\u00b4d better throw in the towel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there are other ways to think about the same situation that are equally valid and way more productive, encouraging us to continue to make progress instead of pulling us down into shame: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- For example, I could choose to remember the fact that I\u00b4ve been able to exercise intentionally on six days out of seven, which is much much higher than what I would have been able to achieve if I hadn\u00b4t been participating in the challenge. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- I could also give myself at least some credit for staying more active in general, going up and down the stairs in the office, going outdoors for walks more often, etc. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- I could even congratulate myself for at least having started a several-day streak, and for resuming it after the day I skipped.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you think about it, even Duolingo forgives you when you skip a day of practice! Basically, because they know that us humans are not perfect, and that these things happen; staying constant<\/a> is quite difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/binarywords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_20250517_103637-e1788729292871-1024x719.jpg?resize=676%2C475&ssl=1\")
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(Sign seen in Dundrum shopping centre last year, with a quote from Seth Godin: \"The only thing worse than starting something and faliing... is not starting something.\")<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We could also go one step further, and take the opportunity to look inside and investigate what may be behind that small \"failure\": what\u00b4s the real reason why I wasn\u00b4t able to meet my commitment? Am I aligning my daily priorities with what I consider important in my life? In which way may I be sabotaging myself? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And here is where being familiar with our personality patterns proves to be tremendously helpful, allowing us to hit the nail on the head and find the reasons why we do a lot of the things we do, as well as explain those contradictions that drive us (or our loved ones) crazy sometimes. This is what is going to determine the difference between continuing to stumble on the same stone again and again<\/a> or finally getting to understand the path and have an easier journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, are you up for it? Have a look at the services page<\/a>, contact me<\/a> , and let\u00b4s talk about it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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