I hope you have made a strong start to 2025 and are succeeding with your New Year’s intentions. Whether it’s making a small adjustment in your training routine or a shift in how you approach your work, fitness or wellbeing, it is important to find joy in the process.

Remember, growth happens in the small moments of consistency, both in the gym and in life. Exercise, meditation, journalling, deep conversations and personal development work are all processes in the journey many of us will go on, to become the best version of ourselves.

We struggle to be spontaneous

When we reflect on the things we want to achieve, sometimes we come to the realisation that chasing external success keeps us from the things that truly matter. Many of us have blurred the boundaries between living and working to the extent that we struggle to be spontaneous or grounded because our obsession with a perfect life causes us to run ourselves ragged.

Returning to, or building, a strong sense of self-awareness and self-knowledge (Emotional Intelligence or EQ) requires that we know ourselves as well as we know the backroads around our local area.

We often encounter external obstacles, have to navigate challenges, manage transitions or the consequences of difficult decisions. Outside of external factors, there’s always more, isn’t there? One more goal or milestone to reach; one more thing to acquire; one more promotion that will finally make you successful; one more achievement that will finally make you worthy, or the relationship that will finally make you complete. We’re caught in an endless game of ‘when’ – when I get there, when I have that, when I become this... then I’ll be enough.

Alongside the stress of dealing with all these things and trying to live our best lives, we seek busyness and external validation, all the while ignoring your still, small voice inside. If I said to you, “You are the only one with the power to make your dreams come true”, how would that make you feel? Anxious? Overwhelmed? Excited? Or perhaps something different?

The moments where resilience and discipline matter most

As we explore some practical tips and habits to enhance your wellness and fitness journey, it is important to recognise that there will always be periods when you don’t feel like showing up, when the excitement fades and the grind is real. Those are the moments where resilience and discipline matter most.

Here’s a ‘FOCUS’ roadmap to support your progress.
F: Follow your goals with determination
O: Optimise your time and resources
C: Commit to consistent growth
U: Understand your strengths and areas for improvement
S: Strive for excellence

Focus on your ‘why’. What will losing weight, getting fit, doing that course, or developing a new skill mean for your life?

Focus on the process. What are the steps and staging posts that comprise your journey? Don’t overthink the big picture, just focus on the next step in front of you.
Focus on your discipline. The discipline to show up consistently, especially in adversity, is the key to success.

And finally, focus on celebrating your moments.