You overslept and missed your workout. Maybe you got sick or hurt your leg. Family obligations kept you from your Sunday run. Life happens!
It’s a part of everyone’s fitness journey – we are all over-booked and trying to squeeze that workout between everything else. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen. Other times it’s the mental side; whether it’s clinical depression or just a crappy day, the fire is burning low. Sometimes you never really figure out what started it all!
However it starts, it builds and grows, picking up speed. Like a snowball starting a movie avalanche, it rolls on, seemingly unstoppable, crashing into everything in its path. One missed workout becomes three, a bad day becomes a bad week. You start thinking negative thoughts, getting down on yourself, until you can hardly move. I mean, why bother??
Does any of this sound familiar? If so, you’ve experienced the “negative snowball”. We let the bad things breed more, and soon all our progress feels washed away.
Why Do I Do This to Myself?
When the snowball starts rolling, it usually leads to blame. Either we blame ourselves for letting it go that way, or someone else is casting blame at us for not handling the bad news. Both lead to more negativity, and the snowball grows again. There are many reasons for this, but in the end what matters is stopping the cycle. When something goes wrong at work, the correct answer is always to fix the issue, then figure out what happened and try to prevent a recurrence. The same rules apply in our personal lives.
The why is important, and once you stop the snowball you can go back and figure that out. First things first, though – break the cycle. Stop the avalanche! 
So What Do I Do??
Take a breath, take a walk, take whatever steps you need to reset. Give yourself a break. You aren’t helping yourself with the continued body shots. As this article states, think about how you are talking to yourself. Remember, it takes five positive comments to outweigh the one negative. Be honest with yourself – do you hit at least a 5:1 ratio?
I’m not suggesting that you can just say “I’m going to be positive now” and everything will be shiny and happy. However, there is evidence that mindset can affect your physical health and well being. A little place called Johns Hopkins even posted a study that positive people are 13% less likely to suffer a cardiovascular event! There’s more evidence where that came from.
A critical part of the 1DOS family is the way we support each other and provide accountability; it’s essential to our growth and our progress. However, if you don’t talk to your accountability buddies and let them know your struggles, they can’t help you. Be open and honest, let others know what you are feeling and going through. If your buddy doesn’t want to listen or help you – FIND A NEW BUDDY!
All in All…
Every situation is different; if you are unable to break the cycle please get professional help. Self-medicating with food, drugs, or alcohol is not going to fix your problem. If you just need someone to talk to, I’m right here. I realize we may not know each other, but sometimes that makes it easier – and talking to someone you don’t know is certainly better than not talking!
Whoever you get help from, whoever your buddy is, don’t stop communicating with them. Most people realize they can’t just reach a fitness goal, stop working, and expect to stay at that level. We understand that with our physical health – but with mental wellness many get to a “better” place and stop. Feeling better now doesn’t mean your journey is ended; keep the lines open and keep up the good work!
Featured Image H/T http://www.rivertea.com/blog/planning-retreats-regrets-snowball-effect/