Yesterday was a busy day for me. When I finally got home I relaxed and watched television to wind down. In no time at all, the clock said 12:30am. I immediately realized I hadn’t published a gratitude for the day and began beating myself up for missing a day.

I was mad at myself because I had been being consistent in posting everyday for over a week.

I thought to myself, “I ruined it already.”

I felt like I was already letting myself down.

Total doom and gloom.

Then, I stopped myself. It’s okay that I missed a day. I may not be able to do exactly what I wanted to do everyday. That doesn’t mean I’m not grateful during my day. That doesn’t mean I can’t write about it the next day. I can even skip a day; it doesn’t ruin all my progress. The most important thing is that I don’t quit.

When setting intentions or goals, it’s a good practice to set reasonable expectations for yourself. Ease into changes. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Don’t expect to go from having no routine or habits to waking up early, working out, having set work hours, going to bed at the same time, etc. Start with one thing at a time. Get into the habit of doing that one thing, then add another. Be kind, understanding and patient with yourself.

-Cassidy