Setbacks: How to bounce back and thrive!
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Have you ever had a goal you were working toward and fallen off track? Today we are going to give you the strategies you need to start again. These are tips to deal with setbacks, the how-to to get back on your feet, moving forward to Reach your goals!
In our post How to stop letting simple setbacks lead to failure we gave you four excuses you might be using to allow a simple backslide to stop you permanently. If you missed it, check it out now to make sure you aren’t quitting on yourself!
Now, the strategies that you can use to get back up after you fall down!
Accept the setback.
Don’t waste time denying or ignoring that it has happened. Your first step is to accept it, and then decide what you are going to do next. Ignoring the problem is not going to make it go away.
If you are focusing on getting out of debt, but you get nailed with three unexpected bills in one month, you will feel discouraged, and it is very easy to give up altogether.
But you’ll never reach your dreams if you give up after the first hurdle.
Acknowledge it – this month was hard. I didn’t pay any extra on my debt. I didn’t stick to my budget. I spent money on things I didn’t need.
Whatever the setback was, simply recognize that it happened.
Reframe your thinking – how is this FOR you?
I will not hit you with a cliche that everything happens for a reason because, honestly, I think that’s bull. There is no reason for childhood illnesses and car accidents that steal our loved ones.
But…hear me out.
Rather than taking on a victim mentality that this setback happened to you, embrace a positive mindset, and ask yourself how this experience is for you.
It’s making you stronger. Smarter. Braver. You are learning lessons and becoming who you are made to be by living through this challenging time and coming out the other side with a fierceness that the universe won’t want to mess with.
Learn from your mistake.
Now that you have accepted it, you need to learn from it. Mistakes are normal; they happen to everyone. The way to deal with them is to work your butt off, so they don’t happen again.
Did you blow your grocery budget because you allotted only one hundred dollars to feed a family of five?
Next month, increase your grocery budget to something more reasonable.
Did you get slammed with a vet bill for your precious pooch, but you had no cash to cover it, so you had to put it on a credit card?
Start a sinking fund for your pet’s expenses.
Did you decide it wasn’t worth the effort and use the extra money for your debt snowball on new shoes and dinner out in a swank new restaurant because you work hard and you deserve it?
Dang, I’ve been there. But the awful feeling the next day taught me this lesson: the joy of a small step forward is worth all the sacrifices!
Related: Excuses to Let Go Of
Celebrate your successes so far.
When you feel like you want to give up, sit down and write down the things you have done well so far.
- Saved your mini-emergency fund.
- Paid off your first debt.
- Rocked your budget for six straight months. (Or heck, two months!)
- Started shopping at the less-expensive grocery store.
Whatever small steps you have taken, write them down and then read them as a reminder of the hard work you have already done.
Reach out for help.
Admitting you don’t know something can be tough business. People will do a lot of failing before they ask for help.
My number one question that I ask people is – How can I help? That is why I am doing this work. Send me a note with your questions, and I’ll do my best to work with you to find the answers!
Plus! Our Reach for More community is full of people with similar goals, who may have the answer to the questions you are asking, or at the very least, who may have walked a similar road before you. Join us on Facebook to find answers to your questions and become a part of our amazing tribe!
Plan to win.
Okay. Now you have accepted that you’ve had a setback. What are you going to do next?
It’s time to plan the next steps in your journey.
Do you need to adjust your budget? Or revisit how you have your money organized to make sure you are in the know for all things in your finances! Start some new sinking funds to plan for expenses that really shouldn’t be unexpected!
What do you need to do differently to keep this setback from happening again?
Finally – Grace.
It doesn’t matter if the setback was in your control or not. It happened. Give yourself grace. Money is tricky, changing habits is hard, and sometimes we get thrown curveballs that no one could ever see coming.
Do not get lost in a pit of despair and self-criticism. That won’t fix a thing.
Honour your efforts and be kind to yourself as you reset and start moving forward once again.
Did you know budgeting takes three months to get the hang of? And that even people who have been budgeting for decades sometimes make a mistake and overspend?
You are human. Be patient and kind to yourself.
The first step, last.
At this point you might be asking, “But, how do I avoid these setbacks in the first place?” and I have a very easy answer.
You can’t. This sort of thing happens to everyone, eventually!
But here is the step you can take BEFORE it happens:
Plan to fail.
Yah, that’s right. Look at your goal, and ask yourself, what might come up to get in the way of achieving it? Try to imagine the scary monsters in the closets that might pop out and wreck your progress. And then plan for how you’ll overcome them.
When you first set your goals, you write them down. And, just like writing down the dreams, I want you to write down a plan for when you slip up. How will you handle it? What do you want your future self to remember when they are feeling discouraged and overwhelmed?? Make yourself a note to refer back to when things get hard.
Wrap Up
I’ve said it so much you are probably rolling your eyes, but Imma say it again anyways.
Setbacks are normal.
In other words, do not let a few steps backward cause you to give up on your dreams! Use these tips to deal with setbacks, and you’ll be moving forward again in no time!
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