You will slip up; this isn’t intended to be a negative or pessimistic statement but rather, purely a statement of fact.
Because we are all human, we’ll all make mistakes; and that’s totally OK. Accepting this reality is important because if we bury our heads in the sand and pretend it will never happen then we just feel more shocked and disappointed when it does happen, which only makes it harder to recover and get back on track.
Alternatively, if you’re prepared you can bounce back much more quickly and easily, saving yourself time and distress, and minimising the extent of ‘damage’ done by your error or stuff-up.
Being realistic in our expectations, however, is just the start. As I’ve just hinted at, being prepared is what’s really important. There’s no need to think about failing all the time but knowing that it will happen and knowing what you can do when it does happen can be extremely helpful and reassuring.
As they say, forewarned is forearmed, so give some thought to each of the following issues and answer the questions below with a view to developing your very own, personalised Set-back and Recovery Plan:
- What are your early warning signs? Getting in early can make it so much easier to deal with, so knowing what to look for and responding as soon as possible is a powerful first strategy
- What have you done in the past that’s not helped? And how can you avoid doing this? We all have bad habits, or “fall back” strategies that aren’t really very useful (like comfort eating or resorting to alcohol!). Being aware of what NOT to do can be helpful
- What would be the most useful thing to do to address whatever’s going on and to get back on track? How can you, for example, stay calm so you think clearly and engage in helpful behaviours? Who could you, for example, talk to or reach out to for support? What thoughts will help you (and which ones won’t)?
Put all this together in to a clear and simple plan; keep it somewhere you can easily find it; rehearse it regularly just like you’d practice a fire drill; and where and when appropriate, modify and improve it.
Don’t forget to download the special activity sheet for this week’s lesson, which guides you through developing your very own setback and recovery plan.