Thursday Chronicles: How To Restart Your 2026 Goals Without The Guilt Trip

Hello, my Resilient People! Welcome back to the headquarters of “We Move No Matter What.” If you are reading this and you feel like you’ve already failed your January promises, take a deep breath. Now, exhale the guilt. You are not a failure; you are just a human being living in a very busy world.

Remember those big dreams you had on December 31st? The ones where you were going to be a gym rat, a financial guru, and a person who drinks three liters of water daily? If those dreams are currently gathering dust in a corner of your mind while you’re on your third plate of small chops, listen to me: It is only February. The year is still fresh, the ink hasn’t even dried on the 2026 calendar, and your “restart” button is working perfectly.

First off, let’s talk to the champions. If you kept your resolution for even one day, I am clapping for you! You showed yourself that you have the capacity to change. If you went to the gym once, if you saved just one thousand naira, or if you read only five pages of a book before life happened—congratulations! You have already proven that the “New You” exists. That one day wasn’t a fluke; it was a preview of your potential. Now, we just need to hit “play” again.

The problem with New Year resolutions is that we often treat them like a 100-meter dash when life is actually a Lagos marathon. We start with too much speed and get exhausted by the first Toll Gate. An audit isn’t a trial; it’s a recalibration. Maybe you didn’t stray because you’re lazy; maybe you strayed because the goal was too heavy for the current season of your life. It’s okay to break that big “read 50 books” goal into “read 10 minutes before bed.” Small progress is still progress, and in this house, we celebrate every inch of movement!

Don’t wait for next Monday or next month or next year to start again. Thursday is the perfect day for a comeback. Why? Because if you start today, you’ve already reclaimed your week before the weekend even arrives. There is a special kind of “ginger” that comes from realizing that you don’t need a New Year to have a new start. You just need a New Thursday. So, dust off those running shoes, reopen that savings app, or finally send that “Hello” to the mentor you’ve been avoiding.

Key Take-Home Points for the Fresh Start

• Celebrate the Micro-Wins: Did you do it for 24 hours in January? Hype yourself! That is proof of concept.
• The Audit is Your Friend: Look at your goals. If they are too big, chop them into “bite-sized” pieces. Small wins build the momentum for big victories.
• Kill the “All-or-Nothing” Mindset: Missing a day doesn’t mean the goal is dead. If your car tire gets a puncture, you don’t burn the whole car; you change the tire and keep driving.
• Energy over Emotion: Don’t wait until you “feel” like it. Start because you said you would. The feeling of achievement will follow the action.

Lessons to Energize Your Journey

• Consistency beats Intensity: Doing something for 10 minutes every day is better than doing it for 5 hours once a month.
• Compassion is Productive: Stop beating yourself up for the weeks you missed. That energy is better spent on the work you have ahead of you.
• Visibility is Accountability: Tell a friend or write it down where you can see it. Remind yourself why you started in the first place.
• Restart as many times as necessary: There is no limit on how many times you can pick yourself up. The only way you lose is if you stay down.

As we wrap up this week’s chronicles, I want you to look in the mirror and give yourself a thumbs up. You are still here, you are still dreaming, and you are still capable. The “January Version” of you might have stumbled, but the “February Version” is wiser, stronger, and ready to go again.

Don’t let the week end without making one small move toward that goal. Whether it’s a five-minute walk or finally opening that spreadsheet, do it now. You’ve got this, and I’m right here rooting for you.

See you next Thursday, I expect to hear about your glorious comeback!