Hi guys! Welcome to Episode 566 of the Wildly Successful Lifestyle podcast! I’m glad to be with you. This episode is all about the power of showing up and look at us, showing up. But really, Whether you’re starting something new or just trying to keep going, this episode’s for you.
So
I was doing yoga the other day. My normal spot was taken, so I ended up in the front of the room next to a woman who has a beautiful yoga practice—she makes every pose look like a ballet. I forgot to mention, the front of the yoga room puts you about six inches away from a full-length mirror that spans the entire wall, which is why I don’t like the front of the room. I’ve been doing yoga for years and have improved tremendously, but I still have a long way to go on lots of the poses, and on that day in particular, I felt a little tired and the only word I can really use to describe the way I felt was clunky. Practicing next to the ballerina wasn’t helping me feel less clunky. I don’t usually compare myself, but when you’re that close to the mirror, it’s tough not to. I was being extra hard on myself that day, but as they often do, the instructor made me feel so much better by saying, “Not every day we come to our mat are we gonna have a perfect flow or feel like we nailed it. But every day you show up for yourself counts. Just being here counts. Just by showing up, you’re telling yourself you matter.”
Those words hit me like a warm hug. I’d been so caught up in how my poses didn’t flow like the ballerina’s, how I felt awkward and tired, that I forgot why I was there—to feel stronger, to carve out time for myself, to keep growing. I left that class not caring about the mirror anymore, just proud that I got there. It made me realize how often we let perfection get in the way of progress. So often we think if we don’t win the gold medal, if we don’t nail it, it doesn’t count. But that’s where we’re wrong.
Her words really resonated with me, and I bet they resonate with a lot of you too. How often do we beat ourselves up for not being perfect? For not looking like the “ballerina” in whatever we’re trying—whether it’s starting a new job, learning a skill, or even just trying to be a better version of ourselves? That yoga class is such a perfect metaphor for life. We’re all in that room, sometimes stuck too close to the mirror, comparing ourselves to someone else or trying to live up to our own expectations. But here’s the thing: the real win is just getting to the mat. The real key is consistency. The ability to show up even when you don’t feel like it. That’s what counts.
Let’s back this up with a little science, because it’s not just feel-good talk. Dr. James Clear, who wrote Atomic Habits, says habits are built by frequency, not perfection. Every time you show up, even if it’s messy, you’re rewiring your brain to make that action easier next time. There’s a study from University College London that found it takes about 66 days of consistent action to form a habit, but the key is starting small and just doing it. So, when you’re feeling clunky, like I did in that yoga class, know that every step is literally building the version of you that you’re working toward. That’s powerful.
Whenever you’re starting something new—maybe it’s a fitness journey, a new job or relationship, or even working on your own mindset—it’s easy to get caught up in wanting to be perfect. You see someone else who’s been at it for years, and they make it look effortless, like that ballerina in the yoga class. But what you don’t see is the years of showing up behind that grace. The truth is, success isn’t about nailing it every time; it’s about consistency. It’s about telling yourself, “I matter enough to try again today.”
I was listening to Tony Robbins’ latest podcast episode on how to stop chasing happiness and start creating it instead. The episode featured a nun named Sister Shivani sharing her wisdom about happiness. She emphasized how important it is to start your day with intention, so you can set the tone for the day instead of getting right on social media or email and letting someone else set the tone for you. She said setting an intention is like planting a seed—it shapes everything that grows that day. I loved that episode and thought, “That’s my goal for this week—not to look at social media until I’ve meditated, exercised, and set my intention for the day.” So, the next morning, as I always do on the days my podcast publishes, I go to share my episode on X first thing.
But as you can imagine, some post caught my eye, and 20 minutes later, there I am, still scrolling. Its like an alcoholic stepping foot in a bar, I hadn’t meditated, exercised, or set an intention for the day, and it had only been one day since I set that goal for myself. Fortunately, I managed to shake it off, telling myself, “So we begin again.” And that’s what I did. I put my phone down, took five minutes to meditate, and set an intention to be kind to myself. That shift made the whole day feel different. It would’ve been easy to just say, “Well, I’ve already ruined my morning, so I guess today doesn’t count.” But it does count. I still meditated, I still set an intention, I just did it a little later, and I learned a valuable lesson: be very aware when I’m putting my podcast on social media because it’s so easy to get hooked.
Here’s the thing: we’re so quick to focus on what we didn’t do right. I didn’t follow through with my goal exactly like I said I would, or that workout wasn’t intense enough. That gift wasn’t expensive enough. That project wasn’t flawless. But every time you show up, every time you try, every time you put a little piece of your heart into something—that counts. It’s building something. It’s moving you forward.
So, I want to ask you: where are you still showing up, even when it’s hard? Are you giving yourself credit for that? Maybe you’re juggling a million things and still making time to call a friend. That counts. Maybe you’re trying to eat healthier, and yeah, you had pizza last night, but you made a smoothie this morning. That counts. Maybe you’re working on a dream, and it’s messy, and it’s slow, but you’re still taking steps. That counts. I know some of you are out there starting something new—maybe a side hustle, a hobby, or just getting through a tough season. And I bet you’ve had days where you feel like you’re not enough. But let me remind you: every time you get out of bed, every time you try again, you’re winning. So what’s one thing you’re showing up for, even when it’s hard? Are you giving yourself credit for that? Because it’s hard and you’re doing it!
But how do you make showing up a habit, especially when you’re feeling clunky or comparing yourself? Here are three quick tips to try. First, Make your goal so attainable it’s impossible to fail— remember from our last episode that happiness is progress, so an attainable goal is a good way to make progress, so maybe one sentence for your novel or one minute of stretching. Second, ditch the mirror. Limit time on social media or around comparison traps that make you feel less-than. And third, celebrate showing up. Every time you do it, give yourself credit. Those little wins add up.
Heres my challenge for you today. Pick one thing that you’ve been struggling to be consistent with and make a goal in that area that is easily attainable and commit to doing it for 7 days. Maybe it’s meditation, make the goal to meditate for 1 minute every day for 7 days. 1 minute! No more. After 7 days if you want to do more fine but we are looking for consistency right now. Or maybe it’s to exercise every day. Make a goal to walk for 10 minutes the next 7 days. No more than 10! After 7 days you can go longer. The idea is to make it so easy you can’t fail. And ditch the mirror nd the comparisons. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing, this is only about you. After each day, give yourself credit for the win! It’s just 7 days. I’m doing it with you. Mine is no x until mid morning. Yes I’m beginning again. Share this with three people who inspire you. I love you guys I’ll talk to you in a few days.
So we begin again (why showing up matters)
