How to keep that January “you got this” feeling going all year

Each week of Well+Good’s (Re)New Year Challenge focuses on a different theme. As the program enters its last week, Lauren Ash, founder of Black Girl In Om, is all about finishing strong. You’ve done the work (and the workouts!), but Ash wants you to remember that there’s much more growth for you after (Re)New Year is through.

Congrats! You’ve come a long way, and you’ve stuck with Well+Good for the past month. This feeling of accomplishment you’re likely experiencing is so unique. It’s rooted in the notion that you’ve taken steps toward your highest self. Any time you decide to take up something new—whether it’s a 30-day yoga challenge or maybe something as simple as eating more plant-based—you are elevating yourself. To me, there’s nothing like that feeling. You get a natural high that results from choosing to say yes to the thing you need to say yes to. Embrace the feeling, and let it propel you to more.

In this last week, I want you to be proud of yourself, but also recommit and make an action plan for what’s to come. Use the strategies we’ve talked about throughout (Re)New Year, like goal-setting and finding a groove, in your everyday life.

Going forward, I encourage you to do two things…

Talk about what you’ve learned with your friends

You’ve sharpened a lot of tools throughout the previous weeks, and you owe it to yourself to share them with people who are close to you. These people (ideally) will be affirmative and supportive. For instance, I speak literally every single day on the phone with my best friend. I do that not just because I like to have random catchups about things going on in our lives, but also because she is someone who has been with me for many seasons in my life. I know she’s going to be my biggest cheerleader—but also help me reflect when I’m experiencing more challenging things.

When I recently was debating participating in a yoga teacher training, she was the one who told me I needed it. Though I was hesitant to take a step back from work, my friend was the one who reminded me about my commitment to personal development. It’s important to share our journey with other women in our lives. They will remind you of your growth, help you get to a certain point, push you, and support you to keep going.

Keep moving

A lot of the time, we take part in these challenges and then once they’re complete, we fall off the bandwagon entirely. I’m of the mindset that it’s great to move in some way every single day (lucky for you, there’s loads of workout content available to you on Well+Good). When you work out, you can feel your body warming up, your breath rising in and out of your belly, and your feet rooted in the earth.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a beautiful place, you can feel the sun and the wind, too. Finding time for movement allows you to tangibly experience how powerful you can be. And doing that regularly, especially after completing (Re)New Year, will keep you motivated to continue working on you. Especially as women, we owe it to ourselves to get that feeling every single day that yes, I’m powerful, and anything is possible for me.

Wrap up the month—and keep thriving all year—with fitness motivation, career advice, and more. It’s all in the last week of (Re)New Year!