You’re Not Behind, You’re Just Off Track!

Today is Epiphany, which I love because it’s defined as a “sudden insight and fresh understanding”. And this year, I had one thanks to an amazing and insightful member of my community.

She shared something so simple and so powerful that it stopped me cold. Instead of saying “I am behind,” she started saying “I am off track.”

And wow, that tiny switch can make such a big difference!

When I say “I’m behind”, my body reacts. I feel rushed. I feel anxious. I feel like I have failed or fallen short. Being behind sounds like something is wrong with me, or that I should be running faster to catch up.

But “off track” feels completely different.

When you are off track, you’re not broken. You’re not late. You are just a little sideways. And the beautiful thing about being “off track” is that you can hop right back on at any moment, exactly where you are.

That simple reframe has helped me, and so many members stop beating themselves up and start moving forward again.

My own epiphany this season ties right into that.

Every January, people ask me what new goals I am starting. And I tell them I’m not starting anything NEW in January.

That might sound strange coming from a Certified Professional Organizer and planning nerd, but hear me out.

January comes after weeks of things out of the ordinary. My daughter was visiting, so we prioritized family fun over daily routines. I can barely remember what “normal life” from November even looks like.

So my epiphany is this. January is not for reinventing yourself. It’s for getting back on track.

That means I focus on restoring my daily and weekly routines. I start using the systems that worked before the holidays knocked them sideways. I make sure the basics are running smoothly again.

So if you are feeling scattered, unmotivated, or messy right now, it does not mean you failed. It just means you got “off track”. And that is completely normal after the holidays.

And the best part is, you can hop back on track anytime.