{"id":139233,"date":"2026-08-31T06:47:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T10:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.strongfitnessmag.com\/?p=139233"},"modified":"2026-08-21T12:48:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T16:48:23","slug":"deirdre-slattery-refresh-recommit-restart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.strongfitnessmag.com\/motivation\/expert-advice\/deirdre-slattery-refresh-recommit-restart\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Step-by-Step Guide to Recommitting to Yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Deirdre

To me, September has always felt like a second New Year. The routines return, calendars begin to fill, and summer gives way to structure. Almost without realizing it, many women make the same promise they\u2019ve made countless times before: \u201cThis is the month.\u201d To get back on track. To work out more. To eat better. To finally <\/em>put yourself first. <\/p>\n

Then life happens.<\/p>\n

Work gets busy. Kids need you; same with aging parents. Your business demands more. Someone gets sick. You miss one workout, then another. Before long, it isn\u2019t just that skipped workout that\u2019s making you feel bad\u2014it\u2019s the fact that you\u2019ve broken another promise to yourself.<\/p>\n

I know that feeling because I\u2019ve lived it.<\/p>\n

Starting Over, Yet Again<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Nearly 10 years ago, I found myself at what felt like rock bottom. The life I thought I was building had fallen apart, and for the first time I realized no one else was coming to rescue me. I had a choice: I could stay where I was, or I could choose myself.<\/p>\n

I chose myself. Not with another Monday morning promise or wishful thinking, but with a decision.<\/p>\n

I hired a coach, forged a plan, and publicly committed to transform myself from the inside out using the tools I knew best: fitness, nutrition, and a willingness to begin again.<\/p>\n

Walking into the gym that first day wasn\u2019t easy, and neither were the workouts that followed. But something far more important than muscle was being built. Every workout I completed, every meal I prepared, every promise I kept began repairing a relationship I hadn\u2019t realized needed healing: the relationship I had with myself.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>Every promise you keep, no matter how small, strengthens the belief that your word matters<\/strong>.\u201d<\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n

The Secret Ingredient<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Since that moment, I\u2019ve had the privilege of coaching hundreds of women through transformations of their own. What continues to fascinate me is that most women don\u2019t struggle because they don\u2019t know what to do. They know strength training matters, and they know they should move more, prioritize protein, and get more sleep.<\/p>\n

Knowledge isn\u2019t usually the problem\u2014believing in themselves is.<\/p>\n

Behavioral psychology offers an interesting explanation through the concept of self-efficacy, our belief that we\u2019re capable of following through and succeeding. The encouraging part is that self-efficacy isn\u2019t something we\u2019re born with, and it isn\u2019t something we have to wait to feel. It grows every time we follow through on a commitment we make to ourselves.<\/p>\n

Confidence doesn\u2019t come before action\u2014action creates confidence. That\u2019s why I rarely encourage women to chase motivation. Motivation comes and goes. Instead, I encourage them to keep one promise.<\/p>\n

Go for that walk. Complete the workout. Prepare tomorrow\u2019s lunch. Head to bed 30 minutes earlier. Every promise you keep, no matter how small, strengthens the belief that your word matters.<\/p>\n

Listen and Learn<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Keeping promises to yourself doesn\u2019t always mean pushing harder, either. Sometimes the smartest decision is honoring recovery, like when you choose a walk instead of a workout. It\u2019s when you respect an injury, take a rest day without guilt, or recognize that recovery isn\u2019t weakness\u2014it\u2019s part of becoming stronger. Self-trust isn\u2019t built by punishing your body; it\u2019s built by listening to it.<\/p>\n

Nearly 10 years after declaring my transformation from the inside out, I smile because that\u2019s exactly what happened. The inside changed first. My thinking. My confidence. My habits. My self-respect.<\/p>\n

And eventually, my body reflected the work I\u2019d been doing all along.<\/p>\n

Written by <\/strong>Deirdre Slattery<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Photography by Paul Buceta<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hair and Makeup <\/strong><\/strong>Lori Fabrizio<\/strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"

Don\u2019t wait for the turn of the calendar page to make a promise to yourself. This season is the perfect time to refocus and recommit\u2014all it takes to get started is one step.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11346,"featured_media":139234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"

\"Deirdre<\/span><\/div>

To me, September has always felt like a second New Year. The routines return, calendars begin to fill, and summer gives way to structure. Almost without realizing it, many women make the same promise they\u2019ve made countless times before: \u201cThis is the month.\u201d To get back on track. To work out more. To eat better. To finally <\/em>put yourself first. <\/p>

Then life happens.<\/p>

Work gets busy. Kids need you; same with aging parents. Your business demands more. Someone gets sick. You miss one workout, then another. Before long, it isn\u2019t just that skipped workout that\u2019s making you feel bad\u2014it\u2019s the fact that you\u2019ve broken another promise to yourself.<\/p>

I know that feeling because I\u2019ve lived it.<\/p>

Starting Over, Yet Again<\/strong><\/h3>

Nearly 10 years ago, I found myself at what felt like rock bottom. The life I thought I was building had fallen apart, and for the first time I realized no one else was coming to rescue me. I had a choice: I could stay where I was, or I could choose myself.<\/p>

I chose myself. Not with another Monday morning promise or wishful thinking, but with a decision.<\/p>

I hired a coach, forged a plan, and publicly committed to transform myself from the inside out using the tools I knew best: fitness, nutrition, and a willingness to begin again.<\/p>

Walking into the gym that first day wasn\u2019t easy, and neither were the workouts that followed. But something far more important than muscle was being built. Every workout I completed, every meal I prepared, every promise I kept began repairing a relationship I hadn\u2019t realized needed healing: the relationship I had with myself.<\/p><\/div>

\n\t
\n<\/div>

\u201c<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>Every promise you keep, no matter how small, strengthens the belief that your word matters<\/strong>.\u201d<\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/h2><\/div>
\n\t
\n<\/div>

The Secret Ingredient<\/strong><\/h3>

Since that moment, I\u2019ve had the privilege of coaching hundreds of women through transformations of their own. What continues to fascinate me is that most women don\u2019t struggle because they don\u2019t know what to do. They know strength training matters, and they know they should move more, prioritize protein, and get more sleep.<\/p>

Knowledge isn\u2019t usually the problem\u2014believing in themselves is.<\/p>

Behavioral psychology offers an interesting explanation through the concept of self-efficacy, our belief that we\u2019re capable of following through and succeeding. The encouraging part is that self-efficacy isn\u2019t something we\u2019re born with, and it isn\u2019t something we have to wait to feel. It grows every time we follow through on a commitment we make to ourselves.<\/p>

Confidence doesn\u2019t come before action\u2014action creates confidence. That\u2019s why I rarely encourage women to chase motivation. Motivation comes and goes. Instead, I encourage them to keep one promise.<\/p>

Go for that walk. Complete the workout. Prepare tomorrow\u2019s lunch. Head to bed 30 minutes earlier. Every promise you keep, no matter how small, strengthens the belief that your word matters.<\/p>

Listen and Learn<\/strong><\/h3>

Keeping promises to yourself doesn\u2019t always mean pushing harder, either. Sometimes the smartest decision is honoring recovery, like when you choose a walk instead of a workout. It\u2019s when you respect an injury, take a rest day without guilt, or recognize that recovery isn\u2019t weakness\u2014it\u2019s part of becoming stronger. Self-trust isn\u2019t built by punishing your body; it\u2019s built by listening to it.<\/p>

Nearly 10 years after declaring my transformation from the inside out, I smile because that\u2019s exactly what happened. The inside changed first. My thinking. My confidence. My habits. My self-respect.<\/p>

And eventually, my body reflected the work I\u2019d been doing all along.<\/p><\/div>

\n\t
\n<\/div>

Written by <\/strong>Deirdre Slattery<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Photography by Paul Buceta<\/a><\/strong><\/p>

Hair and Makeup <\/strong><\/strong>Lori Fabrizio<\/strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/div>

\n\t
<\/div>\n\t
\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/div>