A few years ago, after not exercising for a while, I wanted to get back in shape. I dove right into a workout program that I’d been successful with in the past..when I was much younger! Pretty quickly, I had an excruciating back injury. It took a year of rehab before I could even think of exercising again. When I was cleared by my doctor, I thought carefully about what I would do differently in my new exercise routine: start slowly, listen to my body, and take more time for recovery. The changes I see now may not be as dramatic as I had imagined before the injury—running a marathon and six-pack abs—but they are sustainable and appropriate for this season of my life.

Learning from mistakes doesn’t need to be as painful as a back injury. Taking one step each day to consider what you wish you had done differently is a good beginning. And changes don’t have to be big in order to be useful. Just remembering to take a deep breath before responding to a stressful situation or choosing to prioritize self-care to avoid burnout is helpful.

DailyInventory.net guides you to reflect daily on change. Over time, small shifts can lead to long-term improvements in how you manage life’s challenges.