This week I have been reflecting on the year just passing, and exploring how to get the most from 2026. A New Year is an opportunity, and as I have gotten older I have learned to try to get the most out of every opportunity that has been presented to me.

2025 has been a turbulent year, super high Highs, and the lowest of lows. And yet upon reflection on things has remained consistent… my approach to fitness and my mental health. For me the two things go hand in hand. If I have made it through 2025  and I have learned from the experience, then surely I have the skills and motivation to make the most of next year?!

The milestones have been clear – some purposeful and some by chance, but they were all there! 

Many of my New Year’s resolutions fell by the wayside, or perhaps you could describe me as an under-achiever! 12 books to be read became 3 completed, mental health practice became in and out of fashion, but one thing remained true – as each day passed I went to the gym. When I felt low or vulnerable, I took the step through the gym doors and worked out to the best of my ability! The hood may have been up and the sound of feet on the tread mill drowned out by noise cancelling headphones, but I was there, holding myself accountable. 

Milestone: Consistency is key.

I treated myself to a new bike. I hadn’t had or ridden one for many years, but somehow I knew that I needed a new challenge. In some ways I am a

Very routine based individual and in others I crave the freedom to be spontaneous and the choice to re-route. This bike challenged me. It made me open my eyes to the world around me and taught me there was

More than just the inside of a gym to shape my fitness focus. Places where I could clear my head in the fresh air, places where I could see the world around me, and I could react freely to my mental health needs. Instead of locking myself away, I cracked the combination lock, unwound it from the spikes and tyres and rolled out into the world. 

Milestone: self-awareness.

I thrive on challenge. Competitiveness is perhaps not the most likeable of qualities in a person, but harnessed correctly it can really help you to discover a lot about yourself. I joined my niece on a challenge far beyond my personal capabilities. The Race Against the Sun taught me  so much. First,that you can really achieve anything if you put your mind to it. Second, that family is the core of who I am. Third, if you are going to be competitive – you should probably put the hours of work in that lead you into the challenge.

As I kayaked for the first time in my life, in choppy waters, having completed a marathon cycle ride and a 10 mile hike, I realised that whether I came first or last I had already won. I had proven my mettle and I had the shaky legs to prove it.

Milestone: overcoming personal challenge when I believed I couldn’t, and yet I did.

Health has been a constant theme this year. In no previous year, have I been so aware of the health of myself and those around me. When there are health trials and tribulations, I have discovered that my natural response is to double down on keeping myself  super focussed and health driven. I owe that to all those people that I love and whom love me, to ensure that I give myself the best chance of a long and happy life. This means that I can be there to support, comfort, say the things that don’t want to be heard but most of all LOVE.

Milestone: love starts with you. Realising that to be the support to others you have to first build your own foundations.

Exhaustion is real. The more I strengthened myself to support others, the more I began to lose focus. My fitness stalled. Not because I wasn’t showing up for myself, but because I wasn’t getting enough out of my workouts. I was mentally and physically tired, and couldn’t push myself the way that I wanted to. 

I had to make a decision to prioritise myself for the next period of my life. Having worked with an excellent trainer exclusively on-line, I realised that for this time in my life I needed the accountability of working with someone in person. My gym is not short of excellent trainers, but ultimately I decided to go with someone who had set themselves extraordinary goals and had worked hard to achieve them. Pete taught me about having more specificity in my goals and being clear on what that looks like. He has taught me that I can challenge myself more, and be less hard on myself, and he has shown me that change is tangible even if I am not always able to open my eyes to it. 

This change was a milestone in this year where I felt an acceleration in progress and knowledge. It made it easier to be the best me.

Milestone: be dynamic to the person you are now.

With progress has come confidence. And confidence has given me the reward of new friendships. Where Wayne was once too overwhelmed to talk to new people, I have managed to develop in my ownership of my part in these friendships. Previously I did not feel worthy of other people’s time – but now I try to remain equal in my own mind. Occasionally the old habit will creep in, but now I hold myself accountable for this negative outlook, and that has been a major change in my life. A gym is at its best when it is a community, and everyone is supportive of each other’s goals. It means we all want to be there, making positive impacts on our lives and we share in that journey no matter what our goals are.

Milestone: community means you are never alone.

So my first post of 2026 will look at the specifics of my fitness and mental health goals, but to gauge our targets we must also appreciate where we have come from, the milestones we have hit and most of all the person who chooses to embark on the fitness journey. 

I hope you will all join me for the ride.! 

Please do show this post some love and leave a comment about your fitness journey.

TIB