Avoid Relapse: Dodge the Doom Loop
Last time we got practical on true reset by shredding regrets, and discussing the “April Theory” mindset. But here’s the reality check: even a strong reset can face attacks. Let’s talk relapse before it sneaks in.
What sort of reset should we be looking for?
A mental reset—if January wasn’t the fresh start you were desiring or any regrets are sneaking into your thoughts, this is it. Those should be put in the shredder immediately. Shred any regrets from last year along with any that have sneaked into the new year.
Declare that “…old things are passed away…all things are become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17)
Pick one specific area to use as a template.
Audit your current process and identify your failures. (Key word: YOUR) Don’t blame circumstances. Chart a new course from where you are to your target destination.
Lastly, implement your new protocol. A plan is nothing but a wistful idea without implementation. Following through is everything.
Automate whatever you can to streamline the process. Set it and forget it whenever possible.
God reminds us “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.” Why? Because, He says “…I will do a new thing… shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” (Isa. 43:18-19)
Rivers in the desert seems pretty improbable, but thankfully my God specializes in the impossible.
Relapse doesn’t always manifest itself as a failure of epic proportions. A lot of times it’s more subtle. Often the quiet creep of procrastination or recurring excuses are the most dangerous situations to find oneself in. You don’t even realize how bad it is until you’re so far in it that getting out has turned into a project.
Struggling with even the most seemingly ridiculous things is relatable even for the best among us. The apostle Paul said that what he wanted to do, he didn’t and what he didn’t want to do, he did. Even though the will to do the right thing existed, he couldn’t deduce how to do it. (Rom. 7:15–25)
Red flags that you’re in a doom loop (hamster wheel):
Fatigue. You’re in a constant state of exhaustion and don’t know why.
Isolation. You’ve pulled back from people or situations you would normally be comfortable in but suddenly aren’t.
Skipping. The only place the “skip” card should have in your life is when it’s being played on your significant other in Uno. A mild smirk is permitted—if you’re prepared for her to immediately respond with a devastatingly crushing sequence of cards that ends up with you drawing so much you become a de facto artist.
Justification. “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” —Benjamin Franklin.
Repeated mistakes often turn into what’s perceived as identity. When you associate failures with who you are as a person, you’ve entirely lost the battle and need a reset from the top down.
Maybe you’re relapsing right now or have been stuck there.
Be comforted in the fact that Jesus didn’t come “…into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” No matter what you are dealing with, there is always hope.
Remember “God is faithful…” and He “…will with the temptation also make a way to escape…” (1 Cor. 10:13)
A relapse is entirely avoidable, but it’s also a precursor to a comeback.
If you protect your reset at all costs, the YOUR future looks bright.
—BJ
Note: Throughout 2026, we will have a theme of the month. This will be based on two themes, one to implement, and one to avoid. If you missed the previous February posts, you can find those here: (Reset vs Relapse)
Part 1
Part 2
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