Giving It Another Try (Even When You Don’t Feel Like It)
Giving something another try is HARD.
You can fall out of a habit just as quickly as you start one.
I’ll share something personal.
I haven’t been to church in a long time.
Not because I don’t believe—but because life filled in the space.
The excuses came easily and, honestly, they were all real:
Kids are grown—I need a break.
We don’t want to miss Ellie’s college soccer games.
We’re spending more time in Chautauqua.
My pup has been sick (truly—months of middle-of-the-night wake-ups).
I work six days a week.
And Sundays? I just want coffee, a book, and my jammies.
That’s a lot of reasons. All valid.
And yet… every time I run into friends from Parish of the Epiphany at the grocery store, in the woods, out to dinner, my heart lights up.
I catch myself talking like , “I’m trying to get back, I just…blah, blah, blah.” I’m “coming back soon.”
Last week, my friend Betsy and I were walking our dogs, and she said (again, in her very warm, welcoming approach, no pressure vibe), “I can pick you up—we can go together if that helps.”
Of course I said yes.
But by Sunday morning? Cue the internal negotiation.
Jammies sounded better. Ellie’s live pro soccer game was 3pm sweden time/9am our time.
Oh, the usual pull to stay comfortable.
I had to mentally push myself to follow through.
And then… I called her and said pick me up.
I was welcomed back—by God, yes—but also by every warm, familiar face I connected with that morning. The familiarity of the wooden pews, the altar, the glorious choir singing from the loft, also singing “Now the green blade riseth”... ‘Love is come again, like wheat the springeth green.’ (yep, I was good crying)
And here’s where it gets really good…
Without knowing anything about my internal debate, Janelle, our Assistant Rector, stood up and spoke… about muscle!!! She shared how she began running last summer.
“You must build your base first to gain aerobic capacity.
Go slow to go far.
To get better, you must practice. You must build that muscle.”
I almost laughed.
Because that’s exactly how I coach. Every day. With my clients. In my classes, in my private sessions, in my health coaching calls.
And then she said:
“Faith is like that too. You have a base—but to get better, you must practice.”
There it was. The connection.
I’m 52. I know the power of faith. I am a believer.
But believing something and practicing it are not the same thing.
Sure, I treat people with respect. I help when I can. I pray.
But am I actively building that “heart muscle” in my day-to-day life?
That question hit home.
Because it’s the same question I ask my clients:
What do you want to become more intuitive in this season of your health?
Whatever they name—that becomes the practice.
Because when you practice something daily, it stops feeling like effort…
and starts becoming part of who you are.
Here’s the truth most of us don’t want to admit:
Sometimes we think we’ve “got it.”
We think we don’t need help, or structure, or accountability anymore.
But maybe—like me—you don’t actually “got it.”
Maybe you need a refresher.
A reset.
A new way to relearn something in this season of life.
Because it will actually show up differently now.
This is where I come in as a coach.
I help you practice what matters—until it sticks.
Want to lift heavier but keep your bone density numbers steady? I’ve got you.
Running regularly but want to feel stronger and drop a few pounds? Let’s build the strategy.
Feeling off in your midsection and want to rein things in nutritionally? We’ll set simple targets and boundaries that actually work.
No time… but tired of your own excuses? (Hi, me with church 🙋♀️) Start with one minute a day of something (how about a 1 min/day plank challenge- you knew it was coming- JOIN US HERE
If it’s not a plank, let me ask you:
What is something you need to give another try this month?
Start it. Do it. Don’t overthink it.
Because here’s what I know for sure— when you try something again, you almost always get something out of it.
And when you try it again after that?
You’re no longer “trying.” You’re practicing.
And eventually… you’re living it.
Lean into the time it takes.
Because to go slow is how we go far. (thank you Janelle)
As for me?
Church is now time-blocked on my calendar. I even set a reminder the day before:
“BUILD THE HEART BASE BACK, JENNY.”
Because when it comes to matters of the heart— the good, the hard, the messy, the joyful—
I receive them, process them, and let them go best in those hard, wooden pews of the Parish of the Epiphany- that’s where I can ‘form’ in formation best.
And it turns out…
that’s exactly where I needed to start again.
Where do you need to start again? Drop a note and let me know: jenny@jennyrappole.com
