Beyond the Mat’s Bryony Deery Has a January Reset Plan You Won’t Rage-Quit

If your New Year energy usually burns bright for three days and then slowly dies in your Notes app, Bryony Deery is here with a plan that doesn’t require you to abandon your life to prove you’re “disciplined.” 

On this episode of Beyond the Mat, the Pilates teacher and founder of Pilates by Bryony answers listener questions on momentum, routines, discipline, and the mindset shifts that make change feel doable instead of dramatic. Her approach is grounded in repeatable habits—not extreme resets that require you to put your life and sanity on pause. She talks through how to structure a routine when time is tight, how to tell the difference between needing rest and needing a push, and how to plan 2026 in a way that actually matches your goals. 

2026 Reset: Sustainable Habits That Help You Stay Consistent All Year

Build habits you can keep after the ‘challenge high’ wears off

Deery is clear that the issue with most January challenges isn’t effort—it’s design. She actually likes structured resets and viral challenges, but she calls out what usually happens after the finish line. “[Goals] are so unsustainable sometimes that you’re so relieved when you get to the end of it because you’ve almost had to put your life on pause,” she states. When the routine only works in isolation, momentum collapses the second real life comes back online.

Her solution is choosing habits that fit into your existing day instead of dominating it. That might mean committing to a short home workout instead of an ambitious gym schedule, or stacking breathwork and meditation into the evening rather than forcing a perfect morning routine. “I would make sure that you’re building sustainable habits that you can keep forever,” Deery advises, even if that sounds intense at first. 

Basically, consistency compounds when habits feel doable. “Is there a sustainable way that feels like you can stick to it every day,” she asks, rather than something so extreme that burnout is guaranteed. When habits stick, they can change your whole identity.

Use fear as proof you’re leveling up

Deery doesn’t see fear as something to eliminate—she sees it as information. When change feels uncomfortable or nerve-wracking, her instinct isn’t to pull back, but to pay attention. “I actually think fear is…or can be a sign that we are progressing.” For her, a life without nerves, excitement, or a little adrenaline isn’t the goal. Growth requires friction, and fear often shows up right before expansion.

She explains that chasing your potential almost guarantees moments of discomfort. “I really want to fulfill my potential and I think with potential you need to have a bit of fear.” Reframe the situation in your mind  as a small hurdle—something temporary that proves you’re moving forward. Once you push through, confidence builds, and that momentum carries into the next challenge.

The rule that saves consistency on your worst weeks

When motivation dips—and it will—Deery relies on one simple principle to keep things from fully unraveling. “Never skip two days.” She’s realistic about how life actually works. Some days, your energy is gone, your schedule explodes, or everything feels off. On those days, she believes in softness and self-trust, not forcing productivity for the sake of it.

She explains that everyone has moments where they “just can’t get it together” and that’s not a failure—it’s human. The mistake happens when one off day quietly turns into two, then three, then a full week of avoidance. “Just let it be one day and you almost give yourself permission for that day and then the next day is a fresh start,” she says. That mental reset is what keeps momentum alive without relying on hype.

Focus on how you want to feel this year, not just what you want to accomplish

“Firstly, get really clear on how you want to feel by the end of 2026,” Deery laments. That question becomes the filter for everything else—habits, routines, goals, and even how you structure your days. Without that clarity, it’s easy to chase achievements that look good on paper but don’t actually improve your life.

She encourages listeners to spend time visualizing their future self in detail. Not just what you’re doing, but how you move through the day, how you treat yourself, and what your daily rhythms look like. Build your January around that version of yourself instead of an abstract goal list. Then, track how those habits actually make you feel. Journaling becomes a feedback loop—notice the shifts, notice what’s working, and let that awareness fuel consistency. Over time, Deery says, you stop relying on motivation because the results feel too good to abandon.

Cut screen time if you want your time back

Screen time is an invisible energy leak—one that most people underestimate until they actually address it. Deery shares that she started using an app called Opal to restrict access to certain apps and was surprised by the ripple effect. “I have reduced my screen time by a crazy amount,” she reveals. What shocked her most wasn’t just the reclaimed hours, but how much clearer and steadier she felt mentally once the constant pull of her phone eased up.

She’s careful to clarify that it’s not about being “triggered” by social media—it’s about distraction. “It doesn’t trigger me, but it does distract me,” she explains, pointing out how easily scrolling eats into time that could be spent moving your body, connecting with people, or working toward something meaningful. The issue isn’t the phone itself—it’s how often it pulls you away from intention.

Make accountability feel like hype, not pressure

Consistency gets a lot easier when you’re not doing it alone—but only if the support feels energizing. “I would also recommend having an accountability partner,” Deery says, pointing to how much her own friendships shape her discipline and momentum.

What matters most is shared energy and shared vision. She explains that the people around her inspire her and give her something to lean on when she’s off. “My circle of friends make my life because they hold me accountable, they motivate me, they inspire me and on the days where I’m having those off days, I really lean on them and rely on them.” 

She also encourages making the process feel exciting instead of rigid. “Just romanticize it, make it exciting, do it together, like put together your own little mini challenge.” Whether it’s a friend, a group chat, or a shared routine, the goal is to make consistency feel social and fun.

For more tips on making the most of 2026, listen to Beyond the Mat, available now wherever you get your podcasts.

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