Do you feel like aspects of your life are stuck in a yo-yo cycle? You know there are things you could do better—exercise more, lose weight, or reduce debt. You start a new diet and lose a few pounds, but eventually your old habits return and the weight comes back. After some time, you try again, with similar results.
Money management can follow the same pattern. You vow to control your spending, reduce debt, and follow a financial plan. At first, things improve. Debt begins to come down and savings increase. But eventually, old habits return, and the cycle starts over.
You may even know exactly what you should do next to achieve your financial goals, but for some reason, you don’t do it.
United Methodist pastor Chris Sams recently shared his journey of losing weight and the lessons he has learned along the way. His story offers an important lesson that applies to many areas of life—including how we manage money.
Chris’ Story
At Christmas 2025, I weighed 308 pounds. For years, I had experienced the familiar yo-yo of trying to get healthy, making progress, falling back into old patterns, and starting over. But in the middle of January, I decided to make a different commitment.
Self-Care
Not punishment.
Not perfection.
Not a quick fix.
Just a decision to take better care of the person and resources God gave me. Today, I stepped on the scale and saw 225 pounds. Eighty-three pounds gone. But honestly, the number isn’t the part I’m most proud of.
I’m proud that I kept showing up.
I’m proud that I learned I could make changes and sustain them.
I’m proud that I’m beginning to see health not as something I do for a season, but as a way I can live.
And I’m not finished. Now comes the goal that may matter most:
Maintenance – I want to break the yo-yo.
So, here’s what I want to say to anyone struggling with their own journey:
Start. And if you’ve already started but you’ve stumbled, continue. You don’t have to fix everything tomorrow. You don’t have to become a completely different person overnight. Just take the next step.
Drink the water. Take the walk. Eat the better meal. Go to the gym. Get some sleep.
Put down the guilt and start again.
And please remember this: Taking care of yourself or your family isn’t selfish. There are people who need you, love you, depend on you, and want you around for a long, long time. But even beyond what you can do for everyone else, you are worth taking care of.
If you’ve been waiting for the perfect Monday, the perfect program, the perfect motivation, or the perfect moment, this is your sign. You don’t need to know where the whole road leads. Just take the next step.
I started at 308. Today I’m 225. And I’m still becoming. Here’s to self-care, strength, resilience, and breaking the yo-yo.
Just Keep Going
This story isn’t about losing weight. It’s about taking control. If you would like help getting your finances under control or reviewing your financial priorities, the Missouri United Methodist Foundation provides financial coaching at no charge. A financial coach can serve as a sounding board and accountability partner, helping you identify the next step you can take today to reach your financial goals, without guilt or judgment, and celebrate the person God made.