We often hear others talking about practices for feeling better – the “5:30 AM wake-up club,” drinking matcha, unrealistic Pilates classes, and so on. It seems inspiring (because deep down you want some kind of change), so you decide to give it a try. For the first few days, you seem to be sticking to the plan, but little by little it becomes more and more uncomfortable, and by the end of the week you’ve reached a point where you just can’t go on… Your motivation drops, you don’t seem to be getting what you expected, and you give up. And then the natural thought arises:
“Why isn’t it working for me?” Or worse, you start blaming yourself…
I want to tell you that there is nothing wrong with you — you’re just not them.
Our bodies, minds, and life circumstances are very different, so there are no universal solutions.
Let’s take a closer look at what really determines what works for you:
Biological factors
Biological factors are our body’s natural system that determines how we feel, react, and function. They include:
- Genetics – inherited traits and sensitivities of the body.
- Hormonal balance – processes that affect energy, mood, sleep, and stress.
- Metabolism – how the body processes food, exercise, and stress.
- Gut microbiome and food tolerances – digestion, inflammation, and overall well-being.
- Innate circadian rhythm – your natural internal clock: whether you are a morning or evening person.
- Physiological sensitivities – immune system characteristics, nervous system sensitivity, heart rate variability.
These factors are highly individual—they are like our internal operating system. Therefore, it is natural that a routine or method that works perfectly for someone else may not work for you at all. Once you understand your biology, it becomes much easier to choose what really suits and is needed by your body.
Behavioral and psychological factors — our choices and reactions
Behavioral and psychological factors show how our daily decisions, emotional reactions, and acquired behavior patterns affect the body. They explain why even people with similar biology can feel differently. These factors are greatly influenced by the environment in which we grew up and in which we now live—it shapes our beliefs, our relationship with stress, our eating and exercise habits, and our ability to regulate our emotions.
These include:
- Lifestyle – sleep, exercise, rest patterns.
- Eating habits – what, when, and how we eat.
- Emotional regulation – how we deal with stress and tension.
- Motivation and discipline – whether we stick to our choices.
- Psychological resilience – how quickly we recover.
- Body awareness – whether we listen to our body’s signals.
Science shows that our lifestyle can influence gene activity—this is called epigenetics. This means that although we cannot change our genetic code, our actions can “turn on” or “turn off” certain patterns of gene activity. And not always in a positive way — unhealthy habits or chronic stress can reinforce unwanted gene expression.
External factors — the real-life context
These are the circumstances and conditions that surround us every day and that we cannot always control. They directly affect our energy, well-being, and ability to maintain healthy habits.
These include:
- The nature and workload of your job – pace, responsibilities, schedule.
- Family and loved ones – children, partner, emotional climate.
- Relationships and social environment – support, conflicts, communication.
- Physical environment – place of residence, noise, space, influence of nature or city.
- Pace of life and daily structure – do we have time for rest, exercise, routines.
This is our reality. And no advice works if it is not in line with how we actually live.
We change — and so does what suits us
Most of these factors change naturally over the years: hormones, environment, rhythm, priorities, emotional reactions, and even the sensitivity of the nervous system. Therefore, it is completely normal that what worked for you yesterday may not work today. The only part that remains stable is our genetic foundation—we have already discussed this. However, our choices, environment, and lifestyle can still influence how this biological foundation “unfolds” (epigenetics).
The good news? This whole system can be adjusted. Not with short-term experiments or foreign routines, but by creating a lifestyle that helps you grow and is in harmony with who you are.
True change begins when you start moving in sync with the signals sent by your body and mind. Then we no longer try to become copies of others (which distances us from ourselves) — instead, our uniqueness and energy are revealed.