Mid-week Musings
Well, the mood has struck to say a few words prior to my weekly wrap-up, so here I am. Week 5 already is half over, and I continue to be surprised and impressed with all that's going on in this program - not only with the program itself, but also with my response to it. So many of the things we're doing are so simple, subtle even, yet really difficult. But it's a good challenge, because even though some of the tasks are difficult to do successfully at first, they are not overwhelming, and that makes all the difference.
This has been a much better week, fortunately, and I've managed to make a bit of mental progress. I'm not "finished" by any stretch of the imagination but it's great to feel lighter mentally and emotionally, especially after last week. Unfortunately, emotions can't just be hauled out with the trash, so there's always a bit of work to do. Still, noticing them, recognizing them, and realizing they are there take the healing process forward. I keep trying to wrap my head around some of the self-limiting beliefs I've managed to drill into my brain over the past many years, because my internal dialogue is much different than my external one. And the more I do the Tapping (EFT) work, the more apparent this becomes. The great thing is that the whole process is helping me to be more of an "observer" of my thoughts and behaviors rather than judging myself when I notice them. And better is better!
We still are supposed to practice eating slowly. And living life more slowly. You know, doing one thing at a time, doing it well, being present in the moment and experiencing whatever you are eating or whatever you are doing. It's healthier. It's far more sane. It's the new me. Kinda. You see, in the past, I've always pushed myself - usually to extremes - in almost everything I've done. Diet? Well, we'll follow this crazy restrictive plan. During the holidays. Exercise? Sure, let's train for a marathon or a 100-mile bike ride and aim for a new personal best. Study? Sure, let's just go back to school and load up on courses. Work? Will 60-70 hours a week be enough? And I can do all those things together because I am, after all, me. Ha!
I've only known two speeds in my life: ON and OFF. I am my father's daughter, of that there can be no doubt. I have my lazy side, but generally speaking I am like the energizer bunny with a pit bull's attitude. However, moving to a new country and not having to work for the first time in my adult life also made me realize something important - I've never been without structure in my life. Now I'm out here flapping in the breeze, the master of my own destiny as it were. That's a lot of responsibility to take on all at once, believe it or not. My husband is very correct when he says that "When you find you can do anything you want, you find that you don't want to do anything." So going from full-on to full-stop was a bit of a shock. And my transition was anything but graceful.
Fortunately I have been following a company called Precision Nutrition for about 5 years now. Their philosophy is very similar to my own. They definitely know their stuff, and I had read wonderful reviews of their programs. So after 5 years I finally signed myself up for coaching with them, and now 5 weeks into the program I'm confident that it's one of the best decisions I've made personally. I haven't lost weight yet. I still can feel my double chin, and I still have the dreaded bra roll. But it's working. I know it's working because it's making me look at myself and my life in new ways. It's making me do things that are pushing me beyond my comfort zone mentally and emotionally. It's making me put together my own structure and my own "Owner's Manual" so that I can make small and simple, but lasting, changes in my life. It's helping me do for myself what I do for my clients. It's a great program.
So back to this week. I've read that most of the thoughts we have are the same from day to day - about 80% of them - so if they are positive and supportive, that's great. But if not, it's time to change the conversation. Words matter. Really. Words like try, might, and maybe are too wishy-washy to provide any real impetus. We either do things or we don't. We may not do them successfully every time, but the fact remains that we are doing them. Using words like the above 3 do not provide encouragement or explore possibilities - they only give us permission to not do something. Good old Yoda, he knew what he was talking about. And descriptions like fat, lazy, dumb, no good at X, etc., are extremely self-limiting, even when said jokingly. I said earlier (and many, many studies have shown) that our brain will go out of its way to be right. So be careful what you say to it, because it will create the reality that you present to it by your thoughts and internal conversations (I'm repeating this for my own benefit as well, by the way. Knowing it and doing it are very different things. The doing part requires a lot of practice. And patience.)
The weather her has cooled off significantly this week, so being outside is a much nicer experience. As I write this I have all the windows open, the sun is shining, and I can't see a single cloud in the sky. The temperature and breeze make it comfortable without the air conditioning (which is unusual for August in Italy), so I'm going to go outside and enjoy it this afternoon. Carpe diem.
I'll be back on Sunday with my weekly wrap-up and Top Ten, but wanted to give you that food for thought. It's not an easy process, but listening to what you really, actually say to yourself can be very eye-opening. It's worth doing. Since you have to live with yourself for the rest of your life, you might as well make yourself someone you want to spend the time with! It also might go a long way to making you a better person for others to be around. Now if we could just get them to do it as well...
Have a health of a day!
Juli