Category: Mindset

Goal Set for July 2nd!

On By TerriIn Inspiration, Mindset, Uncategorized2 Comments

What is your goal for July 1st?  (July 2nd for me). 

At my workshop last week, my coach asked this question of all of us.  

I had to think.

Before we set that goal, she wanted us to discuss three things related to what our goal will be- 

Preparation-what do we need to do to get us to this goal?  What are the things that help? Barriers– What might get in the way of reaching that goal?  What obstacles do we face?  And Reality– is this goal realistic based on where we are in our life?  Is it doable?  Looking at our journey over the past, is this goal something that can be achieved or do we need to adjust it to match the reality of our own personal journey?

All of this had me thinking, which is a good thing.  These questions get me to look at my journey and my goals honestly.  It is VERY easy for me to fool myself into thinking this can be done overnight, that all I have to do is wave my magic wand or blink my eyes or twitch my nose and POOF!- I have lost the weight and reached the goal I have set.  But that is not reality!

Believing I can do it is a good thing and helps motivate me to move forward BUT it can also be a negative when I fool myself and falsely believe that I can lose overnight what it has taken me a few years to gain.  My weight loss just doesn’t happen that fast!  I wish it did!  The reality is that weight loss for me, is a slow journey filled with smooth sailing and stormy seas.  Choosing to ignore the warnings, the signs, the history of my journey and heading out, with a false sense of calm and success, just sets me up to encounter those stormy seas, unprepared.

Sitting in my workshop, listening to the discussion I set one goal (-10 lbs), only to change it to another goal (-20 lbs) and then to change it a third time to the goal that is right for me.  A goal that was based on the discussion about Reality and based on knowing myself and where I am currently at on this journey.

You see, I know myself well enough to know that if my goal is too low and easily achievable (by doing the things that I KNOW work) then I will sabotage myself- my mind will tell me everyday that I have plenty of time to reach this low number and I can therefore start “tomorrow” (but as I have learned over and over, tomorrow just never comes…. It is always just a day away).  I also know that if I set the goal too high which requires more hard work with little flexibility, then I am setting myself up to fail- another form of self-sabotage.  Setting a goal that is realistic for me, where I am at and based on my history with weight loss is best and provides the flexibility I need on this journey.  My chances of success are higher with this realistic goal! 

So I set my goal to lose 15lbs by July 2nd, which is my weigh-in day.

Now, how to get there-

Preparation– what things do I need to do and what things work for me that will help me to get to that goal?  Tracking my food (I will write another day about this as tracking in the app is VERY hard for me, so I need a mindset shift here!), walking and/or swimming most days (to say I will do it every day sets me up to fail), portions (weigh and measure everything!), journaling (that is what this blog is for), attending weekly workshops (and virtual when I am traveling), weighing myself at home daily and then stepping on the scale in my workshop for the accountability and breaking my goals into smaller ones will keep me motivated.  The biggest key, however, will be to remind myself of my why!  That anchor…the thing that reminds me every day about why I am doing this will keep me motivated. (I have written about anchors in the past and will write more about my anchor and my why another day.)

Now I am prepared but what about the barriers?  What gets in my way?  Me!  I am my biggest barrier to success.  My mindset.  The lies I tell myself that let me eat the bag of cookies, the bag of chips or a multitude of things that do not help me lose weight and instead keep me very unhealthy.  Yes, I am my biggest barrier and the hardest one to overcome.  I will be sharing those times here on my blog, because I know I am not alone in this struggle!  The other barriers- travel, visitors, stress, emotions, and boredom with food! (I really need variety and new foods in my weekly meals).  As these barriers pop-up, you know I will be writing about them and how I overcame them or how they derailed me and what I do to get back on the right path.

Is my goal based on reality?  Yes, for me.  This goal may not be realistic for someone else- it may be too high or too low.  For me, knowing where I am and knowing I need a little room for flexibility but not too much room, makes this goal realistic and doable for me.  Doable with some work and some flexibility. 

My goal for July 2nd is to lose 15 lbs.  (If I say it out loud or write it here, then I am more likely to do it!) And to help me with accountability and inspiration I created this tracker to record each week’s weigh-in results-

This week, to get me one step closer to that goal, I have committed to tracking my food.  The one change I can make this week.  The one step that will help me get closer to where I want to be.

What is your goal?  And what one step can you take today that will get you closer to that goal? 

Choosing my Hard

On By TerriIn About Me, Mindset4 Comments

It has been a while…. Almost 3 years since I wrote my last blog post.  I think it is time to restart this blog and to document my journey again, more for me than anything else.  This was a tool for me on my journey and the accountability and support in sharing my journey is important for me.  Yes, I am still working on losing weight, getting back to my goal weight while getting healthy and being the best version of me that I can be. 

Since my last post I have been working on this journey and working on me.  Sometimes I am successful.  And sometimes I fail.  I am human, after all.  And this is my perfectly imperfect journey.

About the time I stopped writing, I also quit going to Weight Watchers meetings.  I was disillusioned and frustrated for a bit.  And I was not getting the inspiration I had been used to finding in those meetings. 

I tried going it alone.  I sometimes tracked.  I sometimes planned meals.  I sometimes walked or swam for exercise.  I sometimes….. I thought about ALL the things I know that work and then I did the opposite.  Hmmmm….I wonder why the weight came back on rather than falling off? 

I could blame this weight gain on my age…. menopause….. medication….. travels…. family….. health challenges…. So many excuses for not losing weight.  It was always okay, because I could start TOMORROW.  Only tomorrow will NEVER come. 

So, I did the one thing I know works but had not been doing.  I went back to Weight Watchers in person meetings. 

Walking through the door of that workshop a few months ago was HARD!  Really HARD!  I did not want to see anyone I knew, or anyone who had been in the meetings I led when I was a Coach for WW.  I was so embarrassed by my weight gain…. Still am.  I used to help others reach their goals and here I was far above my goal.  50 lbs above my goal weight to be truthful.  (okay, that was HARD to put into writing too!)

Yes, walking through those doors was HARD.  Losing weight is hard!  But even harder is being overweight and unhealthy.  We get to choose which “hard” we want to do, and I am choosing to lose weight.  It is HARD, but the rewards are so worth it.  I am WORTH IT!

Losing weight means I get to be healthier, get off meds, fit into the clothes I love that I cannot wear now.  Being at my goal weight is when I feel best- physically and mentally.  Being at goal means I am stronger, more confident and I am NOT embarrassed any longer. 

And most importantly, losing weight and living at my goal weight means that I am able to be a participant in my grandchildren’s lives, rather than a spectator.  That is my WHY. 

So, here I am again.  I will write on this journey and share with those who want to follow along.  I will share my successes, my thoughts, my AHA moments and my struggles and failures.  (though I don’t see failure as failing.  Instead I see failure as steppingstones to success as I learn from each detour and derailment.). 

I have been far from perfect these past few months and I have missed more workshops than I have attended.  Life happens.  But today, in this moment, I am ready.  I am committing to working on me.  My mindset has finally shifted.  This journey is HARD!  But I am choosing this hard over the other “hard” things.   

Is losing weight hard for you?  Is being overweight hard?  Is maintaining at goal hard? (oh my, it sure is!)  We all get to choose our hard and today I choose losing weight.  Which “hard” are you going to choose?

Non-Scale Victory

On By TerriIn Inspiration, Mindset1 Comment

Tomorrow morning is my weigh-in day.  And I am ready.  My mindset is changing (more on that another day) and I am focusing on taking care of me and doing what I need to do in order to move myself just a little bit closer to my goal. 

One of those things I am doing, is paying attention to those little changes I am making… the small everyday victories that build my self-confidence, remind me I CAN do it and inspire me to keep going.  I am paying attention to all those non-scale victories!

This week I had two days that were VERY stressful.  The kind of days that makes someone want to drink.  The kind of day that makes me want to eat-anything and everything. 

I had to do my weekly grocery shopping in the midst of some heavy stress that first day and that had my mind saying “go ahead and get the cookies, candy and chips.  It’s early in your week and you will have time to get that back off!  I went to the store, determined that I would eat this stress.  No one would know.  No one except me, of course. 

I came home from the store that first day, with NONE of the things I had wanted in order to eat my stress.  HOW did I NOT give in?  HOW did the cookies NOT make their way to my cart? 

Well, the cookies (chocolate sugar cookies with marshmallow frosting and bits of graham crackers on them) did get picked up.  I stood there in the bakery and held the package of 10 cookies in my hand.  And it was then that I remembered the card in my purse.  I had written my “whys” and the advantages of losing weight for me on that card.  And I read it right then.  And then I put the cookies down.  

Losing weight and being healthy is far more important to me than that package of cookies. I am worth far more than that package of cookies.

So, instead of eating my stress, I went home, put away the healthy groceries and I patted myself on the back!

I was so proud of myself!  I AM so proud of myself! 

If I had given in to the stress eating, I would have felt guilty, which would have sent me down a hole for a bit.  Instead, I was proud.  And I didn’t feel deprived, because those cookies were a WANT born of the stress of the day and not for any other reason.  Instead of feeling deprived I felt that I was finally taking care of me.  And THAT feels awesome!

The next day was just as stressful.  And the thought crossed my mind again, because I needed to make a run to the store for a non-food item I had forgotten the previous day.  And I knew the temptation might be stronger this time, so instead of going to the grocery store, I went to the pharmacy.  Less temptations there.  I found what I needed and then walked straight to the zingers…. I picked up the chocolate and vanilla ones and then remembered.  And I put them down and left (after paying for the one item of course). 

So, when I step on the scale tomorrow, it does not matter to me what it says.  I am proud of my week.  I am proud of myself.  And this week proved to me that I CAN and I WILL reach my goal! 

Anchor of Shame

On By TerriIn Food, MindsetLeave a comment

Ashamed!

Embarrassed!

Small!

Worthless!

How I felt sitting there listening. 

The shame was immediate.  Intense.  An anchor around my neck pulling me under.  FAST!

Shame has a way of doing that.

Where was I that was making me feel so worthless and ashamed?  I was at the doctor’s office.  I was being examined by a PA, instead of my primary care doctor.  I was there for a specific issue that would need antibiotics. 

The PA walked into the exam room with her laptop open to my medical record.  She asked me how long I had been dealing with this sore throat and painful sinuses.  Her response to my answer was a sucker punch to the gut that came straight out of left field!

“Before we get to that, let’s talk about your exercise and weight.  Did you know there are new medications to help with weight loss?…..”

WHAT?!?!?!

In that moment I held my breath so that I could stop the tears welling up inside me.  

In my silence I was boiling inside- a cauldron of shame, disappointment, shock, fear, worthlessness all threatening to bubble over and erupt at any moment.

She continued. 

I sat in silent disbelief.

She continued.  Trying to convince me that I needed medication, a little pill, that would curb my hunger and make me lose weight.  A pill that would balance the metabolic hormones that were obviously (to her) out of whack in my body.  A “miracle” pill.

I remained silent.

When she was done and finally ready to examine me, all I could manage was- “I went back to Weight Watchers.” And “I need to do my research before I agree to take a pill” (knowing full well I was NOT going to take the “magic” pill).

I was so ASHAMED in that moment.

She didn’t know me.  She didn’t know my history.  She didn’t know how Weight Watchers has worked for me.  She didn’t want to hear me. 

This was HER issue.  HER value.  HER kickback forefront in her mind.

But I was the one wearing the anchor of shame. 

I KNOW I need to lose weight (thank God I have only gained back 35 of my original 85 lb loss). 

I KNOW what I need to do.

I KNOW it can be done.

I DO NOT need a pill.

I DO NOT need to be shamed.

I DO NOT need to be judged by anyone.  I judge myself quite harshly.

What I NEED is to feel less shame.  To feel supported.  To take care of myself. 

I left the doctor’s office with a prescription for antibiotics and that anchor of shame, disappointment and self-loathing wrapped around my neck.  And I did what I know to do, as a food addict, to make me feel better….to stuff the emotions that were threatening to erupt….. I ate.

I went home from the pharmacy and found the jar of peanut butter.  I made 2 pieces of peanut butter toast and while the bread was in the toaster, I also made a half sandwich.  I ate those.  And then I ate, not 1, but 2 (TWO) Hershey candy bars.  I went to what I know. 

And I felt better for a little bit.  Until I didn’t. 

I am a food addict.  Being hungry isn’t my issue, so a “magic” pill to curb my appetite is not going to fix me.  Finding a new way to deal with the emotions, without food, is the only way to fix me. 

I wish more people, especially medical professionals, understood food addicts.  It isn’t a lack of will power.  It isn’t being hungry all the time.  It isn’t a moral failing.

Food addiction is real.  Difficult.  Shameful.  Demeaning.  Navigating food addiction is about finding MY worth when I am feeling worthless.  And it is also about learning new ways to deal with emotions and life without food.  Hard to do when we HAVE to eat to live.  And food is EVERYWHERE!

I wish more understood.  I wish there was less judgement.

Yes, I ate to stuff my emotions today.  BUT I will NOT let this moment define me as it has in my past.  I will NOT let the anchor of shame weigh me down any longer.

I WILL move on, grateful for ALL that I have learned on my long journey.

I will remind myself that I AM worth it.

I CAN and WILL do this- in my imperfect way.  WITHOUT a little pill!

30-Day Mindful Eating Challenge- Halfway Through

On By TerriIn Food, MindsetLeave a comment

“If you eat when you are not physically hungry, then how do you know when to stop eating?”

I heard this question in week one of my 30-day challenge, and it hit me.  I was listening to a Mindful Eating masterclass on my CALM app, while swimming laps in the pool. 

I stopped mid-lap when I heard the question.

How do I know when to stop eating? 

This question the first week of my mindful eating challenge, brought me to a new level of awareness- I did not let myself get hungry.  Truly physically hungry.  I had lost that somewhere over the years and didn’t even realize it.  And when I did think I was hungry, it was really that my blood sugar took a nose-dive because of the amount of sugary foods I had been eating.  I still wasn’t truly physically hungry.

So, hearing the question had me reflecting.  What made me stop eating?  It was definitely NOT being full, as I was stuffed, painfully stuffed, more often than I wasn’t.  So, what was making me stop eating?  The empty bag of chips I just finished?  The acid reflux that was painful?  The nauseous feeling of overeating?  Having to change from my jeans to my sweats for comfort?  My husband walking through the door? 

That question changed the trajectory of my journey.  And I started paying attention to my physical signals for hunger, instead of the emotional, head and heart, signals.  THAT has made a difference.  I have eaten less this second week.  I am eating when I am physically hungry, most of the time, instead of for other reasons.  When I eat for true physical hunger, I eat less.  I am not stuffed.  I don’t have huge blood sugar drops.  I don’t have acid reflux.  I don’t hide food.  And I can wear my jeans all day.

This is what mindful eating does!  I am still not tracking my food.  But I AM paying attention.  I AM being more mindful.  Yes, there are still moments of mindless eating, but they are becoming less often, as I get more mindful. 

This is what this challenge was about. 

So, what is driving you to eat?  Do you know when you are physically hungry?  What tells you that you are physically hungry?  What differences do you see when you are mindful and eat mostly (because this is not a perfect journey) for physical hunger rather than emotional hunger? 

I am feeling so much better already!  More to come on what I have learned these first 14 days.

My 30-Day Challenge– Day 1

On By TerriIn Food, MindsetLeave a comment

I have been slowly trying to change habits and my mindset and I have been working on doing the things that I know to do that work.  But it isn’t working. 

I keep talking to myself, having those conversations about what I am doing.  I tell myself “Today is the day” and then I tell myself, “Oh, one more day of eating chips or brownies won’t hurt.  Go ahead.” 

2 contrasting voices in my head, fighting to be the strongest and the loudest. 

Yesterday I decided it was ENOUGH!  ENOUGH! 

So, I asked myself what my biggest hurdle was, what the biggest saboteur (besides myself) and I realized then that sugar is a BIG issue for me.  I am a food addict and sugar is one of my biggest problems. 

Realizing that, I decided to start a 30 day “No Sugar” challenge.  30 days of not eating anything with added sugar.  No candy, cookies, donuts, cake, etc.  No sweet treats. 

Today was the first day.  And boy was it a struggle.

Today, I paid attention, ALL DAY, to what I was eating and craving.  And I paid attention to what was sending me to the pantry and the fridge. 

It was shortly after lunch when I found myself in the pantry.  Just standing there.  Looking.  What the heck?! 

Standing there, I asked myself what I was doing.  Was I hungry?  What was I looking for?  And my answer was that I was not hungry, and I had no idea why I was in the pantry searching.  So, I left the pantry and went to do something.  Something that would keep me busy.

I was beginning to realize that telling myself this would be 30 days of NO SUGAR was leaving me feeling deprived.  And when I feel deprived, I eat.  Period! 

Losing weight and getting healthy is not about deprivation.  It is not about doing something for a little while (until I reach my goal) and then going back to how I was eating when I reach my goal. 

Losing weight and getting healthy is about changing habits.  And the foods I eat now, need to be the foods I will continue to eat the rest of my life.  Is it realistic to think that I will NEVER eat another cookie or a brownie?  NO!  But if I plan, portion and pay attention then I do not need to deprive myself. 

If I eat mindfully, then I will feel satisfied and still lose weight and get healthy.

That was when it hit me!

My BIGGEST hurdle and my BIGGEST saboteur was mindlessness…. Mindless eating.  Yes, sugar is an issue.  Yes, chips are an issue.  Yes, snacking is an issue.  Yes, not tracking is an issue.  Yes, portions are an issue.  Yes, emotional eating is an issue.

 BUT the BIGGEST issue is not being mindful!

So, my first day of my 30-day challenge is changing.  I am still doing a 30-day challenge, but this one is now 30 Days of Mindful Eating. 

There is a lot to learn when we pay attention to not only what we are eating and when we are eating and how much we are eating, but also WHY we are eating.  And we can only pay attention to all of these when we are mindful.

So today is day 1 of my 30 days of Mindful Eating.  And today I paid attention.  I stopped myself when I was searching for hidden candy (and I have A LOT of hidden candy places!), and when I was standing in front of the open fridge looking for who knows what.  And I asked myself “what are you doing?”  “Am I hungry?”  “Is it physical hunger?”  and if not then “what am I hungry for”. 

I paid attention today.  And I learned that I eat more often for emotional reasons (a struggle I have had all my life) or just out of habit (sit down to watch tv = eat) than I do for true physical hunger.

Today I also learned (I have always known this, but it was reinforced today) that eating mindfully leaves me feeling more satisfied and I eat less. 

And though I did not physically track my food today, I consider Day 1 a success!  

Who wants to join me on a 30-Day Mindful Eating Challenge? 

Just 20 lbs……..

On By TerriIn About Me, Activity, Food, Mindset, UncategorizedLeave a comment

“Just 20 lbs, that’s all”

This was said to me by my doctor in 2006 after I had thrown my back out.  Just 20 lbs and my back would have less stress on it and feel better.  He was right.  Losing those 20 lbs helped.  But I didn’t stop with just 20 lbs.  I went on to lose 85 lbs, reaching my goal weight in January 2008.  I vowed then, that I would NEVER need to hear those words again.  I was NOT going back to daily pain in my back.  Not after finally finding freedom from the pain. 

And then, a couple of weeks ago another doctor said to me, “Just 20 lbs”.  There it was. Those words again…… Only this time, it wasn’t my back that prompted those words, it was my hip. 

I have had pain in my hip, at times so severe I can’t stand, walk or sleep.  So, I went to the orthopedic and heard those words again.  Weight gain affects so much more than my self-esteem and how I see myself, it also affects my health and my body.  My hip is not happy with this weight gain and no matter how many times I tell myself it is time to do something about it, I sabotage myself. 

Yes, I sabotage myself. 

16 years later, hearing those words again hit me hard.  I am NOT back where I once was (now needing to lose 35lbs not 85 lbs), but I am at a weight that is not healthy for me.  And healthy is far more important than how I look.  I have goals.  I want to participate in my granddaughter’s life, not watch.  I want to live to a very old age and enjoy my life, not spend it watching from the sidelines.  I want to hike and enjoy the outdoors.  I want to skip down main street at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World.  I want to go on walks with my husband, swim in the pool, shop, dance and so many other things that require my hip and my back to be healthy.

So, I am working on it.  Imperfectly.  But working on it.  I have started to make changes.  I am working to change my mindset.  I am sabotaging myself a little less each day (I am not perfect and still fight that sabotage, while acknowledging the wins along the way)

Just 20 lbs. and then more……

One-pound-at-a-time.

Do One Thing Different

On By TerriIn Inspiration, Mindset, UncategorizedLeave a comment

“If you always do what you’ve always done, then you’ll always get what you always got”

That mantra has been rolling around in my head for a couple of weeks now.  I first heard it when I was in the middle of my 5th journey with Weight Watchers, the journey that finally resulted in my reaching my weight goal and achieving Lifetime status.  That was a long time ago, now.

This quote is so accurate.  And it is one of the keys to success.  Doing something different….making changes, the kind of changes that become habit, is key to success.  And necessary.

I have been on a rollercoaster journey the past few years… up… down…. topsy-turvey……. It has been a difficult journey at times. 

A couple of months ago, a group of ladies and I started meeting virtually each week and in person once a month, to support each other on this journey and to discuss various topics.  Our own support group and accountability group.  Boy have I missed them and meeting as a group.

Through this group and our discussions I realized my why, and how to keep it close (more on that soon) and I revisited “the basics” that help on this journey.  You know, ALL those things I used to do and the things I KNOW work for me.

But I was still stuck.  Up and down and all around…… I just wasn’t getting anywhere.

And then my husband and I went on vacation.  A 3 week roadtrip…. 4100 miles driven….. 6 states…… lots of family and long-time friends visited….. and GREAT food (especially in San Francisco!). 

Yes, on vacation.  I told myself that I was NOT going to gain.  I had a plan.  I packed healthy snacks.  I prepped the cooler and loaded drinks and fruit.  I was ready.  But I had been on vacation before.  And I knew what happens…. 

Vacation mode.

Well…. something was different this time.  The long hours on the road led to long discussions with my husband.  And my desire to reach my goals and my reminder of my why were strong…. Very strong.  So….

I did not deprive myself because saying no and deprivation would only backfire.  So, I had a few cookies over the days in San Francisco…. Amazing cookies my son made for us.  I had sourdough bread, and pastries and pasta and croissants and so much more.  I had dessert in WA.  I had burgers, fish and chips, wine and beer. 

And I maintained.

How?

I go back to the quote at the beginning of this post— I did not do what I always did.  I stopped telling myself that tomorrow was another day, so what I was eating today wouldn’t matter (because tomorrow NEVER comes and it DOES matter).  I shared meals with my husband.  I ate half of my meal.  I listened to my body instead of my head and that made a HUGE difference.  When I was full I turned down dessert.  After dinner I stopped eating.  I didn’t buy soda and chips and candy bars for nighttime snacking in the hotel rooms. 

I DID something DIFFERENT. 

In order to get a different outcome, we have to stop doing the same things we have always done.  And that is HARD!!  Very HARD!! 

Doing what we have always done, doing the same thing is comfortable.  It keeps us in our comfort zone and then we end up with the same result. 

In order to get that different result we HAVE to do something different- just ONE thing will make a difference.  Something outside that comfort zone. 

That is what helped me maintain on my trip and what has helped me to lose 3.4 lbs in the week after returning home.  I am just doing things different.  Getting out of my comfort zone. 

What are you doing that you have always done, but it is holding you back and keeping you stuck?  What is one thing you could do different today?  Just one thing! 

Weekly Accountability- April 1st

On By TerriIn Mindset, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I stepped on the scale this morning and it moved…. Down!

I lost 1 lb!

This week was better.  NOT perfect.  Better.

What made the difference this week?

Mindset!

Mindset!

Mindset!

I spent this week focused on my strengths and how they can help me.  THAT made the difference- in how I approached this week and in my mindset.

I used my strengths, my Superpowers—Kindness and Forgiveness toward myself when my plans went awry or I made a choice that wasn’t my best choice….. Creativity for coming up with meals last minute that were healthy for me….. Perseverance to keep pushing on when I took a detour or the candy bar landed in my grocery bag at the checkout…… And so many more of my strengths.

Harnessing the power of my strengths made the difference in my imperfect week! 

What made the difference for you? 

My Strengths…My Superpowers!

On By TerriIn Inspiration, Mindset, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Last week at my virtual workshop, my coach asked us what our strengths were and when we struggled to come up with one, she asked what others would say our strengths were.  I have thought about this a lot since last Thursday.  And I have thought quite a bit about how these strengths can aid me on my journey.

If I can turn these strengths into Superpowers, well then I will be unstoppable!! 

We all have strengths.  They are part of who we are.  Sometimes it is hard to see our own strong attributes, but others see them. 

What are your strengths?  Are you compassionate?  Funny?  A survivor?  Quiet?  Kind?…….

My coach asked us to just pick one to focus on.  What one strength do you have?  I chose kindness. 

How can I use kindness on this journey?  It doesn’t really relate to food or exercise…. Or does it? 

I am kind to others. But am I kind to myself?  How would being kind to me, change this journey?  Would it have any impact?

What do you think?

Yes, being kind would have an impact.  A HUGE impact! 

 Our thoughts are so powerful on this journey.  My mindset is a HUGE part of becoming the healthiest and best version of me that I can be.  So, how can I become the best version of me if I am negative, critical, and mean to myself?  Wouldn’t I get farther and become a better version of me by being positive, by being kind to myself? 

Think about it.  What happens to our mindset when we are negative and focus on our faults or our failings?  What impact would the negative have?  How would you feel?  I know that I would give up.  I would feel defeated.  I would stop believing that I could achieve any goal I set for myself.  Being negative, unkind and only focusing on my faults sets me up to fail.  Every. Single. Time.

But if I turn that around and focus on my strengths, on the lesson I can learn and on the positive steps I have made, then I would feel far different.  I would feel empowered!  I would believe I could do anything!  Being kind to myself and focusing on the positives sets me up to succeed, even when I have a slip or take a detour!

Amazing what focusing on the positives, focusing on our strengths can do for each of us!   

Kindness is one of my strengths and the one I chose during my workshop.  And I realized I need to make being kind to myself a priority.  Being kind to me helps my mindset stay positive.  Kindness helps me continue when I have a slip.  Kindness helps me to forgive (another of my strengths) and move on, learning as I go. 

As I thought about my strengths this week, I came up with a list (not complete yet, as I keep adding to it)—

These are some of my strengths!  My Superpowers.  And the power of each of these strengths can be harnessed and used as a tool on my journey.  These strengths have gotten me this far and will keep me going!  Especially if I apply them to myself! (okay, realistically, I won’t use them ALL of the time, BUT I know they are there and I KNOW the power can be used to help me on my journey!)

Examples of how some of these strengths can help me on this journey–

Forgiveness, Kindness, Compassion, Love, Gratefulness, Empathy—When the power of these is harnessed I take the power away from my guilt and give it back to me.  Slips no longer mean failure.  I am more positive, and happier. I am more understanding of what I am doing and where my choices are originating from. I make better choices for me. I feel better, emotionally and physically, when I harness the power of these strengths.   

Thoughtful, Creative, Curious, Passionate—When the power of these is harnessed, I can keep the boredom and staleness at bay.  I try new foods, new recipes.  I find fun ways to move.  These strengths are powerful tools to keep things fresh and new.

Bravery, being a Survivor, Perseverance, Hope—When the power of these is harnessed, I am empowered to push through, to continue, to believe that I am capable of far more than I give myself credit for.  Slips no longer mean failure, instead those slips become stepping stones on my road to success.  When I harness the power of these, I am unstoppable!  Nothing is out of reach or impossible!  Everything is possible!  I CAN and I WILL!

Zest—When this power is harnessed, I am being present in the moment. I have a zest for life.  I enjoy the little things along with the bigger things.  I find joy in the moment– in a new recipe, in the quiet of nature, in the beauty of a hike, in the joy of a new food find.  This zest for life keeps me mindful, present and joyful.  All things that help me travel this crazy journey.

Organized— How better to be in control of me, than to be organized? Harnessing this power stops the chaos in my life and in my mind. THIS is how I plan, how I prepare, how I keep calm.

What are your strengths?  How can you harness the power of each of your strengths to turn them into tools that will help you move closer to your goals, closer to the version of you that YOU are striving for?  How can you turn your strengths into your SUPERPOWERS?

Ask yourself “what are my strengths?”  “what would my family and friends say are my strengths?”  “How can these strengths aid my journey to becoming the healthiest and best version of me that I can be?”

Our strengths, our Superpowers, once we recognize them, become powerful aids on our journey….. this perfectly imperfect journey we are all on.