Monday, May 25, 2015

Belief

When I was in Weight Watchers, the leader of my meeting would say, "Would you say, 'If I can do it, anyone can do it?''  This was usually in response to someone reaching a milestone or goal.  I had exceeded my goal.  Then, what happened?

Excuses happened.  They were my out.  My way of surrendering responsibility.  It just wasn't to my health.  It was to my whole self. 

These were some of the things I have been thinking and saying:
  • I don't have time.
  • I am a single mom.
  • I don't have money for ________. 
  • My kids won't eat what I make. 
  • I am tired.
  • I deserve a treat.
  • It is just easier this way.
  • I just want to relax when the girls are with their dad.

I was going over notes from some books I read, videos I watched, and BeachBody team calls I listened to that I have acquired in the past 10 months.  Most of them had the underlying message that anyone can succeed if he/she has belief in himself/herself.  I had believed in myself enough to lose a lot of weight, but somewhere along the line I realized that I stopped believing and caring.  I just surrendered to my world around me. 



My friends will tell you that I am a fighter, a survivor, an inspiration.  But lately, I haven't been much of those things.  And, it is because I gave up.  Why?  Because, I somehow developed the victim mindset and that won over my belief in myself.  How can I change this mindset?  I can surround myself with people who uplift me.  I can read, listen, and sumerse myself in personal development.  I can work out.  I can eat healthier foods.  I can work harder.  In short, I can focus and work on myself.

I can dispel my excuses.  I have time to work out.  I have work outs on DVDs that are about 30 minutes. I can meal plan (which will get healthier foods into my house and save my budget).  I can prep my foods (making healthier foods readily available).  I can lead by example for my kiddos.  And as far as being tired...if I was doing the above, I wouldn't be tired!  These are all things that I believed I could do before, and therefore I can do them again. 

This brings me to the idea of change and behavior modification.  I feel that in all of these different messages I have come across there is an underlying theme of fear and change.  It isn't necessarily that one is afraid of gaining good health, but they are focused on what they have to give up.  I found some of those in my excuses.  I know that having sweets in the house is going to be kryptonite to my weight loss.  But I keep buying it "for the kids".  What is going to happen if I stop buying sweets?  Well, there will be some tantrums, but eventually they will get over it.  They will see me eating well, using fruit to curb my sweet tooth, and not be reliant on treats. After a few or more tantrums, I will be stronger in many ways, I will have lost the fat that took up residence in my abdomen region, and I will have shown my kids that we do not need dessert after every meal.

I can do this.  I believe I will do this.  What is something that you believe you can do or are struggling to do?

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