To me this is the most important factor in dealing with my eating behaviours and habits. It has rescued me many a time and helped to set me back on a path that I’m happy to travel.
When I was binging a lot and feeling out of control and desperate I was in a really unhappy place. Sure on the surface everything was great and I often wrote about what a good life I had, but that deep internal happiness eluded me. I was living my life in a way that I didn’t want to live it and it bugged me for a long time.
Eventually I realised that I needed help to get myself sorted out. It seemed like I had all the tools for doing that but my shed was so messy that I didn’t know where to start, which tool to use and where it was amongst the mess. This post isn’t about my sessions with the Sports Psyche (Maddie) as I’ve written about that a lot in my other blog (Running for my Life). What it is about is the key lesson I learnt in my sessions with Maddie.
When all was said and done and I had an understanding of myself, what my destructive thought patterns were and how to correct them, there was one key element underpinning it all and that was the question; “How do I want to live my life?”
So when I had a relapse (because understanding and knowing does not guarantee doing) I would take stock and ask myself that question “How do I want to live my life?” Did I want to live it being a slave to a restrictive diet? Did I want to live it in fear of when my next out of control binge would hit? Did I want to dread the Metal Monster knowing that it was cold hard proof of all my failings? Or did I want to be the one in control by making good dietary choices, knowing that one piece of cake didn’t have to turn into three or more, knowing that I had it in me to eat mindfully and maintain a reasonable weight?
Yes it was that question and the answers within me that set me back on my happy path where sanity and calm prevailed. I can’t stress enough how important this one factor has been. There is only one thing to add which seals this equation for me. Maddie sent me away with one last message which was “Whether you believe you can or you believe you can’t, you’re right”.
We have that poster on the studio wall for clients-(whether you believe you can...) it's a goody!
ReplyDeleteand yup-we are the ones who choose how we live our life-I heard that somewhere recently hehe ;-0
Hahaha! Love it Magda!
ReplyDeleteAs we all know if we want to stop chronic yoyo or circular behaviour we need to do different, sustain it and stay in control of ourselves instead of our mindset controlling us.
Sometimes keeping in control sucks a bit..........but it is temporary. Our pride always wins out. This type of 'sucks', (such as stopping after 2-3 wines, turning to water sometimes or not buying that 'must have impulsive' designer pair of shoes on special not in our budget can be annoying but isn't nearly as bad as the 'here we go again, I feel outta control/have blown it helpless' type of sucks! Particularly if we are on our way to achieving fun or new targets or objectives!
Hey Raechelle, great messages just articulated differently. I love coming back to them when I feel I'm losing the plot a bit.
ReplyDeletePip, for me it hinges on where that control comes from. If I'm in a calm and positive place then its quite easy to have that control. But if I'm in a negative and struggling mindset then its a hard battle and I rarely win. As for the designer shoes on special ... well guilty on that front. I'm now the proud owner of a sexy pair on red stilletos by Gary Castles. totally didnt need them but loved them so bought them :-)