Attitude
I decided to write about attitude today since it is so essential to what I am trying to accomplish - a behavior change that lasts. The saying "attitude is everything" keeps coming to mind ever since I read Jen’s comment on my last post. And thank you, Jen. . I don't know if "attitude is everything" but it sure has a huge impact on how the day goes. If I get hung up on a mistake, and keep thinking about it, using it to foster the idea that I can't change, or that change is really hard and maybe I can’t do it - then my attitude is negative. If I make a mistake and I accept my imperfection, forgive the mistake and make a conscious decision to continue to move forward in spite of it, I have a positive attitude. One thing I am trying to change is my negative self-image. It comes with being overweight but I believe it was there before the weight, and it helps keep me trapped in a cycle of losing and gaining and giving up. This little process of forgiveness and positive commitment to move on helps change my relationship with me.
It would be great to miraculously change overnight, and never eat another bite of extra food, forbidden food, etc. But that has not been the case with me. What I do see some steady improvement over the past year and a half. And I prefer to remind myself of the improvements today and not dwell on how long it is taking to get there. Things are getting better all the time. One tool I have used to change my attitude toward food has been some daily readings from a meditation book - Food for Thought. Also, I have used the 24 Hour a Day meditation for alcoholics and replaced the references to "alcohol" and "drinking" to "food" and "eating." What I do is this: I go to the Hazelton website where they have the daily readings online. I cut and paste the meditation into a separate document. Then I edit, making the reference changes noted above. I tailor it to my experience with food. It has been an eye-opening experience. I believe it had gotten me to the point where I am willing to make changes. And to where I believe change is possible.
Anyway, that is just one way I have tried to modify my attitude. There are many more ways. Each day I make a conscious decision to do something, no matter how big or small, to change my life for the better.
It would be great to miraculously change overnight, and never eat another bite of extra food, forbidden food, etc. But that has not been the case with me. What I do see some steady improvement over the past year and a half. And I prefer to remind myself of the improvements today and not dwell on how long it is taking to get there. Things are getting better all the time. One tool I have used to change my attitude toward food has been some daily readings from a meditation book - Food for Thought. Also, I have used the 24 Hour a Day meditation for alcoholics and replaced the references to "alcohol" and "drinking" to "food" and "eating." What I do is this: I go to the Hazelton website where they have the daily readings online. I cut and paste the meditation into a separate document. Then I edit, making the reference changes noted above. I tailor it to my experience with food. It has been an eye-opening experience. I believe it had gotten me to the point where I am willing to make changes. And to where I believe change is possible.
Anyway, that is just one way I have tried to modify my attitude. There are many more ways. Each day I make a conscious decision to do something, no matter how big or small, to change my life for the better.
posted by Cindy at
11:21 AM
1 Comments:
Cindy, it's good that you see improvements along the way in terms of your eating, food choices, etc. You wrote a very good post and you really do think a lot about your choices. I admire that.
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