Good, Better, Best

During a meeting with some friends I disclosed some bad habits that I would like to stop.  But my fear in stopping is that taking those things completely out of my life will feel like a diet and then the battle will begin.  How do I change bad habits without having an internal battle with myself?  One friend suggested that instead of completely taking out, that I just replace it with something better.  Then I thought of that talk Good, Better, Best.  I can start slowly by replacing my bad habit like Diet Coke and Chocolate with something that is Good in comparison.  So instead of Diet Coke, Crystal light(at least the Walmart brand), and I replaced the Chocolate with this awesome fruit and nut mix from Costco.  Are these choices the BEST choices?  No, but I feel like I have to make changes slowly and with love and gentleness.  We forget to treat ourselves with love and gentleness, but that is a post for another day.  My idea is that eventually I will replace the good things, with better things and eventually those better things with the things that are BEST for me.  Doesn't that sound like such a GREAT idea?  I thought so.  Instead of doing it like all the other diets in the world tell you to... You know what I"m talking about, they want you take EVERYTHING away from yourself and expect you to stick to it for months.  I'm sorry, but I've tried that and it's just not possible.  For me, anyway. 

Good, Better, Best just feels right.  I believe that permanent change, for me, has to come slowly.  I have to wean myself from these bad habits.  I felt this idea was inspired and so, I'm going to try it out.  Have I been perfect?  No, not by any stretch of the imagination.  But am I making progress?  You betcha.  And it feels good.  I have had just a 20oz diet coke this whole week.  I still have a long way to go with the chocolate.  I have this TERRRIBLE habit of rewarding myself when I'm at the grocery store with a chocolate treat.  I say to myself, "Gosh darn it, I'm a hard working woman, a mother of 6 and I totally DESERVE this."  But am I really rewarding myself, my body?  No.  Sugar just makes me feel sluggish and slow.  It's a habit I formed a good 8 years ago and it's not going to change over night.  But I can apply the good, better, best strategy to that too?  Absolutely!  Instead of a candy, buy a protien bar instead.  Eventually not purchasing anything at all and saving the money I would have spent to buy a new shirt.  Now that sounds like an amazing reward! 

Like I've mentioned before, I am no longer a dieter.  My goal is to permanently change my life.  But that change has to come slowly and with love.  Change doesn't just happen either.  We have to stretch and work at it too.  It's a hard balance to find.  But I hope to find it.

There is no Secret Ingredient

Every week I learn something new about myself, or a principle that is re-enforced.  Several weeks ago my daughter was watching one of my most favorite movies:  Kung Fu Panda.  I loved this movie the first time, and love it even more each time I watch it.  The beautiful thing about the end of this movie is that Po realizes that there is no secret ingredient to greatness, which everyone was seeking on the dragon scroll.  When they found that it was empty, and only reflected their image, they were disappointed.  As I thought about that I realized that for such a long time I had been searching for a secret ingredient to a "perfect" body, according to the world.  But just like Po, I realized that there is no secret ingredient.  We just have to look at our own images in the mirror.  All of us were created in the image of God.  Which gives us Godlike attributes and the ability to become like Him.  Our true greatness comes from within, not from anything in the world. 

I guess if there is a secret ingredient, it would be that we all have to believe in our divine potential.  If we all understood that, we would treat our bodies differently.  Which is exactly what I am striving to do.  Focus on all the amazing things that my body can do, rather then all the things it can't do or all the imperfections.  It's a hard thing to do.  Our natural tendency when we look in the mirror is focus on all that is wrong.  What if you started focusing on all that was good?  Just that slight change in attitude will make a world of difference.  I know, because it has for me.  I'm still working on focusing on the good, and my divine potential.  But you have to start somewhere.  And if all you can see about yourself is that you have a pretty eye color, that's a start.  Then you can be grateful that you have eye sight, and see the color of butterfly wings, or tulips and daffodils as they push their way through snowy ground, or the shape of your children's cheeks as they sleep, smile or laugh.  Your eye sight allows you to read recipes, blogs, and books.  Your eyes are a gift from God, who loves you and wants you to experience all of these things, and more.  Focus on your eyes, first, and go from there.  You will feel a change come over you. 

I think the point I'm trying to make is that life is so much more enjoyable when we aren't obsessed about a number, a size or shape.  I am trying to move away from that way of thinking.  It's difficult, I wont lie.  Especially when it's been engrained in you for what seems like your whole life.  But I can HONESTLY say that now that I have moved past the scale, numbers and sizes that  I am happier.  Now I want to treat my body with kindness so that I can continue to experience this world as God intended me to, with Joy.