DISTRACTIONS AND DECISIONS

We all deal with things that come up in our lives in different ways.  Lately I've been hearing a lot of talk about people overindulging in food and drink during the pandemic.  I'm sure there is truth to that for some people and I have to admit, I've experienced some of that myself.   It's easy to understand considering that many people have been spending a great deal of their time at home.  What I find interesting is that regardless of the circumstances, we often distract ourselves in the same old ways.  

Do you ever notice or pay attention to what you normally do when you are stressed out, bored or procrastinating doing something that does not appeal to you?  Do you usually grab a cookie or two, a handful of chips, or maybe you look forward to the evening cocktail or beer (or plural) after work?  You may instead find yourself watching hours of Tik Tok (seems to be the new favorite).  Whatever the case, we usually have our go-to distractions.

I'm not referring to the much needed down time to allow ourselves to rejuvenate.  That's the healthy kind.  I'n talking about the things we do in excess that neither benefit us and are sometimes the opposite of what we really want to be doing.  Much of the time we are not even consciously aware of it.  To end the cycle, you often end up feeling not so good about yourself or what you've accomplished that day. 

If that sounds familiar and you find yourself sabotaging your weight loss, drinking more than you'd like and not getting things done, here are a few simple ways you can change it up a bit.  

PAUSE;  Notice what you are doing and if you are doing it in excess.  Once you pay attention to it you can usually get an inkling if you are.

WHAT;  Ask yourself what's on your mind?  What thoughts are fluttering around in your brain right now?

HOW:  Are those things you are thinking about making you feel?

DECIDE:  Is this really what you want to be doing?  Is this working for you or against you?  Once you decide, you can...

CHANGE:   Change it up a bit.  Do something different that feels better to you in the long run and is in more alignment with your goals.  At the very least you are making a conscious decision and being more aware and honest with yourself.

I know I've made reference to this before and I think in these crazy times, it's worth repeating.

We all do have a choice about many things we think are beyond our control.  We can make a decision that leads us to a different outcome.  That's powerful.  We may not be able to change the circumstances in our lives, however it's pretty awesome to know we can manage our mind around them.

Until next time,

​Lisa J.

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