I Stopped Obsessing Over My Triggers And Started Living
I don't obsess over everything. I understand the concept of things being out of our control at times. But when I can control something? Like my education? My physique? I go 1000% in. Sometimes I go too far in and can't get out, but not anymore.
This time last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, numbers consumed me. From the number on the scale to the caloric quantity in my food and the number of calories I burned on the treadmill, I was a minion to my mind.
In my mind, this time of year marked the countdown to summer. Or the short amount of time I had left to quickly dispose of my mini pudge of holiday memories (AKA my Aunt Darlene's banana pudding) and late pizza nights. The dangerous feeling of a clock ticking to summer and the beach led to extreme measures that still leave me up at night in disbelief.
The mind of an avid perfectionist can be a dark place to be
I don't obsess over everything. I understand the concept of things being out of our control at times. But when I can control something? Like my education? My physique? I go 1000% in. Sometimes I go too far in and can't get out, but not anymore.
Reversing a trigger, especially when it's a season, is not easy
It's not easy to reverse triggers, especially when mine is a certain time of year, but it's necessary to live our best lives! This applies to anything stealing our energy that is meant to enhance our quality of life. I need to make a conscious effort everyday to not spend so much time working out and directing my energy towards other hobbies, like reading and writing. I need to choose memories over calories and missed workouts for good times with my loved ones.
This is the most beautiful time of the year and I plan to enjoy it
Instead of worrying about the bathing suits appearing in every store's window, I plan to enjoy May's flowers' blooms, symbolizing a new beginning. Despite the eye-blurring pollen, my past "countdown" season is actually the prettiest time of year. Since reversing my trigger of spring, I can now focus on its beauty and take advantage of its ability to give me a fresh start.
Stop Judging People If Their Resolution Is To Lose Weight
Last time I checked it's not 'your gym,' sweetie.
Studies show that the top 3 resolutions for the new year are to eat healthier, exercise more and lose weight.
These are amazing resolutions, but these are also resolutions that are harshly judged in the public eye.
As a curvy woman, I used to feel beyond insecure about going to the gym or ordering a salad from a restaurant. In my head, all I thought about was people saying "she's doing that wrong" or "I know she didn't get that way by eating salads" or some other negative comment that I saw being commented somewhere else. As result, I'd stop going to the gym and begin eating poorly.
I know what you might be thinking. These are things all in my head or I shouldn't let some random person make me feel less. Yet some people aren't as strong as others when it comes to these harsh comments. There is a high expectation for what our bodies should look like and when people tell us we don't fit in that category, we start to not like ourselves.
Luckily over the years, I have gained so much more confidence because of who I surround myself with. But I know that is not the case for everyone.
Granted there are people who positively encourage this change, but it's those negative comments that hurt a person more. There can be 100 comments saying how someone is looking great and looked at as an inspiration, but as I said, it only takes one comment/person to make someone feel highly discouraged from reaching their goal.
Losing weight is seen as the 'basic resolution' but it's not a basic action. It is life changing experience and no one should make that goal seem unreachable.
Already I have seen so many Snapchat /Instagram mentions about how annoying it is when a gym is full of 'those new years resolution people" at the beginning of the month. The biggest thing I ask when someone I know says this is "since when do you get to decide how another person should live their life" and sometimes I'm petty and will say "last time I checked it's not your gym sweetie", I'm sorry but it's not. Gyms build a person mentally and physically, don't take that away from someone because you think you can dictate on who comes in the gym.
It doesn't matter if it's a stranger or even your friend who has this solution, take it seriously and encourage them to follow through with their goal rather than discourage.
Rather than judging someone for wanting to make a positive change in their lives, we need to encourage them and let that person do them.
So before you comment on someone's looks, body, lifestyle, think to yourself "how is this going to make that person feel?" or "what kind of person does that make me if I decide to tear that person down?"
I wish all those people whose resolution is to eat healthier, exercise more and lose weight the best of luck because I'm about to go through that life-changing experience myself. No matter what your goal is, it can be reached one way or another.