Whether it’s losing weight, eating better or trying to stay positive, new habits can take time to incorporate into our lives. However, most Americans seem to be looking for a quick fix solution to most of their problems. For weight loss we turn to powders, drinks and calorie-restricted diets. There’s no doubt that they do work temporarily and may in fact help you shed weight fast, but in the long run the weight usually comes back when normal foods are eaten again. So how realistic is it to take such an approach when we know it doesn’t last?
Of course if you’re able to maintain the weight loss by including new healthy habits into your life then that’s great, but most people fall short of this goal and return to their old ways. The same applies to breaking old belief patterns that may be controlling your life. Tired of the guilt, the anger, the judgmental attitude? Great but don’t expect it to disappear overnight. It took a long time for you to get that way and will take quite a while for you to break free, but it can be done. So by now you may be asking how, what’s the key to staying on track and leaving old habits behind?
Well it may sound oversimplified but patience is the first step. Be patient with yourself and don’t stop trying when you fall short. There is no such thing as failure, everything you do produces a result. It’s how you label that result that determines what it is. So go easy on yourself and remember that you’re human and no one is judging you. Secondly, try to stay in the present moment as much as possible. Be present in all that you do, you can learn from the past but don’t let it rule your present moment. As for the future, set positive goals for yourself but remember that each thing you do now creates your future, so be here now!! Practicing these concepts can do wonders for every area of your life. You will be mindful of what you’re eating each time you sit down to a meal instead of rushing through and not realizing how much you ate. You will enjoy your workout more when you are fully present instead of thinking about what has to be done next. Lastly, you will also realize when you are living in the moment that fear, worry and guilt only exist when you think about the past, which is gone, and the future, which hasn’t happened yet. All you ever really have is NOW!!! –