You’ve probably absorbed more advice than you’ve ever wanted about setting goals and making changes – especially when it comes to addressing overeating and emotional eating.
Funny how the amount we know doesn’t always correlate with the success we create, isn’t it? I know from experience how discouraging it is to feel like I’m setting the same goal over and over again, or like I’m working really hard but not getting anywhere – or always screwing up my plan at the last minute. I don’t think I’m the only one who’s felt this way.
Here’s the thing. If it’s going to work, and if it’s going to last, the path you choose has to be your path to success.
And no one can figure out that exact path without your input.
Far too many plans fail because they’re designed with a goal in mind, but they forgot to consider the user:
- Her schedule
- Her natural style
- Her need for support
- Her strengths, and her weaknesses
Write this down: Your perfect path to success with overeating (or anything else) is not likely to be created in one shot.
In fact, when you think about it, if you’re craving success that lasts, then what you’re really craving is a path to walk that you’re going to want to keep walking on for the rest of your life.
You’re craving a path, and an approach that fits you.
The most significant garment I ever purchased was my wedding dress. In order for it to fit me just perfectly, it needed quite a bit of altering.
Don’t you think your approach to creating peace with food and freedom from overeating deserves at least the same amount of customization?
How to create a path to success that you love
Recognize from the start that creating a custom fitting peace with food requires respect, time, and some trial and error.
If you want to make a change with how you’re approaching food, that’s awesome. Declare your goal. Dream about how awesome achieving it will feel. And then, design what you think is your best approach to achieving it.
Write it down. Notice how you feel about what you’ve written (before you even start). If you’re like many of us, your first attempt might sound magnificent in your head, but feel totally overwhelming when you try to plug the details into your real life.
Play with your ideas. Don’t be afraid to pay attention to hunches or to throw out “wisdom” that never really fit you.
Don’t be afraid to start smaller or easier.
When you’re ready, commit to a plan that you are willing to try for one week.
Seven days – that’s it. This is not your “forever plan.” This is an experiment.
Hint: If you find yourself hedging about committing for seven days, this is probably not the lifelong approach for you. Pay attention to your reactions. Learn from them, and use these to adjust and improve your ideas.
The best thing to do after you decide to make a change (it’s not what you think):
The best thing to do after you decide to change your eating or your relationship with food is to set up a short experiment, follow through, and then learn from the results – no matter what they are.
If you experiment goes wonderfully – fantastic! Consider what it will take to keep moving forward or to even expand your results.
If you’re like most of us and that first week held a few hiccups – fantastic! This truly is awesome – but only if you allow yourself to consider what caused them.
What didn’t work?
What did you learn?
What do you want to do differently based on the data you collected?
Did you learn anything about what you might be lacking that could improve your results?
Take your data, make adjustments, and create another seven-day experiment.
Peace with food is a marathon, not a sprint. Achieving it frees up energy, creates more ease and space, and joy in your life, and feels fantastic. Your path to achieving it will be uniquely yours, but like everyone else who’s ever made peace with food, you’ll do it imperfectly, you’ll learn awesome things from your mistakes, and you’ll move forward one step at a time.
We’ve got this!
PS: Are you wanting individualized help in moving forward? I have a few openings remaining for six and nine-month private coaching programs. Go here to learn more.
