The Past is the Past

Day One of my 100 Day Challenge is here! And today's exercise in motivation is about letting go of past failures because they really mean diddly squat. Yes, it's true...just because you have failed in the past doesn't mean you are going to do the same this time around. The key is learn from those past failures. Be aware of them, and figure out what you're going to do to have different results now.

The first step is to identify the negative behaviors that have hurt your success in the past, and then decide on a different ending. The book, 100 Days of Weight Loss, uses the phrase, "I used to ______, but now I ______." Here's my list of five.

I used to get overwhelmed by stress in the middle of the day, and the first solution would be chocolate and throwing healthy eating out the window, but now I remind myself that living a long and healthy life is really important to me. Instead of reaching for chocolate, I take a quick walk outside to get some fresh air and give myself some time to clear my head.

I used to use being tired as a lame excuse not to exercise, but now I tell myself to just do at least 15 minutes. If I'm still feeling blah after 15 minutes, then I can stop and get some rest. (Chances are I won't still be feeling blah.)

I used to set my expectations of success at being perfectly on plan (which usually ended up with me going in the complete opposite direction of said plan), but now I pay attention to the progress I am making, and give myself high fives for the small accomplishments along the way. If I fall off the success wagon, then I just dust myself off and keep on trying.

I used to get overwhelmed at the idea of living the fit life for the rest of my life (I really love chocolate), but now I'm learning that being healthy does mean that you can eat chocolate and other goodies in moderation. Eating just a little bit does not mean a free for all pass for the chips and salsa.

I used to get discouraged by my ultimate goals (and I don't even know if they were good goals), and give up because it's TOO hard, but now I take it bit by bit. I just focus on 5 pounds and one dress size at a time, and once I'm there I reevaluate where to go next.

How about you? Do you have any negative behaviors or past beliefs that are holding you back?

Court