Courage and Persistence

Over the last few days I have chosen to not follow my new way of life. Why did I decide it was ok to not go the gym? Or eat those chips? I have always been an emotional person therefore an emotional eater. I had a few things happen over the last days causing me stress and frustration, so instead of going to the gym to blow off that steam I turned to food. Now this is a habit I use to do regularly and not even realize it. When I quit smoking I never craved the nicotine, it was the habit I had to break, the lighting up while driving, or right after eating. After time I lost the feeling of that habit as I changed the things I would do during those times. Now this is along the same thing, I didn't eat those chips because I wanted them. I ate them because it was a habit for me, to turn my emotional feelings towards food. I will choose to go the gym when I'm stressed rather then reaching for food. It will take time for our new choices to rid the old habit and become the new one. I've read many different opinions on the time it takes our brains to forget the old paths, but as long as we continue daily it will change. During our journeys we will loose our direction and slip into the old path. This applies to every goal we are trying achieve whether its paying off your car or going to the gym. If we realize this in beginning it will make it all that much easier to recover from the set back. How many times have you slipped and said "Oh well I'll eat the rest of these Oreo's since I already had one". The best things we can do is prepare for those slips and commit ourselves to not giving up on our goals. Self-forgiveness will keep us from punishing ourselves by eating the rest of that bag of Oreo's. So for 2 days I slipped and I forgive myself, as tomorrow I can make a different choice. I will remember what my true happiness is, what my goal is, and what I have accomplished thus far. So if you have also slipped of your journey whatever it may be, forgive yourself and start tomorrow. Avoid negative thoughts, you are not a failure. Look at what you have accomplished already and admire yourself for starting again.