Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Choosing to. . . Choose!

Today we had an awesome group that included folks who had been in HOPE years past and came back to join us and newcomers who have started their journey with us recently.  Together we make a wonderful group of women who are at different places in this hard fought journey called lasting lifestyle change! Today we talked about choice.  I'm not sure there is much that's more foundational to this journey than understanding that I have a choices. Choices about my job, my relationships, my weight, my health, my spiritual path and any other topic that you'd like to add to this list.  Feeling trapped in something is a symptom of codependency and is simply an illusion. I am not controlled by circumstances, the past, expectations of others or unrealistic expectations of myself.  I have choices and when I hear myself say "I don't have a choice" . . .  then I am CHOOSING not to choose.  Not choosing locks me into feeling like a victim with no control, feeling like I must control everything or feeling like I am responsible for taking care of everyone.  Hear the "all or nothing" in that?? It will never serve me well.  Ever. 

Lifestyle change is NOT about behaving perfectly or according to anyone elses rules.  More than anything else, lifestyle change is about knowing we have choices and giving ourself the freedom to choose.

TOOL: 
a)  What choices on the journey of lifestyle change seem to be the hardest to maintain?

b)  What would create consistency for you?

c)  What would block consistency for you?  Why?

2 comments:

Yarbster said...

I choose to intentionally choose and at times I need to re-choose daily or even hourly! Thanks for a great meeting on Tuesday. Will miss being with you all next week as I will be out of town. Yarby

Unknown said...

Thank you, Julie! This realization has been most helpful to me...there is much freedom in knowing I have choices. I no longer choose to believe the lie than I am a victim of my circumstances. I am excited about the possibilites ahead as I choose change in my life!