Quitting Before You Get Started

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adversity, Apostolic, Christian, Education, faith, Fear, future, Goals, health, inner strength, Inspiration, Motivation, Overcoming, Personal Development, Personal Growth, self development, self renewal, Teaching, Women

Fear of failing held me hostage for an eternity. I finally realized it was just an excuse (filled with corruption). The battle is in our minds, right. That’s a lesson we know all too well. The voices and ‘stinking thinking’ that derail our efforts and successes shout so loudly that we shut down under the weight of contemptible excuses.
This writing is just a response to the voices and ‘stinking thinking’, SIT DOWN AND HUSH!
My sister-friend said she is withholding from beginning a healthy eating discipline because she fears failing. My Bishop Charles William Watkins (In Heaven) always taught us, “You’re never a failure until you stop trying.” But what if you never even TRY?!
I can only share my own experience of my still unyielding battle with healthy eating choices and weight loss. So many other things in life too, fearing I would not succeed so not even trying. Fortunately, though, I’ve enjoyed some successes just by taking the first step.
I finally went to the dentist after nearly half my life to rid my body of toxins that could kill me. That was a life-changing experience for me. Oral health and a never-before seen beautiful smile that increased my confidence and self-love. Then I applied to college at age 50, enrolled in my first course, pursued my undergraduate degree, completed my B.A. and walked across that stage at age 55 with all the memorable Pomp and Circumstance … a dream realized for myself.
But this weight! It seemed insurmountable. I read what to do. I knew what to do. I went to Zumba. I consutled with a Nutrition Coach. But mostly I kept eating poorly (cake and potatoes several times a day), exercising sporadically (not really) and drinking wonderul delicious lattes … because I feared failing. I’m convinced too that there are underlying constructs that feed into our food dependencies. (That’s a subject for another writing.)
My time came though, this year!
I decided at the beginning of the year, this would be my year. I asked what am I going to do this year, what am I going to focus on and the response was ‘Me’. The Daniel Fast was still a thought looming in my head from last year. I bought the book, read the book, but I didn’t do it. This time (timing is everything), I was fed up with how I felt, how I looked, the whole dilemma. January 5, 2014 was my day, the Lord has and continues to be my guide and strength and I haven’t looked back.
“Faith is taking the first step when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
EVERY DAY, I’m taking first steps.
Do it with me, squash the fear.
Just by taking the first step, you already WIN!
#winning

Don’t Feed Your Emotions With Food

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Apostolic, Children, Christian, Education, faith, Family, future, Goals, health, Motivation, Overcoming, Personal Development, Personal Growth, self development, self renewal, Teaching, Women

My Son-in-Love said the most profound thing the other day …
We were driving home and his baby daughter, Astrid, was crying so her Mom offered her a potato chip.
Her Dad said to her, “Astrid, don’t feed your emotions with food.”
She’s only 16 mos old but that lesson, even now while she is young, is a critical one that I can relate to. He offered some alternative ways she should comfort her emotions but that statement was like a sonic boom to me. What a great lesson. I pray he keeps teaching her and she learns it well.
I know I’m an emotional eater. Eat when I’m happy, eat when I’m anxious, eat when I’m sad. The downfall is that it is usually unhealthy food that we choose to comfort us or that we choose to celebrate a happy time.
I’ve been on a healthy eating journey for 10 weeks and the same patterns persist. When my emotional equilibrium is off kilter, reach for something to satisfy. Fortunately, I now reach for a piece of fruit or some nuts. The point, however, is that behavior or mindset that has to be unlearned or never taught or developed. I remember teaching a Women’s Sunday School lesson many years ago about not letting our emotions control us but using them to our advantage. I wish I could find my notes from that now.
Generally though, we are slaves to our emotions, making bad decisions, being impulsive and irrational, not listening to what we know to be true and good, not listening to God. We are driven by them. We must reign them in. Like all binding, smothering strongholds of our lives, we must bring our emotions under subjection to more holistic thoughts of truth and faith. The battle is in the mind, our thought processes which act as a power surge to our emotions. So we have to constantly combat with God’s Word, His promises, positivity, healthy influences and environments, and learning. While learning, get understanding, apply wisdom, GROW. Constantly, consistently, persistently doing battle with perseverance and tenacity to not give up, but to WIN.
So Dominic is teaching Astrid well and his Mom-in-Love too.
Let your emotions work for you so that you will have VICTORY.
Philippians 4:7-9 ~
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.