Week 4 is Here

Can you believe it? We have made it to Week 4 of Mind.Body.Soul. I am so excited you are here to share this journey with me.

This week we are totally switching gears and I am soooo READY!!

Our Word this week is:

OVERCOME

1.

to get the better of in a struggle or conflict; conquer;defeat: to overcome the enemy.

2.

to prevail over (opposition, a debility, temptations, etc.);surmount: to overcome one's weaknesses.

I have a little secret to tell you...

I am addicted to food.

Potato chips, caramels, peanut butter, bread, greasy hamburgers and fries, ice-cream....and the list goes on.

When I eat these foods it's hard to stop. I mean at first I begin with just a normal serving but then I end up eating until I feel physically stuffed and mentally and spiritually drained. 

It's a vicious circle.

And I am tired.

I  want stop numbing myself with food when I'm stressed or worried. I want to live my life...every part of it. 

Sometimes it's hard to face our life isn't it? Sometimes we feel overwhelmed and frustrated and have such sorrow that it feels like we'll never smile again. 

That's what life is though, girls. Life is just like a roller coaster....

World's longest coaster

It's all twisty and curvy with lots of highs and lots of lows. Hopefully each of us experiences more highs than lows...but regardless, we all must learn how to manage the adversity in our lives.

So I am ready. It's a brand new month, a brand new week and Spring {at least for some of us} is here. It is time to ask myself some really tough questions and hold myself accountable. I hope you'll join me this week.

Assignment #1:  

1. Take out your notebook for journaling or your art journal{I know some of you are using just one book} and make a list of the Top Ten foods you can't stop eating. Here is my list...

   *potato chips

   *chewy cookies

   *ice cream

   *homemade bread with butter

   *buttered popcorn

   *any chewy candy

   *Doritos

   *chips and salsa from La Bonita

   *buttered noodles with salt

   *cheese

   *crackers of all kinds

2. Answer the following questions...

a) How do you feel when you're eating these?

b) If you feel happy, satisfied, like all is right with the world...why do you think that is? 

c) How do you feel after you eat your binge foods? Describe how you feel physically, mentally and spiritually. An example would be...lonely, sad, depressed, failure, loser, no self-control, etc.

d) If you had a choice between eating one of your binge foods or spending time doing what you LOVE...which would you choose? Be honest here, girls. I can tell you that at times I have chosen food over what I truly love.

3. What are the consequences of your food choices? I know for me when I choose to stuff myself with sugar I get migraine headaches. When I binge on fat I am bloated and just feel yucky. My mood is bad, I am grumpy with my family and my art and writing suffer. Bingeing equals 100% sadness for me. 

This time I feel different. I feel like I am not alone in my battle with food. I know you are here. And if you are like me you understand. You know exactly what I'm saying...what I'm feeling.

Be honest with your answers, girls. No one else will see your journal. 

I promise to post Assignment #2 Tuesday night...it will be something artsy and it will lift your spirits. You will be able to see yourself in a whole new way. 

This is the week we really start to grow.