Breaking the Cycle and Building Self-Trust
It was a Sunday night when she stood in the bathroom making sure to avoid her reflection in the mirror and slipped on her floral grandma-style pjs. Thinking to herself, “I blew it again this weekend. Tomorrow is Monday. I WILL be better this week. I will start again tomorrow.” Yet, in the back of her mind, she knew that this is the SAME thing she said every week and she felt powerless to change. She flipped off the light and trudged to bed already exhausted and overwhelmed with this week’s to-do list. As she lay there in bed finally drifting off to sleep, she had a fleeting thought, I don’t know if I have what it takes to hold it all together AND take care of myself…
Do you remember the books that you got to pick the ending? Everyone loved those books…I usually read all the endings to see which one I liked best. Let’s use that same strategy here to choose the ending of Jane’s story:
It was a typical Monday morning when Jane woke up still feeling groggy and unmotivated. She had a long day ahead of her and felt overwhelmed just thinking about it. As she got dressed, she couldn't help but remember the thoughts that had plagued her just the night before.
But something was different that day. As she headed to the kitchen to make breakfast, she made a conscious decision to take charge of her health and nutrition. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was determined to make a change.
Instead of grabbing a sugary cereal or pastry for breakfast, she made herself a healthy protein-packed breakfast with the addition of fruits and vegetables. As she ate it, she felt energized and ready to face the day.
Throughout her busy day, she made sure to take frequent breaks to move her body and stretch…
OR
After a fitful night of sleep, Jane jolted awake with a start realizing that her alarm was blaring. She picked up her phone to the shock that she had overslept and was now running late. She quickly got ready for her day and had to skip breakfast because there was just no time. Plus she didn’t even know what there was to eat. The day that started out hurried didn’t get any better and by the end of the night all she wanted to do was crash, binge on her favorite show, and eat the foods that helped soothe her. One more day had passed that she didn’t uphold her promise to herself furthering her lack of self-confidence and her shattering any perception of her worth…
We all know which version of this story we want to be OUR story but sometimes it just seems impossible. It feels like we have told ourselves a million times that I am going to eat right. (Do you even know what this looks like for you?) I am going to walk more. I am going to read. I am going to pray. Yet, again and again, we break our word to ourselves.
How do you start to build that self-trust? It is built by following through with the promises you make to yourself one moment at a time. Learning to trust again, whether that be with yourself, a friend, or a spouse, takes time, grace, and patience.
Spoiler:
In the end, Jane chose option A and felt proud of herself and more confident than ever before. She realized that she did have what it takes to take care of herself, even amidst a busy and stressful life.
If Jane could do it, so can you. Taking charge of your health and nutrition may seem daunting, but it's possible. Start small, make smart choices, and believe in yourself. You absolutely have what it takes to make a positive change in your life. I believe in you.
If you need help, you know I am only a message away.