It occurred to me yesterday that now that I'm not blogging regularly or doing the 100 Days, I only write when I'm struggling and need to dump my feelings. Well, no more! This entry is my attempt to be a more regular writer and bring more light to the full spectrum of food experiences, not only the darker ones.
After I wrote my last entry, one of my amazing friends sent me a youTube video of a lecture by Kelly McGonical, and I can't stop thinking about it. In the video she looks at some of the research on willpower, and discusses the findings and strategies on how we can make it easier for ourselves to accomplish a goal, or to break a habit we want to break.
The video is a bit on the longer side, but it is totally worth watching:
Here are my top 3 takeaways from this video:
- Research shows that if we are compassionate with ourselves after we slip up or have a relapse (food, smoking, any addiction we are trying to quit), we are much more likely to succeed. If we feel guilty or shameful, it's more difficult to get back on track.
- Visualizing our predicted failures rather than our success is actually more helpful in achieving a goal. If we can imagine what and how we'll fail, or what it is that will get in our way before we begin, we can more effectively create strategies to counter these predicted moments of failure. For example, if my goal is to lose 5 pounds, it would serve me better to imagine all the potential roadblocks and then brainstorm on how I will handle them, rather than just visualize standing on the scale and the number being 5 pounds lower.
- A mindfulness technique called 'surfing the urge' is a great tool for when you have a craving, or know you are about to resort back to the behavior you're trying to change. There are lots of resources online that talk about this technique, but the video gives four easy steps:
1. Notice the thought, craving, or feeling.
2. Accept and attend to the inner experience.
3. Breathe and give your brain and body a chance to pause and plan.
4. Broaden your attention, and look for the action that will help you achieve your goal.
Pretty neat stuff, right? The part of my brain that understands science and research is probably the size of a grain of sand, but this I get. It is totally in line with everything I've read and understand about Buddhism, yoga philosophy, and mindfulness training. We have to let ourselves feel our feelings; if we run from them, they will eventually catch up to us. We have to be compassionate and loving towards ourselves, even in (especially in) the moments where it's most difficult. And, we have to commit to knowing ourselves on the deepest level. Healing, no matter what the ailment is, is a practice in self-awareness.
I'm off to 'surf the urge'.... I'll let you know how it goes!
After I wrote my last entry, one of my amazing friends sent me a youTube video of a lecture by Kelly McGonical, and I can't stop thinking about it. In the video she looks at some of the research on willpower, and discusses the findings and strategies on how we can make it easier for ourselves to accomplish a goal, or to break a habit we want to break.
The video is a bit on the longer side, but it is totally worth watching:
Here are my top 3 takeaways from this video:
- Research shows that if we are compassionate with ourselves after we slip up or have a relapse (food, smoking, any addiction we are trying to quit), we are much more likely to succeed. If we feel guilty or shameful, it's more difficult to get back on track.
- Visualizing our predicted failures rather than our success is actually more helpful in achieving a goal. If we can imagine what and how we'll fail, or what it is that will get in our way before we begin, we can more effectively create strategies to counter these predicted moments of failure. For example, if my goal is to lose 5 pounds, it would serve me better to imagine all the potential roadblocks and then brainstorm on how I will handle them, rather than just visualize standing on the scale and the number being 5 pounds lower.
- A mindfulness technique called 'surfing the urge' is a great tool for when you have a craving, or know you are about to resort back to the behavior you're trying to change. There are lots of resources online that talk about this technique, but the video gives four easy steps:
1. Notice the thought, craving, or feeling.
2. Accept and attend to the inner experience.
3. Breathe and give your brain and body a chance to pause and plan.
4. Broaden your attention, and look for the action that will help you achieve your goal.
Pretty neat stuff, right? The part of my brain that understands science and research is probably the size of a grain of sand, but this I get. It is totally in line with everything I've read and understand about Buddhism, yoga philosophy, and mindfulness training. We have to let ourselves feel our feelings; if we run from them, they will eventually catch up to us. We have to be compassionate and loving towards ourselves, even in (especially in) the moments where it's most difficult. And, we have to commit to knowing ourselves on the deepest level. Healing, no matter what the ailment is, is a practice in self-awareness.
I'm off to 'surf the urge'.... I'll let you know how it goes!
totally worth watching!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
YAY! Kate! :)
ReplyDelete