My Story: A Journey Out Of Hell And Into Freedom!
What worked for me? My compulsive eating and addictions were transformed through learning about self-care. I didn’t like the results I was getting, and I realized:
If I continue to do what I’ve always done,
I’ll continue to get what I’ve always gotten.
To change seemed overwhelming, so I thought: How to swallow an elephant?
One bite at a time! That
is, small baby steps
...lead to success. Ya-a-ay!
My lifestyle habits were dramatically off track until I was 21 years old. I’ve maintained the more respectful and loving lifestyle-care choices for over 44 years. I’ve also been drug and alcohol-free for over 31 years.
Early in my life, I created the causes and made the daily choices that led to my being dramatically overweight and unhealthy. Then, step-by-step I have created the daily choices to be healthy. Gradually, I transformed my whole life—one bite at a time! My life has been a demonstration of the Laws of Cause & Effect or Sowing & Reaping.
Self-learning was required since I didn’t come with an instruction manual that answered these questions for me:
- What kind of body fuel should I eat? How could I find a food plan I could follow for life? How could I fix quick and delicious meals and snacks in the midst of a busy day?
- How often should I “fuel up” my body? See “Defining a Plan of Eating” in the Essential Skills section.
- What kind of body movement and activity was best for me? What activity would I enjoy for a lifetime? How much? How often?
- What kind of nurturing activities would help maintain my buoyancy and delight in life and fill up my well of reserve? How would I establish and continue healthful social relationships? How could I keep all of these relationships in balance?
- What kind of spiritual discipline would help me maintain my innermost connection with my deepest sense of openhearted aliveness? How do I daily find time to nurture this relationship?
- How would I discover resources and supports that provide structure, insight and a process for on-going life transformation, guidance, and balance?
- How would I practically apply these awarenesses in the day-to-day adventures of life?
My unhealthy habits; negative, self-defeating attitudes; and self-destructive overeating were firmly entrenched--so it took lots of practice, patience, persistence, and positive attitude to persevere on this personal odyssey of adventurous wondering. I decided to celebrate a healthy lifestyle—to cultivate the attitude of joyous effort—an attitude of excitement and fun—the fun of lifelong learning.
What It Was Like:
My high school graduation picture—I weighed over 100 pounds more
I started out life weighing 4 pounds 12 ounces, but got much heavier until my whole life became overwhelmed.
My excess body weight was the result of all the daily choices I made and many things in my environment that influenced me. The patterns those choices formed, were on these levels: physical, emotional, spiritual, social, discovering and applying balance in lifestyle, and mental.