Overcoming obstacles to your healthy intentions
Today I'm taking a breather from my Top 10 Healthy Habits series; it will resume with my next post on Friday.
One of the intentions that I'm focusing on these days is to get more exercise. Another is to drive my car less. Fortunately, these complement each other nicely and come together to create a third intention which incorporates both: ride my bike more. That's pretty clear, isn't it?
Here's an example of how easy it can be to fall away from our intentions. Over the weekend, I had plans to meet a friend for lunch at a restaurant about 3 miles from my house. At breakfast, I said to my husband, "I should ride my bike to lunch." He said, "Great idea!"
Then almost immediately, the objections started flowing.
Me: "But the sun will be really high then. And it will be hot. And I'll have to ride home on a full stomach. It's uphill all the way home. And I won't be able to bring home any leftovers..."
Husband (patiently refraining from rolling his eyes at me): "Wear sunscreen. And take lots of water. And ride slow, and stop to rest if you need to. And order something small so you won't be too full and you won't have leftovers."
Me: "Oh. Okay."
And I rode my bike, and I enjoyed it.
What helped me get back on track?
- My intentions were clear to me, and they really are important. On a deep level, I did not want to give in to the objections.
- I stated the obstacles out loud. This allowed me to hear how absurd and childish I sounded, so that I was almost laughing at myself by the time I finished talking. It also allowed my husband to support me.
- My husband didn't push me or tell me what to do, but he gently reminded me that the obstacles weren't really so big.
Is there a time recently when you've not followed through on an intention? How clearly have you stated your intentions to yourself? How clear are you when objections or obstacles come up? Is there someone close to you who can support you in a gentle and non-judgmental way?
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Melissa H. Kennedy
Reader Comments (1)
I am an avid runner. I find that eating in moderation is so helpful. I am also lazy when it comes to it as well. I do not always want to be mindful of what I eat. I try to think to myself and say that if I don't that will mean I will have to work extra hard to burn it off. I talked to my doctor and this is what he said to me "The body is like a machine that needs the right amount of water and fuel in order to run correctly." He suggested that I see a dietician and an acupuncturist. It is so important to have Health Insurance as well. He also recommends that I take time to an acupuncturist as often as I can.