Be Kind to Yourself

So often I find that I am mentally beating myself up over seemingly minor things. Things that if I hear someone else talk down about, I would tell them that it isn't a big deal. But I can't shut off these thoughts! 

Lately, I have been having a rough time with food. I went to a wedding and an exec team camp. I then got sick and gave myself a silly little toe injury. All of this combined, resulted in a week of poor food choices and very little exercise. 

Now, looking at the whole picture, this was just one week and not even a whole week. I had good days and I did manage to run on occasion. But that doesn't help change my attitude. To me, I did not have a "perfect" week; therefore, it was a complete failure and, as a result, I "beat" myself up over it. 

Now, I know these are irrational thoughts, especially since I am trained in counseling and have been taught to recognize these thoughts even more, but I still think them. 

One of my favorite counseling concepts/theories/ideals is the notion that our emotions, thoughts, and actions are all tied together and if you can control one, you can ultimately change/impact/control the others. 

After recognizing how miserable I felt last week, because I let myself "fall off the wagon" a tiny bit, I wanted to try and start focusing on more positive areas. Yes, we all have slip-ups and yes, I did have a rough food/exercise week, but I managed to get right back on it this week and I am nowhere near where I was when I started. 

So, how can I better avoid this pitfall next time? I'm going to focus on "controlling" my thoughts. When I find myself getting down and being upset because I ate an extra piece of candy, I'm going to tell myself to STOP IT and move on and do better next time. And then I will let it go. I will NOT continue eating and feeling sorry for myself. I know this is easier said than done, but I am going to try. 

I should not let what the scale says dictate how I feel during the day or one tiny "mistake". Food is going to be a life-time struggle with me and I know I am going to have good and not-so-good days. I don't want a "not-so-good" food day to ruin my mood. 

I know this is a struggle for most people. We can have a fantastic day and one little thing goes wrong and that is what we focus on. Why? We should be better at forgiving ourselves and moving on. 

This week I am doing great. Eating healthy, running again, and even added in some Pilates. I hope this trend continues, but I know if I slip-up, I can/will get right back on it the next meal/day. 

I'M BACK! And working on my balance!

It has been a long time since I was able to blog, but I am back! 

Starting on August 17th, I have been in staff training for my job and it has been nonstop action. During this time I have met and bonded with my entire Leadership Team, enjoyed a Mississippi River Cruise, spent time at Camp, participated in both high and low rope courses, attended numerous training sessions, and been presented with way too many unhealthy food options! 

Staff training requires not only time and energy, but also the skill of balancing your personal and professional worlds. Considering how much I love my job, it is so easy to get caught up in it and have it be the only thing I do from sunup to sundown. Going into my second year as a Hall Director at UW-L, though, I've definitely learned a thing or two about balance. 

This summer I worked really hard to get organized for this year and to set personal goals that I wanted to accomplish. When training began, I was motivated and prepared to take on this challenging time of the year. Because of all this preparation and forethought, I've been able to move through training quite successful! 

Besides all the wonderful work related things I could talk about (because there are many since my staff team, exec team, and overall building is incredible already!), I've had amazing success with my personal journey of weight-loss and half-marathon training during this time! In the past, the time spent during training is a time that I would usually gain weight and/or ignore exercise making the statement: "I'm too busy, too tired, too stressed, too ____ to eat right or workout." This time I was determined to not fall into that pattern. 

During these couple weeks of training, I have managed to up my long-run to 7 miles, continued to run several times a week, participated in my first "organized" 5K (I got a bag to prove it!), and even lose weight (down more than 15 pounds since starting my half-marathon training)! 

I am beyond proud of myself for these accomplishments. I would have been happy with just one of the above, but I am thrilled to have been so successful this time around. I am not saying I did not have my slip-ups or give into some food cravings, but I managed to not let those define this journey. I am feeling more motivated than ever and I am determined to continue this more balanced personal and professional life. Finding the time to run on a regular basis can be challenging, but I'm learning it is more than worth it! 

Thank you to everyone who has asked me about my health journey, requested to run with me (and to those who I actually let run with me!), shared compliments, and offered support along the way. I would not be this successful without each and everyone one of you! 

I promise to blog more often now!