Today I choose to be Hopeful
about the difficulties in my life.
You can choose to join me in doing this.

  Wisdom from a member of a forum I frequent:

“Situations don't MAKE us eat,
stress doesn't make us eat,
being exposed to certain foods doesn't make us eat, etc.

They all increase the DESIRE to eat even when there is no true hunger.
It would be nice to be able to avoid situations that make us desire food,
but good luck.

Just having the desire doesn't make us eat, either,
anymore than feeling the urge to urinate makes us relieve ourselves
as soon as we feel it. And just because relieving themselves
(after waiting until an appropriate time and place) feels good,
most people don't purposely drink more and more
just so that they can feel that good feeling again. “ 

Sometimes I choose not to organize my Thoughts,
and just write about them in a random manner
Today is one of those days.

This is my first morning weighing in without any cast.
I am pleased about this.
However, even a slight use of my wrist, arm and hand is painful.
I am unable to grasp anything; can’t curl my hand into a fist,
or position my wrist above the keyboard in a typing position.
So recovery appears to be more distant than I anticipated,
and I am working to readjust my expectations
about being able to quickly resume my normal activities.

Today my weight is only one pound higher
than it was on Good Friday morning,
which is the day I broke my wrist.
During this period, I’ve managed to keep my calories
lower than is normal for me, but I’ve had to spend
a great deal of time at rest, which reduced my energy burn.
I am both grateful for, and dissatisfied by, my weight results,
and I believe that is a fairly normal reaction.
 One of my sisters-in-law died this week, 
which reminds me that life is short and precious.
Looking at the Big Picture shows me that
my temporary disability and discomfort is actually
only a minor inconvenience.

Sorrow comes to us all, and there are times we feel sad.
But even during times of sadness, I believe that each of us has the ability
to work on adjusting our mental attitudes toward Acceptance and Gratitude,
and that by placing our focus on the things that are positive
we can make life far more pleasant, both for ourselves and for others.

Feeling Lucky often takes effort.

Directing one's Focus on the Positive is hard work.
Old patterns, old thoughts, old behaviors
will come up again and again.
In order to be healthy, we must learn to accept this fact,
and let them surface precisely so we can let them out

 Sometimes I mope, worry, and cry a few times,
and write my feelings down.
Up and out and gone. Until next time.
I work on Acceptance and Gratitude.
Life is a continual awakening and a continual letting go.

Years ago, these experience were much different.
I would have had all these feelings, with no awareness.
I would have stuffed them down with food 
and then I would have felt guilt and shame.
The pathetic cycle would continue,
and I would have no idea why.

Sometimes we believe that once we:

• lose the weight
• succeed at the physical feat of our choice
• haven’t binged in X days or weeks or months or even years!
• wear a certain size clothing
• haven’t eaten the food we individually perceive as “evil”
• have bariatric surgery
• (choose some other measurement of perceived perfection)

…we believe that we’re immune. 
   But, this is never true.

It’s not about “never again”
it’s about catching ourselves sooner!

I’ve learned through my lifetime of relationships
that some things are best left unsaid.
Every Thought doesn’t need to be expressed.

Consistent courtesy and kindness are invaluable,
both verbal and nonverbal,
and this is true whether they are given or received

Just like words, facial expressions can be hurtful.
I feel better about life, myself and others
when the facial expressions of the people around me are positive.

Smiling tends to produce positive responses from others,
and the act of smiling also makes me feel a bit better.
Sour, angry, bitter or hateful facial expressions
tend to bring me down, even when these are on my own face.

It takes work to develop a consistently positive mental attitude.
It is also necessary to work on how we express our thoughts to others.
While our facial expressions sometimes tend to be reflections of our thoughts,
one part of our ability to control our own Behavior includes the way we choose
to express our thoughts to others...both verbally, and non-verbally. 

I tend to ..(not so secretly).. be self-absorbed.

Today is Friday of Memorial Day Weekend.
When I hear the term “Memorial Day Weekend”,
My first thought is the sight, smell, and taste of food at a backyard BBQ.
Next I think of the fact that Summer is beginning,
and then about past or future camping trips to the mountains
or the beach and other vacations.

 Later I think of putting flowers at the grave sites of departed family members,
and about the TV war movies my husband is going to have on for three days.

These mental pictures contain both positives and negatives.
They can lead me to the pleasant or to the unpleasant.
To feelings of Hope and Joy, or of Loss and Sadness.

I can’t keep my mind from touching on unpleasant past or future events,
but I do have the ability to consciously change my mental focus
 by directing my mind toward the more pleasant memories or current events.

Just like with all worthwhile things, learning this skill takes consistent effort,
but when my Thoughts change….so do my Feelings…and my Behavior.
I find it impossible to directly change my feelings,
…and directly changing my behavior…without first changing my thoughts…
is equally impossible for me.

So, for me, all positive change in my life begins
with me working toward positive thoughts.

My number one positive Thought is this......

Even with all of my flaws,
I am an acceptable human being,
and it is Okay to be me.