As I ventured out on my long run today, I tuned my iPod to the world music genre with the intention of finding the next song I would choreograph for my dance classes. Although I was not very inspired by the task at hand, I did seem to be solving other problems without conscious attention to them. 
This weekend, I was helping a friend brainstorm a new business venture, including concept details, logistics, name, and branding. Although we tossed around a lot of ideas and developed a pretty solid plan of what he wants to achieve, we were never quite satisfied with the naming/branding aspect. When I got back from my run, I was able to email him three new name ideas and a picture on which he could base a logo. He may reject them entirely, but I think it is a great illustration of how our brains work.
Reading health blogs can be an excellent source of information and encouragement; however common titles like 5 Things to Cut Out of Your Diet Now, 4 Exercises You Should Do Every Day, 6 Ways to Get a Flat Belly, or 7 Changes That Can Help You Sleep can start to give you the idea you need to be fixed. With all the information available, I have a hard time imagining everyone is doing it all. (If you follow every suggestion posted at DietsInReview, I want to hear from you!) I often write about change and meeting goals, but what I want you to know is that who you are right now, today, is not only OK, it is who life has made you to be to this point.
The people in our lives, the experiences we have had, and the lessons we have learned have shaped all the details of our lives, including our daily habits. It is not always easy to live a life without regrets, but you must forgive yourself for your past choices. Remind yourself that you made the best choice that you could at that moment based on the information that you had.
Habits are those things that we do so frequently and naturally that we do them without thinking. When trying to change a habit, especially terminating a specific action or reaction or changing to a new action or reaction, these unconscious responses can feel out of your control or make you feel like you have an addiction.
When I quit drinking soda, I was not addicted and did not have withdrawals, but it was the first thing I reached for when craving sweet or wanting a boost in the afternoon. Rather than trying to control what has become an unconscious reaction, you may find it easier to control the stimuli that cause that reaction or create new stimuli to create a new reaction.
Stress is what gets you out of bed in the morning, reading this blog, and Christmas morning. Stress is an often misunderstood term. Stress is any stimulus or change in your life that creates or requires a change or reaction. According to the classic stress inventory, marriage is more stressful than being fired, the death of a close friend, or foreclosure. Even positive events create Eustress, a feeling of fulfillment, while less desirable events can create Distress.
The stoic philosopher Epictetus reminded us that “what upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about the things.” Every person has a somewhat different reaction to the same event. Some will find family gatherings to cause distress, while others will find that the effort required to prepare and travel for such events are well worth the renewal received. I have a very dear friend who in one week experienced her husband leaving her, being fired from her job, and being diagnosed with breast cancer; she considered it an opportunity for a new start and to refocus on herself.
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