So here we are a week later and how did I do? Great! All things considering.

Almost as soon as I wrote my last post, the winds kicked up in our city and the allergies set in. There was a point, over the weekend, that I thought it had morphed into a full-blown cold. I was miserable. But fortunately, as the winds died down, so did my symptoms. Today I am breathing freely. It’s a warm 84 degrees in sunny Sacramento with only a very light breeze. My kind of weather.

I did my best to eat wisely, but…when you’re just not feeling well, it’s pretty hard to focus in on everything healthy. It’s during those times when the comfort foods call out. But I decided that I wasn’t going to have one of those throw-in-the-towel moments and tell myself I’ve failed again. Nope. I decided that I’d enjoy my comfort foods in moderation.

I’m happy to report that I’m down 3.2 lbs. Not too shabby. It’s amazing how a turn of perspective can make all the difference in the world. I have seriously yo-yo’d for years and when I’ve allowed myself extra things “off the plan,” I would often beat myself up for it. As the week progressed and the way I felt went downhill, I decided to just forgive myself ahead of time, for any little rabbit trails I headed down. And it wasn’t like this gave me permission to just eat anything and everything. I still kept a certain focus, but allowed myself a few little treats. And look at me…I did just fine. I’m not thinking about what I would have lost had I been perfect, I’m celebrating the steps I made in moving forward.

In my humble opinion, it’s our mental state of mind that can be so damaging in our efforts. We tend to say good things to ourselves when we’re being perfect, but when we slide just a bit, we say awful things. Things that we would never take from anyone else. So that’s the area that I’m focusing in on…talking nicely to the person that beats inside my heart. She’s perfectly imperfect and so I want to show her love and kindness.

So today I’m telling myself, “Good job!” And I feel encouraged and confident to face the week ahead. By the way, today is my birthday. Most of my clan will be here for dinner and dessert tonight. We are a pizza and ice cream loving family, so that’s what we’re going to enjoy – just for this evening. That doesn’t mean I’m going to be a glutton, but I am going to enjoy this little moment. And tomorrow, as I start my new day, I’ll reflect on what a fun evening we enjoyed together and then I’ll keep on moving forward.

Be kind to yourself, friends. Wherever you are in your own personal journey, learn to focus your heart and mind on all that is good. Health begins in the heart.

~CindyLu