Thursday, August 17, 2017

August 17th, 2017 A Relative Term

August 17th, 2017 A Relative Term

Today: I maintained the integrity of my maintenance calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I exceeded my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with excellent support contacts.

Solid. Long day, too. Spent a little time visiting with mom tonight before heading to the studio for some voice-over work. I ended up taking much longer than I projected to complete the project. A midday nap will be required tomorrow, pure and simple--must happen. I'm scheduled to emcee a big event at the Marland Mansion tomorrow evening--without a nap, I'll be toast. I'll make sure it happens.

DDWL Rerun:
From October 21st, 2014 Finding Our Normal

One of the things I've given a lot of thought to lately is, what does it mean to be "normal?" I've concluded "normal" is a relative term. Your normal isn't my normal. We're all different.



















 This guy wanted to be normal. He wanted to have a normal relationship with food. He had fixed in his mind a vision of what it meant for him to be normal, you know, like people who are of normal weight with normal eating behaviors who wear normal clothing. To him, in order to be normal, he had to simply eat less and exercise more, yeah--that would be some kind of normal. 

 What this guy failed to recognize is, he was already normal. He was his normal.

 In order to achieve weight loss success, the perspective on "normal" had to change. It couldn't be someone else's normal, it had to be his own kind of normal.

 He could mimic someone else's normal for a while, but eventually his normal would override the abnormal impersonation of normal--and everything would go back to being his normal.

 Okay--enough of the third person--it's annoying. What I had to embrace was my normal.

 I had to let go of the idea that I wasn't normal because, in that, I was constantly suggesting I wasn't good enough or something was wrong with me. I am good enough and there's nothing wrong with me--as long as I'm not trying to be someone else's normal.

 My normal is: I'm addicted to sugar and if consumed, it triggers biochemical reactions that send me searching for more and more--and not just sugary items--I'm talking loads of carbs and high fat-- it's on!! Nothing trips my trigger like sugar--it is my normal. So I abstain, one day at a time--and it's my normal and I'm okay. 

 I enjoy a drink of alcohol on rare occasion, perhaps once or twice, maybe three times a year. It doesn't negatively affect me beyond a slight feeling of intoxication. It doesn't trip anything for me. That's my normal. I have close friends with decades of sobriety, who--if they tried to mimic my normal, it would ruin their lives for who knows how long, maybe even kill them before they found recovery again. That's their normal. So they abstain, one day at a time, it's their normal and they're okay.

 Embracing my normal is imperative to my success. My normal means that I take extraordinary care with food. My normal means no sugar. My normal means I remain active in seeking and offering support. My normal requires my attention and a rock solid commitment to doing what I do for my recovery. I fiercely protect it and never apologize for it.

 I know many people who will enjoy their share of Halloween candy in a couple of weeks and it'll not be a big deal at all. That's their normal. If I tried to mimic their normal, you would witness a much different turnaround on these pages.

 The biggest key for me to be my best requires me to embrace and accept my normal, not someone else's. I hope and pray I spend the rest of my life celebrating my normal. Because if I do, I can't lose. 

 This is what "finding what works for you" is all about. Sometimes that statement is misunderstood to mean "Find the plan or procedure" that works for you. I'm suggesting that "finding what works" for you and me, starts with honestly defining our personal normal, then fashioning a plan that gives us what we need.

 I no longer want to be some idealized version of "normal," I just want to be mine.















Today's Accountability Tweets:




























Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean
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