February 13th, 2019 Structure

February 13th, 2019 Structure

Yesterday was a 4-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, I personally prepared all of my meals, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

The strep test yesterday came back negative. The sore throat, coughing and general crud symptoms are running their course. I do feel much better this morning. I now know I'm not contagious and I'm headed back to work. I'm looking forward to getting back into the structure of the workday.

I prepared three good weighed and measured meals yesterday.

 














I found an excerpt from the archives that I wanted to share this morning. The point of the excerpt is how consistency isn't about being strong with loads of will power. It's about building a supportive structure for each day.

Every once in a while, I hear it: "Congratulations, you look great. You're so strong," or a similar quote. I accepted a version of this today from someone who I ran into at the grocery store, whom I hadn't seen in years. I don't think they're remotely aware of the relapse and regain period of this journey. I gracefully accepted the compliment with a "thank you, very much! I feel great too!"

Accepting a compliment and saying thank you instead of first listing off all of the reasons you believe their perception is inaccurate--is tough to do. It's important to embrace, though. I've found the urge to discount or immediately deny compliments have faded, but I still feel a little twinge in that direction. Old habits die hard.

Are we not worthy? It's not that, really. Yes, we are worthy. But I tend to examine things a little deeper, especially this notion that I'm super strong along this road. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the fragility of peace. It can be wiped away quickly. One day at a time is the truth.

Let me explain, please.

And keep in mind, I'm not discounting my success and where I am or what I'm doing. I'm simply offering perspective to this compliment I seem to attract every now and again.

Am I strong? Or have I just learned and put into practice the power of structure? Without the support structure of my fundamental elements, I'm not strong at all. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know exactly what happened when I abandoned my "rails of support." I gained back 164 pounds. I suppose I don't do anything small.

The message here is to build your system. Find what works for you. Lean on the elements you need to keep you motivated and focused toward your extraordinary care. Never underestimate the power of support from others. When we try to do this alone is precisely the moment it gets super hard. Perhaps I'm strong at building my support structure. But on my own, I'm not strong at all. I'm affected, I'm complicated and most of all, I'm human.

But if I see you out and about and you offer me a compliment like the one described above, I'll not disagree with you. I'll gracefully accept your compliment. And if you're searching for the same strength, I'll encourage you, too. Because it's in you, I know it is.

It truly isn't about building up enough strength to go it alone. It's about strengthening your rails of support. Build your support structure. Don't be afraid of accountability measures, just make sure they're designed to hold you accountable to something you can sustain long-term.
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My morning routine is complete, my food is planned and packed, and I'm headed for the door within minutes. I'm grateful!

Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

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