Happy New Year’s y’all!!🎉🎊✨
Anyone else as happy as me to say goodbye to 2020? LOL , what a year it’s been right? How many times have you said “It’s fine. I’m fine?” It’s become a joke at our house. I got my hubby a dumpster fire ornament for Christmas and he loved it, LOL🤣
But all joking aside we are headed into a new year.
A new season.
A fresh start!
I jokingly said before I agree to 2021 I need to see some terms and conditions. Ok, ok, ok that was the last one 🤣 I’m pretty sure that’s partly how I made it through this past year was all the funny memes.
Laughter is the best medicine.
What do you think of when I say New Years resolutions? Here are just a few. Number 1 and 2 are always neck and neck
Exercise more
Lose weight
Get organized
Get a hobby
Save more money
Quit smoking/drink less
Spend more time with family
Let me preface this by saying there is nothing wrong with doing New Years resolutions at all but I think it often promotes an all or nothing mindset. Which then turns things into good and bad categories. Which can then turn things into guilt and shame. I don’t know about you but I don’t need anymore guilt and shame?
So I’m offering up a different way to look at New Years resolutions....a non diet resolutions.....especially for those who struggle with eating disorders or who have been on the yo-yo diet train for many years.
Most of you know I have struggled with ED (eating disorder) but this will be my first year that I haven’t had some sorta diet related New Years resolutions that I would make a pack and fail shortly later lol.
This year I’m doing life differently.
1. Practicing Self Care
That can look differently for everyone. This one is challenging for me and I’m still learning this one. But managing your everyday stress is vital. My physical therapist has been teaching me breathing exercises and it’s been very helpful. Prayer time and worship music are also vital. You may only be able to carve out 15-30 mins a day to relax and care for yourself but do something that you enjoy.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
2. Stop Comparing Yourself
I could stay here FOREVER simply because this is something I’ve done for soooo many years. I just want you to know YOU are beautiful. YOU are unique and YOU are NOT meant to be someone else. Here’s the thing while I love Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, you are only seeing someone’s highlights. You don’t see that they took 20 pictures to post that one and they filtered it, etc. So we look at their life and think everything is all perfect when in reality it’s not. Get comfortable with who you are and where you’re at. Easier said than done I know. But God created you and doesn’t want a clone of you. You have unique gifts and talents that ONLY YOU HAVE.
Each of you must examine your own actions. Then you can be proud of your own accomplishments without comparing yourself to others. Assume your own responsibility. Galatians 6:4-5
3. Cultivating A Grateful Heart
Take a few minutes every day and just be thankful for what you have. You may not have everything you want but looking for things to be thankful for can totally change your perspective. Start small if you have too. “Today I’m thankful for hot water.” There are people all over the world that don’t have hot water and even water at all. Perspective my friend.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Col 3:15-17
4. The Should’s and Shouldn’t
Are you familiar with the Should’s and Shouldn’t? Ohhhh man, I sure am. Condemnation has hung around for far to long.
I should.
I must.
I shouldn’t.
I must be perfect.
Perform perfectly.
I have been here for far to long. Instead use words like “I may” “I can” and “it’s ok.”
These words bring freedom instead of legalism and condemnation.
“I’m free to eat this or that.”
“This category of food isn’t all bad, I can eat all food.”
“I can live a balanced life.”
“It’s OK if I feel this way.”
This brings freedom my friend!! It has taken me a long time to get to this place and I’m not “perfect” at it but I’m so thankful to be on a road to recovery and for God leading me and growing more every day.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
5. Setting Healthy Boundaries
This one is tough right? Why you ask? Because it’s hard to say “NO” for most of us, we don’t want to disappoint people or let them down. So that makes it easy to get caught up in people pleasing. We say yes to things we really don’t want to do and then resent people and start harboring unforgiveness and we get caught in a vicious cycle. I’m waaaaaaay to familiar with this one. See because of the emotions wrapped up into people pleasing it’s also relates back to food very easily.
People pleasing has been my middle name, praise God I’ve gotten better! Be true to yourself my friend. Yes, helping others is good but not to the determent of your health and the growth of the other person. Often times we hinder others the benefit and pain of growing. Learn NO! It’s a beautiful word and something great to work on this year.
“Boundaries define us. They define what is me and what is not me. A boundary shows me where i end and someone else begins, leading me to a sense of ownership. Knowing what I am to own and take responsibility for gives me freedom. Taking responsibility for my life opens up many different options. Boundaries help us keep the good in and the bad out. Setting boundaries inevitably involves taking responsibility for your choices. You are the one who makes them. You are the one who must live with their consequences. And you are the one who may be keeping yourself from making the choices you could be happy with. We must own our own thoughts and clarify distorted thinking.” Henry Cloud
6. Negative Self Talk
Mmmm, this one right here!! I am my own worst critic. Can you relate? This is one I’ve had to work at sooooo much. I still battle with this.
Stinkin thinkin.
Renewing your mind is CRUCIAL! Speaking LIFE! Getting in agreement with what God’s word says about you instead of what that negative committee is saying about you and your situation.
Change your focus. Set your mind on things above and keep it set....Col 3:2
This will be hard work but thoughts will come and go but His word gives us instructions on what to do when those negative thoughts come....and they will. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Stay on your guard my friend. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8
In closing, I hope I have made you think beyond the typical weigh loss goal of a New Years resolutions. My prayer for you is that you will have a good relationship with Lord first and foremost and then yourself. You can’t get away from yourself lol. You are with you every where you go.
Being able to get off that Yo-Yo diet train is so important. Having a healthy relationship with food and yourself is so important. Loving yourself, embracing who you are, flaws and all is freeing. I’m not totally there yet but praise God I’m not where I use to be!
What a year 2020 has been in my ED recovery, I’m SOOOO beyond thankful and truly blown away by the progress but more importantly I’m not focusing on where I’m not and how much further I have to go.
2021 I WELCOME YOU! I look forward to seeing what God will do and how He will us me and how I will grow and change more.
I’m excited to have my first year with NO DIET RESOLUTIONS!
GO GOD!! Do it!! You are gonna do AMAZING THINGS THIS YEAR I KNOW IT!!
Go bless you guys!!
Big hugs,
Nicole 💗
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