Practice Makes Perfect

Hi.

The first thing you run into when you try something new is nearly always failure of some sort. That is why you have to realize that you are practicing and through the failures you can begin to get things right by not letting that stop you. Just get up and go again in the right direction.

Yesterday I really got inspired to apply my skills to a new arena. I have all the theories down right, I think. I have had success in other areas with them and am starting to apply them to the food arena. Then in the evening the freight train started. In this phase I am learning how to stop the freight train, but you can't stop the freight train, until you begin to recognize it. Mine was an overwhelming desire to have another sandwich after I had just eaten one. I saw the thoughts which showed up as pictures in my mind of the next sandwich I wanted. I felt the desire in my body and noticed it. In the past, I have been the victim of these thoughts, and I had never stopped them before. Even as they came up this time, I felt I had no choice, as I went out and prepared and ate the second sandwich. I saw myself decide and also saw myself feeling powerless against it. I also felt embarrassed after all that I had blogged about that very day.

Looking back from here, I can begin to see what happened and also begin lay the plan for stopping the train of thought. At this point in time, I am only noticing it after it has gone down the track to the "I'm powerless over this craving feeling so I must obey it." If I begin to notice the mile stones on the track, then I can begin to put the breaks on before it gets to the "I'm powerless over this picture in my head, so I have to eat this" point. I remember the technique that I used to help me get over my other obsession with depression and anxiety, which I used to feel powerless over. It was a note book. Whenever I would have a feeling (a result) that made me feel bad, I would look back at the previous thought to see what it was, and write that down. Then step two was to point out where the thinking was flawed, and step three was to replace it with truth that lead in a better direction. I think I need to do that for at least a week to see how my thinking is working in this arena.  I used to carry a small notebook with me everywhere and write things down as they occurred. I can see that I must do that again with these thoughts, too, if I am ever going to conquer them. To conquer means to have power over. I am not powerless over what I do with my thoughts.

I am happy to be in this spot. Beginning is a good place to be. I trust that the Lord will show me the way. He did before, I know He will help me again. So I will begin to write things down in my notebook and let you know how it is going.

If someone else wants to try the same things with me, here are the steps to try it out:

1. You have a craving and notice that you have a craving. (Before you eat is better, but it will work after wards if it gets that far, too. Just admit where you are.)

2. Write down what you were thinking just before you got the craving. It will be one clearly discernible thought that needs to be written down as closely as possible to the way it was said in your head. (I will give examples, once I start finding out what mine are.)

3. Notice if there is anything that is not really true in the statement. It may be something that someone said to you a long time ago, that made you feel bad. It may not be that. Whatever it is, write it down as a simple statement just as you said it to yourself.

4. Replace any lies you see in the statement with truth that supports your life and your new program now. I like to use Scriptures to help me put it into words better. Any truthful statement that leads you in a better direction is what we are looking for.

In the beginning, it won't be easy, but it will get easier if you just do it. You don't have to share your notebook with anyone at all, so you can say anything no matter how silly or embarrassing it might be. The closer you can come to the actual statement or thought that you had the better this will work. If you only get a picture, then describe the picture. Make sure you use clear and simple details of what happened in the picture or scene. Don't embellish or go off on tangents. "Just the facts, ma'am" as Jack Webb used to say. Just say, first I saw this, then this happened, then that happened. Do not editorialize. Again, do not editorialize. You simply want to take a look at what you actually were thinking without judging it.

Step two. Notice the flaws in the thinking. Point out any thing that is impossible. Notice any statements that are simply not true. No editorializing. Just write down the things that are not absolutely true. You will find there are lies of some kind embedded in the pictures or thoughts that you had. What are they? Write that down as simply and plainly as you can.

Step three, now write down what the truth is. Write down what God has to say on the subject. Write down something that assuages your soul and helps you to feel good about yourself, and where you would like to be.  Replace those thoughts with whatever is the truth that combats the lie you had previously noticed.

I looked through my notebook and discovered that I soon was able to leave out writing down step two and just included it in step three, but I am not there yet with this one. I am not sure yet what my thoughts were before the craving set in, or how it happened. I am just trying out this system and if it needs to be different to be effective in this arena, I am trusting that the Lord will show me the way.

Leave a comment and let me know if you have success with doing this or have questions. Remember: the truth will set you free.

Be back soon

--Marcia