Countin' My Pennies

Pin It

Sometimes us everyday people want things instantly, situations perfect, and deserve everything or nothing at all. I fall into these mental traps. It is almost too easy to start thinking ONE negative thought. Then that ONE negative thought becomes two, then three, and then it snowballs into you having a bad day, week, month, and well, you get the picture. So when we are changing our lifestyles we have to be on guard for those creepy crawly negative thoughts that slip their way sneakily into our thoughts. These negative thoughts have a way of either slowing our progress or downright demolishing our goals. If the scene can't be perfect, why even try? If I mess up one day, why even bother with the others? Sounds familiar if you personalize the message. I ate a piece of cake so my diet is shot anyway. I didn't make it to the gym today so I'll never lose the weight and should give up. I failed the math test so I should drop the class. I messed up the meeting so I'll never get promoted. Ahhh starting to ring some bells, right? Negative thoughts can hide beneath temptation, deception, fear, shame, guilt, depression, and a million other feelings that can consume your thoughts. And when you are trying to change your life for the better in any area these icky emotions have a way of shaking up your confidence and determination. So as I try to be proactive in my HealthFULL Journey I was trying to think of something that would help me edge out the bad thoughts and focus more on the good strides made from good choices. I came up with the penny jar. I have been listening to a new podcast which is very motivation. I believe the title is the No Excuse Weight Loss with Jonathan Roche. (I will have to double-check the name). He made an interesting point that when we are focusing on our health. It is like building a house. When we make a good choice we are strengthening our house with a brick. When we choose an option not benefitting our health it is like taking A brick away. So if we are working hard making a ton of progress. Getting healthy, getting fit, eating smart, and choose to have one cookie. The HealthFULL Journey isn't over! We all get to that point I want it ALL OR NOTHING! That is impossible to keep up. We are human and get tired, hungry, and downright frustrated. So yes it is okay to have one cookie as a choice and we should be aware that yes a cookie or two might slow the progress of weight loss and improving health. But one cookie shouldn't stop the WHOLE process. So to create a visual for myself. I have a glass vase in my kitchen (the room where I will probably be making most of my "choices"). Every time I make a healthy choice, (get a full night's sleep, drink water, eat a healthy snack, choose extra movement) I drop a penny in the vase. If I CHOOSE to eat a dessert or miss the day's movement or don't get to the gym in the FULL week I take a penny away. I pay myself and collect from myself daily. So whatever sins are committed they are done and paid when I move into the next day. But the rewards continue. When I collect enough I am going to treat myself to something that will continue to enhance my HealthFULL Journey. I've only started to Count My Pennies, but it already has helped me to focus on the fun of finding healthier alternatives. It also has pushed aside the Negative Roadblock. Hope you are Countin' Your Pennies and leaving the Negative Roadblock behind. Enjoy your HealthFULL Journey! 'Til we meet again. . .