The other night, I was relaxing in our den, and the boys were strewn across the blanket over my legs as cats often do. This was lovely, but then I got very hot. I didn’t really want to disturb them, so I reached to turn on a little fan on the table for a quick cool down. It wouldn’t start, so I picked it up, jiggled the cord and it tried to start. More jiggling and playing with the switch, but it wouldn’t stay on. I contemplated taking it apart to check for a “short” in the wiring, something that usually elicits a “Lurch” sort of groan from Mr. Jones.
By now, I was really hot, so I threw off the cats and blanket along with a layer. With a “cool” head, I inspected the fan, then followed the cord back to the power strip.
Ah, the USB cord was no longer fully connected to the plug. It wasn’t getting the power it needed to operate. None of my jiggling or adjusting or repair of the fan could fix it. I was focused on the wrong issue.
When we’re trying to trim down our bodies, we often focus on counting calories, burning calories, or adjusting them to a particular plan. It works until the greater power – our unconscious mind – disconnects us. The unconscious mind has one job—to keep the body alive. That’s the power of the drive to eat when you feel you can’t quite control yourself, often after a time of very reduced calories. If we do not over-ride it in some way, it drives our behavior straight to the refrigerator.
What happened? We were on track! We might have even lost a good number of pounds or dress sizes, and then — pfft! And cue the beating up of self, questioning our value and intelligence.
STOP.
We may just be focused on the wrong issue.
We know we do have the power. We’ve done harder things. We’ve even succeeded in the past. Like many of you, I tried and succeeded too many times before the diet yo-yo started its upward path again.
We have the power. Yet we struggle to access it when we feel we most need it. There is a consistent pattern for most people. It begins with whatever creates the disconnection. We’re all different, so what throws us off will likely be different. What is it for you?
We start there.
