| Written by practitioner Dr. Kristina L. Sargent-- | | | | friend or relative, and you are going out to eat. Is |
| So, which are better, celebrations or regrets? | | | | this celebration about you or them? Them, right? |
| How are your New Year’s resolutions? | | | | So, what you choose to eat has no bearing on |
| Planning for next year? Reviewing your progress | | | | whether that person is celebrated, correct? |
| from last year? A quick, personal survey will | | | | Making positive choices in a restaurant will create |
| reveal the answer. | | | | a celebration of your own. |
| 1. List your celebrations. Let’s think bigger | | | | |
| than birthdays and anniversaries. Think about goals | | | | 2. When you grocery shop, is going down the |
| achieved, promises kept, or positive relationships | | | | cookie/chip aisle absolutely necessary? You may |
| maintained. | | | | think ”but my kids need….” Really, do |
| | | | | they? Or, is your example setting them up for |
| 2. List your regrets. Again – let’s get | | | | regrets later? Can your decisions in the grocery |
| deeper than forgot my kids school lunch today, or | | | | store create celebrations for your family? Better |
| running out of gas. Think about poor financial | | | | health, less doctor bills, lowering weight? |
| decisions, an unforgiven act, relationships | | | | |
| destroyed by our own pride. | | | | 3. When you make the choice to exercise, but |
| | | | | only do it once per week. Is this the choice of |
| 3. Which feels better, the celebrations or regrets? | | | | celebration or regret? If your goal is weight loss, |
| | | | | is that extra half hour of sleep creating a |
| 4. Which creates a more positive sense of self | | | | celebration or regret? |
| worth? | | | | |
| | | | | Let’s start celebrating the self esteem |
| | | | | gained by the positive decisions instead of |
| Okay, not difficult, the celebrations win! Here is | | | | focusing on all of the weight that is going to be |
| the secret: You Can Choose! Yep, in any situation | | | | lost. Yes, that will happen! Let’s focus on the |
| life brings you can choose to create celebrations | | | | gain of positive self-image and self-worth instead |
| or regrets. I know, you are thinking “wait a | | | | of the “will-power” necessary to get the |
| minute – I don’t choose when people die, | | | | job done. When you are making positive choices |
| or get divorced” and that is true. You can, | | | | and celebrating the little steps along the way, will |
| however, choose how you are going to react to | | | | power is not necessary. Positive choices will |
| those life situations. | | | | become your new habit and your life will become |
| Let’s get back to resolutions. If weight loss is | | | | one big celebration! |
| your goal this year, lets re-spin it and focus on | | | | |
| creating opportunities to celebrate. For example: | | | | Please give credit to the original author when |
| 1. You are celebrating the birthday of a close | | | | republishing all or part of any article. |