WHY DON'T I DO THE THINGS I KNOW ARE GOOD FOR ME?

This is the title of a book by BJ Gallagher.

It is basically about taking care of yourself.  You might think that you do, but how many of us KNOW we should exercise, or eat healthier, even if it means just adding a few more vegetables to the diet, or losing a few pounds, sleeping more, less TV or computer..the list goes on.  Or maybe your issue is a bigger one.  We all know that women notoriously put others before themselves, especially our children, and often neglect our own self care.

The idea behind this book, is taking small steps to improve the big picture. 

WOW!  This book is tough!  It digs right in...it is not meant to make you depressed.  It is supposed to help you "figure it all out" and eventually take better care of yourself.  And in doing that you take better care of others.   But it hits all the right spots...

I have just started the second week.  The first week was about "observing yourself"...Not doing anything....just watching...how you react to others, how they react to you, during different situations and conversations.   You carry a small pad with you and jot down your observations.

The second week, (that I have just started) is about "self talk"... Again, writing down your notes.  How do you talk to yourself?  In general?  Is it encouraging or discouraging?  Is it positive self talk or negative.  What happens when you mess up?  What happens when you do good?   This week, the author advises you to bring your friends into it, so if you talk negatively about yourself out loud, they can point it out so you can write it down.  This is about the voices you might have heard growing up.  Not to put any blame on parents, but we all grow up thinking of ourselves, in the way we were taught to think about ourselves....intentional or unintentional.....by all those in our young lives.  Besides,  parents there are teachers, other relatives, and friends, and even strangers, that make up our young early lives, and tell us who we are.  Or maybe it is who "they" think we are.

You are to do nothing but observe..change nothing.  But I am finding that in observing, you do make some changes..or at least mental notes of what to change.

More on this as I progress in it.  All in the process of finding my "True North".

See you later,

Janie