I am a planner. I am very future focused. I am always thinking three steps ahead of the game. I continually contemplate my next big move, my next paycheck, my next task to complete, etc. Even today, I am already thinking about my kids' birthday party tomorrow. Now, there is nothing wrong with forward thinking. In fact, it is a necessary part of leading a productive life. I am starting to realize, however, that constantly gazing into the future is not such a good thing. I am realizing how much I take for granted and how much enjoyment I forfeit as a result of my being so driven by the future.
Perhaps this is one of reasons why weight loss is so difficult. Most of us trying to get our weight down are very focused on the end result--fitting into a certain dress size, no longer having to take a certain medication, looking good at a high school reunion and the list could go on and on. Having a clear goal in my is a good thing. It is what keeps us motivated...right? I am starting to believe that sometimes the opposite is true.
As with anything in life, weight loss is a process. It is murky, messy, full of ups and downs. There are plenty of times when the end goal seems so far off and near impossible. The one or two pounds lost seem trivial and the intense efforts seem pointless in light of the ultimate goal. Instead of being a motivator, your focus on the end result becomes your biggest hurdle.
But what if the ultimate goal was simply to enjoy the journey, to savor it ounce by ounce? What if weight loss was more about learning and growing in self-knowledge and self-appreciation? I have decided to re-focus! Of course, I still have a goal for how much I want to loose and what I want to be able to do as a result of loosing weight. But, that is no longer my central focus. I am freeing myself from yet another weight--the weight of focusing on the future at the expense of enjoying the present. In doing so, I believe that I will be once again "on my weigh"
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