Sticking to your guns

Happy February!

As you embark upon a more healthful lifestyle, and start changing your habits for the better, you may be challenged in ways that you may have not been prepared for. Family will push you to eat more, co-workers will tempt you with a piece of birthday cake, and friends might call you “lame” or “boring”, or even “WEIRD”! After hearing these words time and time again, you may actually start believing these heinous lies. But please, not to worry-you are on the right path-PLEASE STICK TO YOUR GUNS!

In my quest for a more healthful and holistic lifestyle, I’ve been called just about every name in the book. I’ve been the subject of family conversation, and I’ve been poked at (jokingly, but after the 50th time, it’s no longer funny) by friends. Just a few statements that I’ve heard in my day:

“So, what DO you eat?”

“Do you have any REAL food in this fridge?”

“You need to loosen up”

“Life is too short to live that disciplined”

“You’re no fun! Have a drink!”

You get the point. I could go on and on and on…but you get it.

I’ve also heard the complete opposite-many people are 100% supportive and think that living a healthful lifestyle is wonderful. I commend these people!

I think that most people are not comfortable standing up for what they believe-so they succumb to what others around them are doing. I’ve been victim to this game plenty of times-eating that piece of cake I really didn’t want to eat, having a drink because I was pressured too many times, or having a second helping when I was nowhere NEAR hungry. All these pressures add up, and they start to eat away at your self-control and integrity.

Every time you give in, you lose a little bit of confidence in yourself. You lose faith in yourself. You are telling the other party/person (and yourself) that you aren’t strong enough to say no, and that you really aren’t serious about your health/goals/etc.

I am telling you that it is ABSOLUTELY OKAY to say NO, decline the cake, cookie, dessert, drink, or whatever it is that is being shoved in your face. You must have control and exercise it often. Once you become comfortable with your lifestyle and beliefs, it becomes easier and easier to show your true colors and be who you are.

If your friends and family cannot understand this, then that’s their problem, not yours. If people think you are lame, stand even more proud. Eventually, people will start to look at you with respect and admiration, and you probably will no longer be invited to any more parties, functions, or gatherings.

JUST KIDDING!

Let’s fight the good fight together! Just say NO!