Every January I choose ONE WORD I wish to use as inspiration; a guiding goal (an emotional handrail) for my upcoming year.
In years past, I have chosen the words BALANCE, MINDFULNESS, CHOICE, CALM. I incorporate my chosen word into my everyday routines; be it in a brief meditation each day in the shower, or saying the word as I take a deep breath sometime during a stressful day.
Sometimes, I make the word part of my daily intentions when I set them in the morning (Membership Tool #8- PENSO Intentions).
Sometimes, I write the word at the top of my week’s Willingness List (Membership Tool #4, Mindful Living vs. Mindless Eating). Yes, I still make a Willingness List every Sunday. I find it grounds me and helps me stay mindful of the week I wish to create. And my word is always on my Self-Care List (Membership Tool # 27; A New Kind of Self-Care List). I do practice what I teach :-)!
This year I have considered several different words; OPENNESS, ENERGY, FITNESS, OPTIMISM, FAITH. Then, as it always does, the best word for me becomes clear. This year, my word is TRUST.
TRUST in myself; that I’ll consistently and simply do what it takes so I “get to” live my best life possible (Membership Tool #23, “I Get to…”). And trust that when I slip, I’ll recommit and skip those lifelong, well-practiced judgments or recriminations that used to keep the relapses going for weeks, months, even years…
I want to trust that I will be more emotionally vulnerable this year; take more emotional risks. As Brene Brown said in her now famous TED Talk, to live more “whole heartedly”…
I want to reveal more of myself and my recovery to my readers and clients, appropriately. I’ve noticed when I do so, people are willing to take more risks in their own work. I trust that that’s why I’m here…to share and help others who have had emotional eating and binge eating struggles similar to my own. I will trust that those people who are meant to work with me will choose to do so…I don’t have to “sell”, instead, I’ll share all I know, professionally …along with my personal experience and insight as a person recovering from binge eating…
I want to trust that the economy is going to be OK and that, with my financial planner, I can protect my retirement fund. Then, I can relax a bit about how hard I think I have to work.
I will trust that I will exercise regularly and choose healthy foods (most of the time
, but not all of the time). All or nothing doesn’t work for me!
TRUST…that’s my word for 2015…feels right!
What’s you word for 2015? Share it with us in the Comments Section below…
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I’m Ellen Shuman, an experienced Coach who specializes in helping people overcome emotional eating, compulsive eating, binge eating disorder, and food addiction, and I trust that those who are ready for my help will find me. I’m the founder of A Weigh Out & Acoria Binge Eating Disorder Treatment (1993-present), Past President of the Binge Eating Disorder Association (2011/2012), and Co-Founder of the Academy for Eating Disorders Special Interest Group on “Health at Every Size”, ellen@aweighout.com, 513-321-4242.
