moving through fear

Week 3 of the No Sugar Challenge: Moving Through Fear

How are you all feeling out there? One of our members gave me permission to tell her story. I think it could help others who may also be struggling the the challenge of moving through fear…
When she contacted me, she said she was scared to leave her house because she didn’t want to be tempted by sugar. She purchased everything she needed for week one and two, then barricaded herself inside. She expressed how afraid she was at the thought of succeeding, and had a hard time picturing what life would be like without sugar.
Fear and anxiety are two big emotions that come up for us when we move into a different lifestyle. Fear that life won’t be enjoyable anymore, fear of what people will think if we do lose weight. Fear of being beautiful as we shine in our own well nourished skin. These are all very valid feelings, thoughts and emotions.
When we look at these feelings closer though, we can see how they are not reality based. Life becomes so much more enjoyable because you are now in charge of your own life. When you self govern effectively around food you feel the strength and the power of being in control of your own life, of your own destiny.
And while there are many people out there who may judge you for being skinny, those same people may judge you for being fat. You can’t win in the game of judgments so why not let go and allow yourself to experience what you want to experience?
I advised her to try and change the way she looks at leaving the house. Instead of looking at it with fear, what if she looked at it with a sense of excitement? What if she looked at it as an opportunity to practice saying “No” with confidence and clarity? What if she could put herself into the superhero mindset and even began to look for opportunities to say “No” with confidence and a light heart?
Sugar is an extremely hard substance to get off of. As you all move through withdrawal symptoms and your little angels on one shoulder battle it out with the little devil on the other, see if you can sit back and smile at them and have a premeditated response for whenever you may encounter temptation. Something like, “No thank you, I have already eaten.”
If friends, family, or coworkers push you, be honest and tell them the truth, that you would like their support and understanding as you work towards a healthier lifestyle. This sets the stage for more meaningful, fruitful relationships. The people you encounter will respect your courage and honesty, and give you strength and confidence to get you to where you want to be.
And if you have to lock yourself away for two weeks in order to get off sugar, all I can say is, “Good for you!” and “You go girl!”.
Best of luck to all of you!
 
(If you would like to join us on the No Sugar Challenge, click here!)