Hello readers! It is sure nice to be back. Where have I been, you may be wondering? About six months ago, I fell down a rabbit hole that kept taking me further and further away from living a real life. Call it the pandemic blues. Call it the winter blues. Either way, it wasn’t fun.
Every day that I spent trapped in my mental prison, allowing for far too many “poor me” moments, I saw my health (both physical and mental) and business goals slip further away from my grasp. The darkness that was starting to consume me only caused the cycle to continue and intensify. After a particularly bad day last week laying in bed, something just clicked in my brain and I knew enough was enough. I took myself to task, putting the pieces of my life back together. So why now? What changed?
Reasons for changing behaviour
From my past experiences, these changes come from one the following reasons:
1) I am given a glorious (usually simple) piece of information that sparks a fire within me to get up and go. For example, when I was given a brief but inspiring lesson on keto.
2) I have an “I’ll show them” moment sparked from something said to me that, usually, infuriates or embarrasses me, regardless of the speaker’s true intentions.
3) I am in the danger zone of hitting rock bottom. This is the scariest reason, and trust me when I say, you definitely don’t want to hit that. Kudos and respect to you if you have and are here to talk about it.
And my newest, most positive reason:
4) Opportunity
Embracing your “I’ll show them moments!
The evening after I spent the day wallowing in bed, something was said to me that both embarrassed me and got my back up. I don’t know if it was off hand or a not so subtle jab at me, but I took it to heart and it became one of those “I’ll show them” moments. Most importantly though, I’ll show myself. However, having a little fire under the bum does help you get up and move that much faster.
Opportunity has also played a hand this time around, as well. I have been wasting and not seizing opportunities that I have been given over the past six months and that has been an eye opener. I stopped writing. I stopped working on my Keto business. I stopped eating right and started drinking more than I was comfortable with. I let myself fall into that rabbit hole and poor me’d my spirit and motivation to death.
Going on a year now, times are still tough for many and I know I am not the only one out there that has fallen back into this pool of negativity. Now is the time to break that cycle! Join me in improving quality of life and taking back the power we ALL possess to make it happen. No one can take better care of you than yourself.
I am looking forward to sharing my journey back to better health and weight loss through keto with you by sharing motivation, information and food tips to help guide you on your quest.
So, where to begin?
The first thing you need to do? Write it down. All of it. Every day.
- How are you feeling, physically and mentally?
- What did you eat?
- What physical activity did you do?
- Did you make sure to do something positive for yourself? Self-care is hugely important. Even something as simple as complimenting yourself or showering.
Here’s the tricky part. Be HONEST. It sounds cheesy, right? Maybe even a little scary? It will help. Of that I have no doubt.
The power of journaling
You don’t have to write a novel every day. Point form is perfectly acceptable and will take minutes to accomplish. By journaling, you will literally see your progress. You will see how much or how little you are doing (or not doing) something. You will see, in black and white, your truths. It might hurt or embarrass you at first, but by writing your daily activities and meals down, you have no choice but to confront it head on. Don’t set outlandish goals for yourself that you know you will fail at and feel worse about. This is a private exercise to make you feel better about yourself physically and mentally.
Still think it is silly? Think of even one month down the road, how much progress you will see, and how pumped you will be to keep going. Goals will start to be easier to set and follow through on. The power you will feel will become addictive and you will crave more. Always remember that no step is too small or meaningless. Baby steps are better than no steps. I truly look forward to taking this journey with you all and getting back to our most fabulous selves. Until next time, be safe and be kind. Xo
Courtney Wright is a life-long Burlington resident who dabbles in writing, photography and runs Keto Delicious (ketodelicious.ca).
She is just a simple girl making keto comfort food and trying to change the world one keto convert at a time. She is not a healthcare professional.
It is recommended that you talk to your doctor before starting the keto, or any other diet.