I've recently come across the idea that in place of New Year's Resolutions a more subtle gentle approach is coming up with a word of intent for the coming year. Yes, a single word. I really like this idea and have decided to give it a whirl. After much thought and contemplation I have decided upon the word EASE for my word of 2011.
The No S Diet has been a major factor in choosing this word for myself. I've learned so much in the past 2 1/2 months since beginning this journey on the No S Diet. I'm having success. I'm experiencing change naturally and without a lot of pain and agony as has been my experience in the past.
![Image](http://smiley.smugmug.com/Family/Nov-2010/MillennialsTheChineseFingerTra/1142408586_pwyvz-M.jpg)
This is a picture of a Chinese finger trap. The harder you pull and pull the more trapped your fingers become. In order for your fingers to be released you must EASE up on the pressure.
This has been true of my life in the realm of dieting. For YEARS I have been trying too hard. I've been hyper focused on the weight. I've been making too many rules for myself to the point where I am frustrated and trapped and unable to move forward. I've been making this too difficult. I've been stuck. All it takes is common sense. I need to EASE up on myself and just BE.
I can apply this to so many other areas of my life as well....parenting, finances, my spirituality. The list could go on and on.
In my quest of researching this and learning about this I have discovered that phychologists actually have a name for this. It's called the paradoxical theory of change. MY uneducated understanding of this and how I am applying this to MY life right now is that in order to truly change I need to stop trying so hard to change. I need to accept where I'm at right NOW! I can't move forward and change until I am ok with where I currently am now. I will continue spinning my wheels so to speak, which is exactly what I've been doing for years. I count calories and deprive myself in a quest to lose weight because I hate the way my body looks. Instead I need to love myself where I am at first...exactly as I am. When I do that I will naturally take care of my body that I love and change will occur naturally and with EASE!
So, thus my word for 2011 EASE!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)