Beloved and fantastic founder!!!
Some more on this idea and then I'll leave this thread alone...LOL..
I am *certainly not* saying to use a euphemism in place of the much discussed "idiot" choice! Because they aren't too great either...
All I'm saying, is that we all make mistakes... We are all human...
We are all trying the best we can right here, and right now...
Sometimes our best isn't very good, but, how is criticizing ourselves when we screw up on S days helpful? There is a super fine line between acknowledging that there is a problem and taking action to correct it, and beating ourselves up for our faults.... Yes, certainly, take responsibility, and *don't* fool yourself, but do it with love and care, not with self hate...
Really, sometimes I feel like an idiot, and sometimes I feel like a loser...
But those thoughts are self inflicted "abuse"...
I am sure that your successes, Reinhard, come from your feelings of satisfaction when you know you are doing your best... You see the results of your efforts and you are *obviously* not an idiot and probably never were in your whole life! You wouldn't be able to come up with such a great plan as NoS if you were, and probably wouldn't have gone to school where you did, and have gone into the field that you are in...
So, probably when you say this to yourself, you know you are full of it! LOL... So it's probably not so damaging...
If what got you through these three or four years of self help was, infact, the use of regularly chastising yourself, then, I feel truly sorry about that!
Somehow, I believe that it was your superior intelligence and spiritual nature, and resourcefulness, plus a supportive family, and *seeing the results* your exercise and diet gave you, which have probably carried you through your tough times...
All I'm really saying, in my rambling style and roundabout way, heh heh, is that I feel it's in our best interest to be kind to ourselves and accept ourselves 100%, including the days we screw up, without having to resort to berating ourselves and name calling.... Negative self talk is something that, in my sincere and humble opinion, is a horrible habit, but we are all so used to it that it's unconscious...
Only in recent years and much soul searching, and especially, through conscious meditation and Yoga have I been able to realize how much negativity I carry around personally...
Some of these messages aren't really even "my messages"... Many are "broken records" I have from previous relationships, now over, and parental chiding, etc... They don't serve me anymore in my evolution towards total health and happiness...
They are bad habits...
I'm not saying to sugar coat the facts when there is a problem.. Simply saying that I feel there is always a positive way of looking at a situation and it's best to be our own cheering section... Even when we want to change some problem..When a toddler has a problem learning to walk, should a parent say "You idiot?"
Acceptance of the way things are now, is the key to transforming ourselves into a better person... I know.. It's a somewhat confusing concept... "If I accept myself now then why am I trying to change myself too?" was the idea that popped into my head when I first started practicing Yoga... "Doesn't acceptance imply *non change*?"...
It doesn't... It simply means to accept yourself without criticism and judgement...
That is really the essential first step...Finding personal contentment and then transformation into the kind of person we want to be!
The process of losing and keeping off weight is a life long battle...
We need to keep our energy positive and upbeat...
Surely this is the most effective way of sticking with anything...
Much respect and love,
Your humble NoS disciple and friend,
Deb
PS... Shalom! LOL...