Being Different-Self Reflection

I know when it comes to the holiday's, parties, get togethers, mom's groups, and my family the thing I struggle with most is being different. I do very well being at home and in control as many others have found. It is when I am out and about with others that sometimes my drive for making the best choices deminishes.

For me it is very different to be around others who are not on the same track with their health and wellness as I am.  It is very easy to go with the flow and not rock the boat. It takes a lot of thinking, planning, being diligent, and sticking to your guns in order to eat healthy especially in other's homes. I have always cared a great deal of what others think of me and my decisions. This is something I am working on. In the grand scheme of things at the end of the day all that matters is how well you did in aiming towards your ultimate goal of being the best you that you can be.

After Thanksgiving and some recent social gatherings here are some lessons I learned about myself.  I am sharing these in hopes that you can learn some strategies in overcoming your own obstacles. Plus once layed out and shared with others you hold yourself more accountable with making those changes. So here they are:

• I need to put forth the extra effort to plan ahead for all meals. In the past I have always been the one to show up at a party with a center piece for the table or a gift for the hostess. Why? Well after thinking about it I realized it is because I didn't want to be criticised for the dish that I brought. Instead I need to bring that dish that I know is healthy and that I can fall back on if nothing else fits the bill. I will lead by example. Even if this dish is not what others would normally eat.
• I will think ahead when it comes to casual meetings at my family's and friend's. I will ask ahead of what the plans are for meals. I will bring already made dishes to share or bring ingredients to make meals at their house. In the past I just relied on what they threw together or sometimes ended up eating out. It is ok to show up with a cooler of snacks to munch on just making sure I have enough to share. This is a lot of work, but it will be worth it
• I will be more direct when it comes to not wanting to eat certain foods. If they are planning on making a certain dish I can request a swap or suggest something else. I can be more open of the reasoning why and share the wealth of knowledge when it comes to choosing organic, balancing my carbohydrate and protein ratio, staying away from desserts, processed foods, and lots of grains, and aiming towards grass fed meat. The more I talk about it and share my excitement of this topic the more I will stick to making the best choices.
• I do not dine out often and like many in my head it is like a free pass in choosing a not so healthy dish because it is an option. I usually do very well in choosing a fish dish, soup, or a salad. It is those times that I have splurged that I have found it was only with certain people. Working with visualization before I go out to eat and making my choice of what I am going to order before listening to what others are ordering is key. If they order a not so healthy appetizer expecting me to share politely say no and maybe even go use the rest room when it shows up at the table.

My affirmations:
"I make decisions based on what is best for me. "
"I am ok with being different, because I know that different is best for me!"