From Cocoon to butterfly

Circumstances vs. Attitudes

What makes us react a certain way to life. When things happen, the way we react is based on what? That is the question I am wondering, do we live by circumstances or by attitude. Let’s say for example, you wake up in a bad mood. The next thing that happens will also be bad. It continues like murphy’s law and the whole day is a travaisty of bad luck. Was it the circumstances that produced the bad luck or was it your attitude? Many times people become bitter about something that happened and don’t take the blame about it at all. But, did the circumstance change you or did your own attitude change you? Let’s bring it closer. So many of use struggle with weight. As me why I gained weight? My mother and father moved to Florida from a big city in Pennsyvanial to a trailor in the countryside in hickville. I ate because I was bored. So, the weight came because of my circumstances? Becuase geneti cally, my family is fat so I am also destined to be fat. Because my mother always had bad stuff in the house so I ate the bad stuff. But to be very honest to myself, I gained weight because of my attitude TOWARD the circumstance. I was rebellious toward my mother. I took the attitude that I did not care about anyone or anybody. I was sick of having to fit with the group view so I would do what I wanted. It was my attitude that caused me to gain, not the circumstance. God never gives us more then we can handle. He knows what we can handle and what we cannot handle and knows we are strong enough to see us through but th emost important thingi s our attitude. Let’s go back in history to when Jesus was on the earth. The pharasees were always out to get him. They always made sure they were never around anyone that was unclean. They made sure to keep the laws, everyone of them as they could. They would fast and make sure everyone knew they were fasting. They would tithe to make sure everyone saw them do it. But when they encountered Jesus, he compared them to whitewashed bones in a graveyard. To an unwashed cup on the inside only the outside was washed. No matter how good the circumstance they put themself in, it was their attitude toward what they did that mattered. So many of us complain, life is so unfair, why do the bad get good and the good get bad? But, look at Jesus, all the bad things that he went through. His circumstances were the worst yet his attitude toward the circumstance was as a lamb being led to slaughter, no fight only gentleness, humility and meekness. If ever there was a man that could complain, it would be Paul. Stoned, shipwrecked, attacked and many other things yet in all these things, he still maintained that attitude was the most important.

So, how can this be measured to weight loss? It stops our excuses. How many times do we take a nibble of something because we were so stressed out? Something went wrong? A friend came by to visit or it’s our birthday. All circumstances but what is important is our attitude, that is what determines how we deal with our circumstance. If we let our circumstance deal with it for us, we will fall everytime! When is life smooth sailing? Never. So if we wait to lose weight when everything is smooth, we will never do it. Our attitude must be that no matter what the circumstance, we will eat healthy, make good choices, maintain our journey of weight loss. I have been on this journey since February and sometimes my circumstances are not all that well. I get mad at hubby and want to eat but I think about my attitude, why am I doing this? Would this really help me? How will I feel tomorrow. By using this internal questioning, I get around the circumstance and realize that it is my attitude toward this circumstance that is the most important. I think, when losing weight, we hae to get our attitude adjusted. No more, “that’s not fair that they get to eat xxx but I can’t” (I have those thoughts too, come on , who hasn’t?) But think about yoru attitude. How many times did you get to eat all that and more then you should have before and more then they ever will eat in a lifetime so you had your time of partying and eating, now, it is time to gets back on track. Set your attitude in the beginning that no matter what circumstance happens, you are sticking to your guns. If you get side tracked, make sure you eat normal portions (normal for thin people, not you) and get back on program. Set the attitude that even when you feel no motivation, no joy, you will still continue on. That no matter what happens, you can handle it and get through. Set some questions aside for yourself that when something happens, you ask yourself these questions and think carefully of the answers. My questions I always ask, “is this worth what I will see on the scale next time? Is it worth feeling weeks of depression because I was stupid? Will I really want this xxx tomorrow? Yes, this friend only comes by once a year but  I know this will be a lifetime journey, should I get off the path everytime this happens? Yes, this is my bd but it comes every year. Should I completly forget myself every year?  How many times have I eaten that and how much more I use to eat before, I don’t need it now. Hmm, right now I feel better, no stomachache, look better, I am wearing size ( ) now, do I want to lose that. Do I really need this (not want this) What motivates me now? Is it worth losing that motivation.

So, in a nutshell, attitude determines how we will react to a circumstance. We should never let the circumstance determine how our attitude is. Life will always be rocky, marriage will always be hard, bad things do happen to good people, the rain will always water the evil and the good person’s land so let your attitude determine how you react.