Moving Past Setbacks

Something I’ve been thinking about this week is how to move forward after a setback in a very self-nurturing way…

Say, for instance, you’ve been doing really well in practicing moderation with your eating, but after a tough day you give in to temptation and go on a mindless binge.

What to do next?? Here are some ideas:

• Acknowledge—kindly and gently--that you made a choice that was not in your best interest.

• Get curious! Think about what happened during the day or prior to the binge that left you feeling empty or sad or angry or upset. Write down what happened and how it you felt about it. (“I worked for 2 weeks on the presentation for the meeting today and felt like I got zero appreciation from my boss. Plus I did not sleep well last night because I was so nervous about the damn presentation!!”)

• Notice your *true needs*, in this case appreciation/support and rest/sleep.

• Think about how things might have gone differently if you had recognized your true needs prior to bingeing (without judgment, please!!).

• Give yourself what you need right now or as soon as you are able by calling a friend or your sister or someone who will listen and provide support as you tell your story and plan a time for some down-time to re-charge with a nap, a massage, curling up with a good book, etc.

• Forgive yourself and let it all go ♥♥♥