LIFE IS GOOD

(You’ve seen it on the t-shirts, but do you believe it?)

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Life is good!

I was recently in an airport and went into one of those “Life Is Good” shops. Life must be good on the merchant end, because nothing in that store was a bargain
But we buy the t-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers because we need to believe that “Life Is Good!”

From where I sit, life is good. The only problem I have with living is the sabotage I inflict upon myself out of old ways of thinking and behaving.

For example, I recently was immersed in a situation which, for one reason or another, caused me to feel “less than” the people around me. I felt mistreated and I felt misunderstood. Old ways of thinking about myself popped up. Pretty soon I was riding a wave of sadness.

Fortunately, things have changed, and I am now surrounded by people who have a positive perspective and show respect to me.

What does this have to do with weight loss? Assuming that losing weight is going to cure all life’s problems is a crock. A surgery pal of mine recently noted that he thought all his troubles were related to weight until he lost weight
Now he is facing the issues that have been uncovered. The weight issues only masked the real problems.

But, let me remind you, Life Is Good. This golden opportunity of yours to be healthier, look better, and be treated fairly is also an opportunity for emotional and psychological growth.

If you catch yourself slipping into old ways of thinking about yourself (“I’m so stupid.” “I’ll never amount to anything.” “No one will ever love me.”), do what I have done. Get a rubber band (of if you’re from Pittsburgh, get a gumband)!

You heard right. Get a rubber band. Put it on your wrist. Each time a negative thought enters your mind or crosses your lips, snap that rubber band on your wrist. Pretty soon you will begin to reprogram your ways of thinking. When you recognize the negative thought or word, rephrase it in your mind or out loud. (“I am an intelligent person.” “I will succeed in all my goals.” “I am worthy of love.”

Trust me, after a while, that rubber band hurts, and you will learn to stop yourself mid-thought. Pretty soon, you will no longer “go there.”

Remember, Life Is Good. It’s better than you could have dreamed.

Jennifer Ross Sawyer, LPC Jennifer is in Private practice in Charlotte, NC.

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