How To Portion Control Your Life
There is a common term when retraining your mind on how it views food called “portion control.” There is none of the “you can’t have that” or “you can only eat this” mind set. The reason dieting doesn’t ever really work is because it is like holding your breath, eventually you just have to breathe and eat that piece of cake! Once you start embracing the mind set that you actually can have it all, just in smaller and balanced portions, things start working out better. Yes, does it still take discipline to learn how to do that, of course it does, that is why baby steps are the key.
If you find that your life seems stressed and imbalanced with too much work, too much relationship, too much kids, too much food, too much of anything, then there are some methods that can bring some balance back into your life again. The key is not to try to change everything at once, but to make small adjustments over time to determine what works for you. Eventually you will have a whole new set of positive life habits bringing more peace of mind, less stress and definitely making you a more pleasant and happier person to be around.
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- Disconnect! I started with the hardest one first! Start real small with this one as I know for a fact that our cell phones are physically attached to us in some secret alien way, so pulling away from them will be a challenge. Possibly, starting with just one hour a day, shut your phone down, turn the TV off and put some nice music on. Don’t take the calls and let them go to voicemail, unless of course it is from your 4-year-old that knows more about your cell phone than you do anyway.
- Start saying NO to everyone else and YES to you! For just a half a day, say no to everything that is asked extra of you except for the essentials. If your partner asks you to get the milk out of the fridge when he is sitting 10 feet away from it, say “no, you will have get it yourself” and walk out of the room. You will be surprised at how empowering it feels. In the other areas of your life, where you don’t have an option of saying no, it won’t bother you as much.
- Get realistic about your health! Working for the Irish based 7th Sense, I have been lucky enough to pick up a few “Irish quotes” about life. The one thing I noticed about the Irish, is they have their health perspective in order. One of the quotes that was given to me from a member of the advisor board was, “Your Health Is Your Wealth!” Loved it! I have it pinned on my work board so I can look at it everyday! Remembering on a daily basis, if you do not have your health, then nothing else works.
- Cut back on the toxins you put in your body. Yes, I am talking about the 12 bottles of Coke you drink, the alcohol binging on the weekend or the whole cake you ate in one day. Everything in moderation. You can have all of it, just trim back the over-indulgence.
- Do some alone time. Even if it is just an hour a week to start, do something that only you can do and makes you happy. You like to cook? Make something outrageously decadent just for you and hands off for everybody else or eat it before they see it. Lol! It reduces stress and encourages creativity.
- Set aside relationship time. Even if it just having a quick coffee with a friend or seeing a movie. Have a date night with your partner or setting an hour aside to play a game with your child. One on one time with people you care about helps you to get to know each other better.
- Pamper yourself. I could give you suggestions like taking a long and luxurious bubble bath with scented candles and the whole works but YOU already know what your own personal pampering looks like. If that means sitting in your jammies all day, eating smores, watching the shmaltzy Hallmark station of made for TV romance movies, then do it but do it without an ounce of guilt and a whole lot of “I deserve this!” Always keeping in mind, moderation
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(READ: The Power of Positive Thinking)
Susan Z’s Verdict
The point of all the above-mentioned suggestions is to learn how to “portion control” your life. Get it all done but also not forgetting about the needs and the nurturing of your little inner child. If you forget about her and don’t portion control the rest of your life to make that special time happen for you, then life starts looking real dark. That is not a hopeful or pleasant place to reside in. You have the control and free will, use it!
Susan Z Rich is an emotional addiction counselor, spiritual intuitive and holistic therapist. She counsels others to see life in a more positive way and teaches personal accountability for life choices. She is also the author of several children’s books and Soul Windows…Secrets From The Divine.