Good morning Hatters!

As the last few days of the year are before us, I thought perhaps this might be a good time for us to reflect ...on our SUCCESSES in 2012, and to share our strategies and thoughts on a recommitment to our goals for 2013.

I chose success for reflection, because it's been a rough week for me, since Christmas Eve I've been sliding back into poor eating choices and making excuses for myself because its the "holidays", but along with those poor choices and some weight gain, came the horrid mental and emotional mind games as well, over the days starting to think I'd messed all my hard work of the past few months up completely, then feeling like crap about myself, the negative thoughts that always begin the destructive circle of feel bad, eat more, feel worse, eat more... this habit is insidious, it can creep in and take root in your thoughts and before you know it, you're spiraling out of control and starting to wonder why bother.. and the scariest part of all is you don't even realize sometimes how deeply those roots run - intellectually I know its years of habit ingrained in me and that I CAN break a habit, but when those thoughts and feelings being to grow, MY intellect seems to have decided its time for a vacation and abandons me!

But today, today i've had enough. I NEED to change my negative thinking, and remember why I started this journey, all the reasons it was so important to me to make changes to my life when I came to MFP. I have forgotten some of them along the way, and I've also forgotten about all the GOOD changes I HAVE accomplished and the progress I've made. That we've ALL made.

I went through my friends list last night - reading the profiles of everyone I've come to know here at MFP again, and I looked at all your tickers and/or updates on your reasons for being here, and your progress.. and I was so amazed and impressed with everything each of you have accomplished in all areas, not just weight loss... so many of you have made such strides in your own goals, as well as discovered so much about yourselves... and as I read, it helped me remember WHY I was here, and how far I HAD come! and it helped me believe in myself again. And to realize I WANT to recommit to my goals.

So today, I choose to reflect on my successes for this year; I'll save the "non weight one" for reply to Janet's post (which follows, and which inspired me as well!) but I AM proud of myself that in 2012, I lost weight, I educated myself about nutrition and exercise, and succeeded in recognizing many of the ways I have always looked at food. I moved more, and for the first time ever, i logged my food every single day for 175 days. I never would have believed a year ago I would ever do that. So for the first time in many years, I will head into the New Year feeling GOOD about me, and looking forward to challenging myself harder and reaching my goal in 2013!



Yesterday Janet did a post that really struck home, so I copied it over here for everyone....and...I've figured out my own reply now.



(FROM HAIRSPRAYHON):

As we reflect on the past year, I think it is important to remember that we are all SOOO much more than the numbers on the scale so here is my challenge (I need to think of mine, so I will fill it in later) can we each finish the following sentence-without referring to our weight! In 2012, I proved to myself how fabulous that I am, when I __________________.



SNOOZIE's reply: In 2012, I proved to myself how fabulous that I am, when I found the courage to start asking for help.

I've never been one to ask for help with anything. But this year, I got up the courage to ask both family and friends for help with situations that occurred, where I would normally never ask. It may not sound like much, but for me, it was probably one of the biggest steps I've ever taken in the past 30 years, and I'm proud of myself for taking that step!