A Little Motivational Interviewing... Spoken Like a Social Worker

“It may be that the freedom to eat whatever you want, whenever you want, is so important to you that you’re willing to put up with the consequences no matter how severe.”

So, I was reading “Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change” in attempt to get me to feel more comfortable in giving a speech in less than two weeks.  And in doing so, I read that quote and it struck my fancy.  This was my reality for a very long time after graduating high school (eeek…12 years ago).  I wanted to change the way in which my weight was increasing, my body was changing, my mood was worsening, self-esteem going down, etc.  However, I guess it was more important to me to be able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted, how I wanted, etc., versus doing anything else.  I tried fad diets for a day or two or three… I went to HealthLinks and spent way too much money to run on a treadmill only to quit a short time later.. I did it all.  And none of it worked.  UNTIIIIIILLLL, something within ME changed. 

I guess I just had enough.

That happens a lot.  I’ve had enough of something and I realize I need a change.  We’ve all been there through m any different examples.  I guess that’s where the saying “enough is enough” comes from and we deliberately create change.

So, how do we do that? 

Come to the Health and Fitness Expo in a week and a half and find out!  ;) (March 8^th, Holiday Inn, Oneonta, NY from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm).  Just kidding, I’ll give you some insight.

The fact of the matter is that change occurs within our self.  You have to want it.  And you have to want it bad.  It could take years, literally, for this to happen…for you to get the drive that you need.   You may have the desire and you may have the motivation… but do you have the confidence?!? 

That’s what was lacking for me.  I didn’t have the support, I didn’t have the confidence, etc.. at least, not the right kind of support.  I did have someone asking me if I wanted to go to Jack’s for a burger and a beer twice a week; not my thing.  I did have someone enabling me to eat out every night; I love going out to eat, but it’s detrimental, I feel, to my well-being.  I did have people that thought my diets were good, yet came home with whatever food or beverage and only enabled my weight gain, mood worsening, dilemma (“this one time won’t hurt.”).   A big dilemma.  Soooo, I created change.  I had to learn about ME and what I wanted.  Sometimes it was intentional.  Other times it felt forced…err, was quite forced.  Yet, I couldn’t dwell on that.  I had to dwell on moving forward, to creating change, to having the drive to get out of whatever situation, mess, dilemma, etc., that I was in.

So, do you have what it takes??  Do you really want it?  How bad?  Are you confident?  How confident?  Do you have the support you may or may not need?