What I leverage when practicing what I know

I am participating in the ‘Writing Contest: Overcoming Writer’s Doubt’ held by Positive Writer.”

I used to be afraid of reaching my weight loss goal.   This fear morphed into a weird sense of doubt that I would never achieve success in this area and I tackled defeat for many years.  And then there was the lie that even if I did arrive at my goal, I would gain it all back right away.  I had been on this Merry-go-round of the scale ups and downs for most of my life.  I am talking about losing a 100 lbs or more of excess weight and attaining a healthy weight range.  To take this a bit further, how would I ever be an expert in the world of losing weight or even an authority to write a book about it?

I found out two things, I am a loser and I'm an authority of what has worked for me.  First, I had to overcome the doubt that plagued me.  There is a bit of wisdom that I cling to in maintaining a weight loss of 132 lbs.   It's this:

"Eat today for how I want to feel tomorrow."    

If I want to live a healthy tomorrow, feel good about myself, see a healthy and balanced reflection in the mirror, experience good confidence and self-esteem, I will choose to eat towards my healthy goals.  My goals won't include chocolate anymore.  My goals will include healthy choices for today.  I chose a healthy lifestyle yesterday, and those choices feed my motivation to feel good about today.  This idea helps me make better choices for today, which affects tomorrow.  It removes doubt and gives freedom to acknowledge what does.

I leverage doubt to work in my favor.  I choose to believe that making healthy choices are right, good, and safe to lose and maintain a healthy weight.  Instead of throwing hurdles or stones in my path, I will cast the doubt out of my way, to clear the path of resistance, and create distance between good and bad choices.

In the distance between me and doubt, comes much resistance to what feeds my fears.  

That's not to say that I don't think about ice cream.  I do, but I think about practicing freedom more.  Every day, I practice sticking with what I know.  Because of what I have experienced, healthy choices and having a defense against doubt, I have been set free from the fear of gaining.

I have a strong health ethic now.  In working hard to accomplish a life-long goal of healthy living, I let my freedom win over my doubts.  I am free, confident, strong and 132 lbs lighter than I was 6 years ago.   

This practice works for me.  Choose to practice what you believe over what you don't.  Don’t stumble over doubt that you can’t achieve something.  Practicing doubt defense, gives me a weapon to fight against the enemy.  It doesn't remove doubts but I am better prepared for the mix of healthy tension that this struggle brings.  Most days I see doubt as a war to prepare for.  I hate that faith and doubt hold hands so tight.

I choose to believe over doubt.  I leverage what I know doesn't work against what I know does.  I put that d-word in its place and I guard my mind from going to a place of dismal defeat.  

Practice fortifies my faith, faith exercised brings strength.  (Someone should tweet that!)  Doubt debilitates and can whittle your confidence down to the nub.   Leverage doubt to fuel you instead of fool you.  

Read more about overcoming doubt in writing here.