Mental Matters
Jennifer Goble
Knowing WHY you want to change your behavior is crucial if you desire success. For example, I used to love smoking. I would still be enjoying the feeling of sitting down, putting my feet up, and relaxing with the sweet intake of menthol, (Ahhh) if I didn’t know it would affect my breathing and likely cause an early, painful death.
I threw my Salem’s in the trash many times. My WHY for quitting was because it took too much time, it was stinky in my house, and research said it could cause lung cancer. Those were great reasons, but not strong enough to stop my addition.
Finally, I spent days identifying WHY I sincerely, from the bottom of my core, wanted to quit the nasty habit. The WHY holding the most power was, “I want to be healthy.” Every time I needed my fix, I would repeatedly say those five words until the urge deflated. My WHY helped me gain control of my false friend, cigarettes.
That was Jan. 12, 1979.
If you want to lose weight, get fit, disengage from a harmful relationship, stop compulsive buying, or release whatever demon you have, dig deep and figure out your WHY. Don’t believe something surface like, “I want to lose weight,” or “I need to get fit,” or “I hate him/her.” Your magic WHY is unique, authentic, and personal.
I went through the same process this week. I have been enjoying too much abundance and want to lose a few unwelcome pounds. I needed to find my WHY because I knew if I didn’t, day two would revert to my usual indulgences. I tried what worked for smoking, and it didn’t fit. What seems to be my authentic WHY for wanting moderation and loose fitting jeans is, “I want to like myself.”
Wish me luck.
If you want a change, search until you identify your most influential WHY. It doesn’t remove your responsibility, but it takes the edge off and brings you back to your initial goal. It helps you stay on the wagon.
Remember, your WHY is original to you and to the targeted addiction or behavior you want to change. Give it a try if you are struggling with having control over something. In the process, enjoy learning more about your core values.
What’s your WHY?
Until the next time: Live while you live.
Jennifer Goble, Ph.D., LPC, is the author of “My Clients…My Teachers,” and the blogger and writer of Rural Women Stories: www.ruralwomenstories.com.
The post What’s your WHY? appeared first on South Platte Sentinel.
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I started smoking at the age of 14. Everyone did! So why not me too. Many years later, maybe 30 to 40 years my dad had COPD from the combination of smoking and lung problems, i.e., asthma etc. and was slowing suffocating to death. I was driving home from work after working all day in a company that made bronze sculptures and the silica dust blowing around me and the others and I had to roll down the window to catch my breath because my chest hurt. Right then I said to myself, “I can’t help the fact that I have to work for a living, but I can help the fact that I am smoking!” I went home, threw my cigarettes in the garbage and I have NEVER had a cigarette or a puff off of one since. My dad died shortly after. I am still here with absolutely no lung problems and very happy to be so.
Good for you Geri, and so glad you have no negative side effects. I don’t either, EXCEPT when I get a bad allergy and it settles in my lungs. I always think that is one consequence of me blowing hot air;) I used to say that I might smoke again if I didn’t have to quit. One of the hardest things I ever did. I have no desire to do that again.
My sister, not so lucky. She died from her lungs not being able to heal after she picked up an infection. Her immune system was very compromised because of Chemo, and although her cancer was absent in her blood, her years of smoking was the final culprit:((