(1) As you look at the areas of your life in which you need to develop and maintain self-control, one of your greatest challenges will be to design daily, regular, and consistent IMMEDIATE rewards for the behavior you are trying to acquire.
For example, if you are trying to lose weight, NOT eating something fun will NOT feel like a reward until a few days/weeks have passed and you see your goal being met on the scale (or as your clothes fit more loosely). Therefore, it is to your advantage to assign a reward to NOT eating something fun...such as eating or drinking something special that is healthy, sugar free, or within in your plan (rather than to cheat).
THIS WEEK, POST ONE IMMEDIATE REWARD THAT YOU HAVE FOUND HELPS YOU KEEP MOVING TOWARD A PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL, OR MENTAL GOAL, WITH THE IDEA THAT YOU WILL HELP OTHERS IN OUR GROUP, AS WELL.
(2) Keep a daily journal record of your food, quiet time, sodabriety, sobriety, budget goals/choices, etc. The way to SEE progress is not just when others notice...it can be as effective to keep a tab of your success on a daily basis. A daily record also is efficient to keep you from stumbling too far or long from the path. Stated goals in the front of your journal remind you of your deepest desires and serve to alert you every 24 hours if what you want for yourself is what you're giving to yourself. Remember, no one forces you to eat or drink sugary drinks or yell or spend or...your journal is giving you honest feedback (it can keep you from believing a lie).
We're getting down to the tough stuff, so hang in here with me!
Be encouraged AND PLEASE POST!
Becky
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OK, trying to get caught up in my posting. I know you had asked about if we had been healed in a specific area and if we were ministering to someone because of that healing....it wasn't until I went to a presentaion recently that I recalled healing in areas when I first got saved 10 years ago. I went to 3 ladies in a ministry called "The Prayer Closet" I remember, after spending 2 hours in prayer with them, and being healed of hurts experienced in childhood by seeing Jesus actually there with me in those situations, walking out to my car and praying "Lord, if I could ever do that for someone else someday, that would be what I would love to do". Well, ever since, have had a big interest in healing prayer, healing ministry, deliverance,healing of memories etc. And it seems the Lord is teaching me more every day through my own deliverance. I am waiting and watching for Him to open more doors....we will see...
ReplyDeleteI too answered the first 2 questions on the call for the week of Feb. 22nd. A snapshot: Physical: stronger and more flexible by March 31st. Faster recovery on ski trip this month due to good prep NOW.
Spiritual: a better understanding of deliverance ministry by reading the book "Deliver Us From Evil" and reviewing notes from talk. Continue counseling. Quiet times+hour of power. Try some fasting with prayer for Lent.
Mental: Stepping up my music practice. Performance 3/31 without anxiety due to thorough preparation. Reading "Power Performance"
Emotional: Speaking with kindness, love and encouragement to my husband and family. I will be a kinder, gentler person by the end of March. Patience, count to 10, die to self. Serve them with love. Mickey, I loved "The Fathers Love Letter" -went to the website.Thank you for that. I saw this prayer recently: "Show me how to love in the true meaning of the word. Teach me to sacrifice expecting nothing in return. I want to give my life away, becoming more like You every day. My words are not enough. Show me how to love." (words by Babbie Mason)
Post one Immediate reward:
OK, I would say, from the physical work I have been doing to get my neck/shoulders/spine healthier, I just had an evaluation yesterday that showed MARKED improvement in my posture/spinal alignment from before photos(Aug 2010)to March 2nd 2011. YEA! Also, from my perserverance in quiet time, I am receiving such peace and hope in my life right now. My faith has increased exponentially! Thank you Lord! He is with us in the suffering, weeping, and hears our prayers, and answers, always. Yes, this keeps me crawling along, a little bit every day!
I love gold stars...if I could make one on my post, I would. So, in keeping with that, I have decided to make a mind map of the things I can do in a day that contribute to healthy eating habits. Since it is the habits I ultimately want, that I was I will list...so my web has things like drink a glass of water, go for a walk, follow my food plan for lunch, follow my plan for dinner, follow my plan to breakfast, say no to something tempting. That way, I can have a contest with myself and see how many gold stars I can earn!
ReplyDeleteSince an area I am working on is getting out of my office more often, which takes planning and control for me, the reward I would give myself is to do something I enjoy. That would be reading, brushing the dogs, crafting, even cooking.
ReplyDeleteRight now with buisness still bad, our home is very frantic. Just today my husband started throwing marketing ideas at me, and I ended up sitting in the office all day. I wasnt working on my writing job, I was panicking. And that accomplished nothing. So I never made it out to do anything for myself.
I really need to get a grip on this.
This reward idea may not help anyone else, but I sure need it.
My husband and his boot camp buddies run a set of steps at a local Forest preserve. Each time they get to the top of the steps they place a small stone to represent the climb they just finished. At the end of the work out they count the number of stones and celebrate with a high five and make note of the number for future reference.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking that something similar might work for me, so I'm taking my bead golf counter ( adding a few more beads) to make it 14 beads. I'm focusing on diet and excersise this month with this in mind. For each day I work out I move one bead, each day I eat with in the calorie count for my food intake I give myself one bead. By the end of the week I'll see how many beads I've moved in one weeks time. I'll then compare them week to week and this month will be a base line for months to come. I will weigh in and have that one pair of pants that i want to fit into this summer at the end of each week/month. I can review if I can add to the idea.
I love the idea of a cup of herbal tea. It started when a friend and I walk we like to end with a cup of tea; our way of extending our visit. So, I took this to my tasks that aren't all that exciting to end with a cup of tea. I am in the process of cleaning out the clutter in my house. I find reading material that I feel like I just can't part with, but I must. At the end of a decluttering session I get my hot tea and a piece of reading. The reward is the reading and cup of tea This is a win win since the reading goes onto someone else or in the trash when I am finished.
ReplyDeleteThank you everybody for your ideas. I'm the one looking for suggestions. I really need something to keep me persevering. It is so easy for me to get discouraged or cave into something I know I shouldn't. Would love more ideas, I might just use Stars.
ReplyDeleteI am also behind with posting. So, I still need a snap shot.
ReplyDeleteSnap Shot 1 mar. Before
Mental
papers and books put away.
daily laundry at least done and folded
Spiritual
monthly trips to class keep going
monthly city prayer keep going
daily reading and praying each night look at schedule and decide what time and write it in to day planer
do all bible study and speak up weekly
moms in touch keep a note book weekly
pray for job related kids as I think i should daily
Exercize:
keep walking and Robbie I am just going to pretend that I am your new walking partner even though we are miles away.
Food:
stop the cookie and pop tart binges
---------------Rewards------------------
1. I would like a new bible
save for a message bible the nice purple one
2. stickers I have some from a pbs group can use them to on my day planer to say I reached my goal each night
I guess I din't quite get the rewards part...immediate rewards. I have not listened to the call yet. I don't have any immed. rewards, mine all seem to be long term. Hummm I do try to do something I really want to do when I finish a decluttering task. I need to work on this.
ReplyDeleteCarol, that seems to be the idea I am going with.
ReplyDeleteToday I wrote my first article for the writing company. So tomorrow, I am going to take a walk through the hobby store. Just to get out and get a little break. That is if my stomach lets me. I am taking amoxicillin for a tooth infection and starting to feel the side effects. :-(.
Great ideas everyone!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge reader but the Lord has grown me in this area of life and I do like reading some good books that line up with The Word of God. I recently bought the first book in 'The Mark of the Lion' series by Francine Rivers....so my reward is when I read my Bible and spend time with the Lord....than I can read my other book for pleasure. No time with God: No book for pressure!! Thus far I've been doing really well but I think this will help motivate me to continue spending that time with the Lord daily!!
ReplyDeleteIsn't this fun hearing the progress of all of us. So uplifting! Joan we all need ideas because the perserverance part is hard!! I have struggled this year with staying the course, which makes me more humble and understanding of the difficulty others experience.
ReplyDeleteAndrea-I rarely read novels because I can't put them down once I start everything else goes out the window. Ykks! Great idea to get your priorities in order and reward with a good book.
Mickey, you bless my soul every time you write. I can see the time you have put into being a healthy woman: I am impressed. Did I tell you that sometimes I walk with a friend who lives in Seattle I live in LA. We go for a walk in different neighborhoods but are connected by cell phone. Great reward walking and talking. We could do this sometime. Maybe use it for a reward of consistent exercise for a period of time. Just a thought.
After I vacuum my house I reward myself with playing the piano. My husband thinks I am crazy. He has put the two together saying that when he hears the vacuum he knows that in a few the piano will start.
Got to go: I am off to walk.
Wonderful comments and ideas, I so easily get derailed. I like the idea about rewarding. My reward has been food which has only caused me pain. So for me, I am really trying to eat when hungry, eat less and move more. I really would like to end this emotional attachment to food. I have to tell you all I have been faithful in my commitment to leading the ladies in the group called Overcoming Depression and so in my leadership role I have a gold star. Also, I have a gold star at work, I left management a year ago and have learned a new role as a nurse. I am so thankful that God took me out of the negative environment and gave me this new job.
ReplyDeleteOne of my rewards this week is seeing a clean mirror and counter in the bathroom. I feel so much better about the bathrooom.
I am going to go back to the 8 daily to do journal because for some odd reason, I am not using my phone to tract what I eat. I have been only weighing once a week and this is very hard but I am encouraged that this is the best practice.
Best practice is a good way to look at being a Healthy American Woman. So for me to perserverve, I need to practice at being my best. So here are to the 8 daily to do's which lead to so many rewards. Blessings....Diana
Week 9: 7 of 7 and 63 of 63
ReplyDeleteA bit late in hearing the call and reading the positng, I am thankful for your suggestions.
Very consistent so far in my prayer, reading, and study, I have neglected to record plans.
Modifying my professional planning, I will work to control my life with personal planning.
The immediate reward this will allow is the review of books and or cookbooks which I love.
Had an opportunity to practice waiting since the call playback had a delay. I miss something by listening to a call when schedule keeps me from the live call.
ReplyDeleteI am persevering by moving more, keeping a log of food choices, and reading through Change Your Life Daily Bible. Rewarding choices, but not easy to lead the disciplined life. I always have "good" distractions.
Moving forward to be a Healthy American Woman, for a least, this week.