Whatever we focus on will grow.

If you are focusing on the problem—guess what? The problem gets bigger, if only in your mind!

A common perception is that we are at war with anything we don’t like. We fight cancer and disease, we have declared war on drugs, but these problems only get bigger. We fight with ourselves trying to control cravings, but because we focus on the problems, they get larger.

If I feel down about myself and reach for a comfort food and then berate myself for eating it saying “I am undisciplined,” I will most likely feel guilty. I then feel worse and reach for more comfort food, which causes me to gain weight, feel bad about myself and so I reach for more comfort food. . . and the cycle continues.

If I give myself positive encouragement, I feel good about myself. As I feel good about myself, I have more energy; as I have more energy, I feel more motivated to follow through on my goals.

Rather than focusing on what isn’t working, focus on what is working. As you notice what’s working, you can do more of what’s working so you can get the results you want. Maybe you have learned a lot about weight release and what doesn’t work for you, and with all the learning you’ve been doing, it will be so much easier to move forward in a new way!

If you give a child a bicycle, how many chances does he get to learn to ride? He gets as many as it takes.

And if he falls off the bike, would you say he failed?

Of course not. Even though the child may fall off, he is still learning. The mind and body are taking note of the adjustments that need to be made. The brain is making calculations about balance and coordination, and the next time the child saddles the bike, it becomes easier and he is more successful. The child gets as many chances as it takes to learn to ride the bicycle.

So, really, in the picture of learning and growing there is no failure; there is only learning and results. If you don’t like your results, it’s simply time to make some changes and adjustments.

Make these agreements with yourself now:

Failure doesn’t exist; there is only learning and results.

I choose to recognize my learning so I can get better results.

I agree to notice what is working for me so I can do more of what’s working for me.

We are all learning and growing on this planet earth. No one is expected to be perfect, just like we wouldn’t expect a child to be perfect in riding a bicycle for the first time. The secret is, anything you want to feel you can access at any time even just by thinking about it. Keep your mind focused on what you do want.Practice loving who you are. If you feel positive about you, that positive energy radiates into all areas of your life.

This is an excerpt from my book, Lighten Up Train your Brain to Lose Weight, see more details here: www.lightenup.me/book