Oprah says – look at falling off the wagon as a love issue, not a weight issue.
I think that it is much more than a weight issue.
It's a life issue.
FROM THE BEGINNING
I should begin at the beginning.
Boy did I need to see this show from Oprah today.
Because what she is saying doesn't apply only to weight loss, but to so many of the issues that I like to discuss here.
Balance, looking at what's important, self love and how overwhelm can control and take over your life – and show up in surprising ways.
And that's the last thing that will ever give you a good life.
IT ALL STARTED WITH VOWING TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS – SILLY ME!
If you follow this blog, you know that I went full out trying to make the holidays great.
Not only that but especially to have a good attitude and enjoy them – no matter what.
All went quite well.
We had a good Christmas, I refused to let things that were not perfect ruin things.
Even the swarm of fruit flies that invaded my kitchen.
I refused to let things that were beyond my control make me feel bad.
I rolled my eyes at the flies and went on with it.
What can you do?
DESPITE IT ALL, IT HAPPENED…
Dec 27 it all fell to pieces when a storm went through and knocked out our hydro for 5 days.
It was the beginning of a solid week of not doing what I had been waiting for months to do when the time was exactly right.
In it's place was cold, dark and waiting. And waiting. (you can read the full story here and about what I learned from the process)
So today, I am feeling overwhelmed.
I have catch up to do from a week off and all of my best laid plans to finally do what I wanted to do this week are out the window.
A year of waiting for my week – gone.
And along comes Oprah and her Best Life series.
I feel better already.
The Oprah show today is centering on weight, falling off the wagon and what is going on underneath.
Also timely – I am signing up this week for another round of the Fit Yummy Mummy Challenge because I haven't been on top of my health game the past months.
But for me the real lesson from Oprah today was about self love.
It's why we put so much pressure on ourselves.
It's why we let things get to us.
It's why we compare ourselves to others.
It's all poison.
We just need to love ourselves first, and the rest falls in place.
Oprah nails it completely with this show.
EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE IN HER VULNERABILITY
Oprah starts talking about the show she did with Tina Turner and Cher and her feelings of complete devastation because she couldn't help but compare herself with them. Who wouldn't?
Haven't we all been there?
What came across as the biggest deal for me?
Was it Oprah's size? Or how she compared to Cher and Tina?
No way.
It was the way she handled herself.
She is narrating her feelings while they are showing clips from the show and there is hardly a hint of what she is really feeling.
A look inside. She is even more incredible in her vulnerability than in her strength.
TO LOVE YOUR SELF IS A NEVER ENDING JOURNEY
Then she goes on to talk about how taking better care of yourself, to honour yourself, to have harmony and appreciation for yourself, to love your self… is a never ending journey.
Somehow it made me feel better because I realized that there is no 'arrived'. For anybody.
Despite appearances.
THE KEY IS PUTTING YOURSELF BACK ON YOUR TO DO LIST – LISTEN UP!
What about this? Your body is not craving food. It's not even craving distraction, success, or a number on the scale.
It's craving love.
The love that you have not been giving yourself in all of the hussle and bussle in trying to do it right.
All of those days that you put off your exercise, didn't drink your water because you were too busy, didn't take the time to make a salad but opted for the crackers because they were quick.
What do you think is going on there?
Are you loving yourself?
Really?
HAVE YOU BECOME UNCONSCIOUS?
Oprah says that she extended self in so many different directions she literally become unconscious.
I bet you know that feeling.
Just trying to get through it all. When you love yourself you give back to yourself.
You have to make yourself a priority.
OPRAH TOOK HERSELF OFF OF HER LIST
I bet you know that feeling too.
There is nothing like the feeling of being on your own list.
I do it by following my own 'best life' list first thing in the morning.
I get up early to do it.
Oprah says – "exercise is the number one thing to give yourself".
I couldn't agree more.
Without it, nothing feels as good. Nothing looks as good.
Nothing is as good.
It's a very small trade off if you think about it.
Oprah follows Bob Greene's Best Life Diet Cookbook. I have a copy and it's an excellent resource.
And they are doing an online webcast http://www.oprah.com/bestlife – Jan 12 at 9 eastern or 8 central.
And you can get more on Best Life Radio on Oprah and Friends on Sirius radio.
I found so much of interest on Oprah's Falling Off the Wagon show that I can't do it justice in one blog post.
So I will have more on it continuing this week, as well I'm sure on her other Best Life shows coming up this week. Be sure to tune in.
Make sure you check out Oprah's Best Life section on her website too.
