Fear - but what if you knew you could not fail?

[squidly]

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

I read this last night in some old notes I wrote which I found very timely. I have tried raw a few times and keep falling off. When I fall I do so big time and this time is the worst. For nearly a month I have been binging every day on sugar, chips etc and doing so in private. I am so disgusted with myself and feel yuck because I have put on weight, am stuffed up in the head, all my injuries hurt...........and the rest. I hate myself which only makes me binge more in this hole I am digging deeper each day.

I have had an addiction to sugar for as long as I can remember and I just want it over - but obviously not badly enough as I still binge. The last 3 days I told myself today was the day (AGAIN!) but like before it wasn't - so what will it take me? I keep making excuses - I am going away, I'll just have something small at the movies, there is a wedding..............oh make it stop!!!!! I yell.

So what would I do if I knew I could not fail?

I would never eat sugar again
I would never eat fried foods again
I would live a high raw life
I would forgive my enemies
I would learn to play harmonica
I would forgive myself
I would release the fear I hold inside and embrace a new life full of rawness, energy and health.
I would love myself with the same passion I love my daughter.................oh yes ...............the calmness spreads over my body as I realise the truth in this- like was said in another threat - SELF LOVE!

Here is my pledge to my fellow raw fooders:

From this moment being 2pm 26 September 2005 I will undertake the 30 day raw food challenge. My excuses will become stepping stones from which I propel my self forward to higher ground. I will use my periods of travel, family visits and outings as times to discover my true strength. I will grow spiritually, shrink physically and vibrate at a higher energy. I AM strong in mind, fit in body and healthy in my choices. ...because I know I can not fail I will complete my 30 day challenge.

My reward for completing this challenge is:
Day 15 I can place my turtle charm (my reminder for me to slow down) on my charm bracelet
Day 30 I can have a half day of pampering.

May the journey begin

Thanks for listening............

[seand11]

I once got caught up in this vicious circle myself. Hopefully my experiences and my personal solution can help you along in your path.

The problem for me is I was severely under eating on calories. It is our body’s natural response to give you these intense cravings and force the binges when it is starving from lack of fuel. Consider logging everything you consume for a weeks time at nutridary.com (free). This can give you a peek into your diet’s specifics that may not be initially so obvious.

For me, I was able to destroy the cravings by improving the calorie rich sweet fruits like banana, mango, grapes, melons, etc in my diet and reducing the amount of calorie poor items like salads for lunch, snack and dinner. Maybe try to get some calories in early with a fruit smoothie; and before dinner time, when cravings are the most intense, munch down some bananas or avocados to take the edge off.

If you have more available free time, take a moment to whip up a few of Alissa’s delicious recipes to keep in the fridge. When your body is desperate for fuel and calories, hopefully you’ll binge on these raw foods instead of the alternative.

I think it comes down to being able to predict your hunger and cravings and to satisfy them with the healthy choice before you become consumed. When you’re pleasantly full and totally satiated that other food has zero appeal.

Hope this helps, Sean

[TimmyC]

SeanD11,

All I can say is Wow!! That was deep. I believe you are commited now!

I wish you well on this raw journey!

Tim

[ksabe98]

I always dislike seeing that someone hates themselves for falling off the wagon and binging on foods they know are bad for them. I have come to the conclusion that we are all at various levels going to fall off as it were from time to time. Especially if we spent the majority of our years eating a SAD or predominently cooked diet. Let's face it we crave foods that are not good for us for so many different reasons. Each of us have our own set of reasons and then some. Also when we fall we tend to take on a defeatist attitude. All or nothing. Once you fall then your down and out and official TKO and then we require all the fortitude we can muster to get back up on that figuritive horse if we even get up again at all. But what if we looked at it from this perspective. It is one meal at a time. If you fail at this meal let's say lunch. Why not look at the very next meal as our next opportunity to make a better choice. Instead of thinking that once the day has been blemished with a cooked meal or a processed garbage filled body loving choice that all is lost and then we must hate ourselves telling ourselves that we are major LOSERS. The next meal is a golden opportunity, a gift as it were to begin again. Well anyway that is my new look on things. I go in knowing I am going to mess up a snack or meal here and there but there is another eating opportunity right in front of it that I can make a better choice or maybe have more willpower to say NO to my body's screaming for cooked salsa and chips. I know I can make my own salsa and dehydrated chips and off I go on the Wagon again even in the same day. You know there is not one Gold Medalist out there that didn't have a bad day, oh like say at least a hundred times. The beauty of this is that we can all be Gold Medalists. Have a wonderful day all.
Lisa

[JennaBoBenna]

That's such a cool idea about the turtle on your charm bracelet :) I think I might do something similar...hmm.... :D

[Ireland]

Squidly, for me for some reason, that was/is one of the most inspirational posts I've come across lately. It's funny how different things speak to different people. I guess I identify with so much.

I've printed off the title and will hang it on my wall in front of my computer. "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?"

Wonderful. Thank you.

[sweetgoddess]

Very beautiful and insightful. A big giant step towards self-love, which I am beginning to see is the foundation for permanent change and tremendous growth. You can create all of that for yourself!
3 cheers for you!

Warmly~
Carmel

[Sweet lips]

THANK YOU FOR THIS POST! I am on my way to a retreat -and I will focus on developing my step stones - for my life. I have a new attitude about a lot of things, and thus this post was so timely.

Thanks again

[jaurequi]

Good luck to you, Squidly; you can do it!

[MoniDew]

AWESOME! Thanks. I'm also printing and posting.

PS, what would I do? Wipe Cancer off the map. Put the FDA and the AMA out of business, make every grocery store a raw food supply source and organic, let's see, what else....World Peace?!

[Que]

Hi Squidly
Your messag spoke volumes to me. I've been in the exact same boat, on and off the exact same bandwagon and I mean the exact same. I've binged most of my life and I've hated myself for it too. I've read that quote before and had totally fogotten about it. Go figure I've been partly raw for the past month, but just want to committ already and had made that day today to start, when I read your inspiring message. Thank you. I know I can do this and so can you. One day at a time.

[kmik]

(Next presidential election... I'm writing in "MoniDew" ;) )

[squidly]

Hi there all

great to receive so many replies so thank you very much. It has been 50 hours that I have been all raw and I feel great in myself though a bit headachey which is cool - all part of the process. Yesterday I made a batch of raw food and stocked my fridge. I thought about the week ahead -taking my daughter to a big show this weekend (as in rides, junk food etc) and also visiting my family for 5 days (scary waht they eat). My head has run the same old tape of excuses and why I can not eat raw at these times BUT I am aware of them and combatting the old tape by replacing it with new ones so am feeling strong after all...............I know I can't fail.

Hope this finds you all happy, loved and asking youself "If I knew I could not fail what would i do.................and then do it". The only failure is not to have a go. I know success is waiting for me.............and for you!!

[RawTruth]

Wipe Cancer off the map. Put the FDA and the AMA out of business, make every grocery store a raw food supply source and organic, let's see, what else....World Peace?!I truly believe that all of this is possible -- if we were all of us eating all raw and living foods.

Supreme health may be the most obvious outcome from "no fear" -- which would in itself eliminate cancer and cause the market to meet the demand for organic, fresh, raw, ripe foods. But there are far more benefits to reap -- heightened physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental growth and increased clarity and amazing intuitive insights (all of which have been my personal experience). My acquaintances and friends who are all raw are also living examples of the same. Another benefit ... little to no TV time, much more one-on-one contact, hours and hours of conversation, and meaningful interactions

Does it seem as if I've gotten off topic here? What I've meant to write about is what has happened when I began living my life knowing I could not fail. I think this is a fabulous post, Squidly; I remember your contributions in the past, and, while I'm sorry you're suffering through the self-doubt right now, I know you're actually solidly on the path to raw radiance -- just look down at your feet and you'll see you're actually where you want to be; your mind's just taken a little detour into "monkey mind" territory. (If you don't know or remember what this is, a search might bring up an old discussion of this -- it's a cool way of looking at those cravings and old tapes that crop up in us.)

Best to you --

[squidly]

Thanks for your words RawTruth as they really struck a cord. I have not come across Monkey Mind before but did a search a came up with this link for anyone else wanting to read about it - definitely worth the read and oh so me!!

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5351&highlight=monkey+mind