SO YOU WENT ON A BINGE... NOW WHAT?
We've all been there. You've been watching what you eat. You've been making a conscious effort to be healthy. And then you see that treat... That treat that makes you throw it all out the window. Maybe your binge only lasted an hour, or maybe it lasted a year. Either way, it does not ruin you. Let me repeat that. IT DOES NOT RUIN YOU.
You're probably feeling guilty, a little helpless, and definitely discouraged. But take a deep breath because guess what? It's okay! Everyone has their binge days. Yes, even that guy with the washboard abs and that girl with the tiny waist. They may seem perfect from a distance, but the only difference is that they have learned to forgive themselves. They remind themselves of their goals, and then they get right back to working for them. We're all human. None of us will ever be perfect nor should we ever expect ourselves to be perfect. Let me repeat that. NEVER EXPECT YOURSELF TO BE PERFECT.
I recently came across an incredible metaphor that truly resonated with me and that I want to share. Picture yourself on a road trip. You're driving across the country, but you have to pull over because a tire popped. You climb out of the car, see the popped tire, and you get upset. You realize this is going to make you late getting where you need to go, so now you feel helpless and discouraged about your trip. Sound familiar? So you have two options. Your first option is to slash the other three tires effectively stranding yourself on the side of the road. Your second option is to go to a mechanic, fix your tire, and continue your trip albeit with a slight detour. Now which option sounds better to you?
We often think that failure is the end. We think that if we make a mistake, we're not good enough. Failure and mistakes are part of the journey. Failure and mistakes are how you learn! Without figuring out what doesn't work, we'd never know what does work. Even the most successful people in the world will tell you this. J.K. Rowling, known for her famous book series Harry Potter, was turned down time and time again by publishers for what is now one of the highest grossing book series ever published. Bill Gates dropped out of school to invest all his time and money into a company that failed. Because he continued to work for his goals, he went to work for Microsoft and became the youngest self-made billionaire in history. Albert Einstein even admits to being a failure. In his own words, "success is failure in process." Let me repeat that. "SUCCESS IS FAILURE IN PROGRESS".
I hope these words have given you another perspective or at the very least have been enlightening.
Mistakes do not ruin you. Nobody is perfect. Failure is part of succeeding. So breathe deep, learn from your mistakes, and keep moving forward.