Practice

Chris Brogan just wrote his 3 words for 2012.  These are his guiding principles for the year (so much easier to remember 3 words than it is to remember a whole resolution!)

I liked all three (you can read them here) -- but the one that struck me most was the word practice and the sentence: The practice is the reward.

When I talk to people who are trying (successfully or unsuccessfully) to manage their weight -- almost none of them are enjoying the process.  It seems we have made weight management a means to an end.  If you can just control your weight, you will live a happy, successful life..... right?

I don't see too many people (none...actually) that have lived this particular urban legend.

I can count on two hands the people who have gone through bariatric surgery only to swing from euphoria (as the weight comes off) to confusion (as they start to live in a very different body than the one they are used to), to fear and despair (as their weight settles and many times starts creeping back up).  I'm not saying they aren't happy -- but I haven't ever had anyone tell me losing weight solved all of their problems.

Maybe we should be taking a deeper look at the practice of ....anything, really -- but for here, I guess we'll keep it to weight management.

Please consider this:

The lessons you need to learn to be happy are those that let you be kind to yourself and others even if you're in an uncomfortable situation.

Sometimes less is more.

You have to be present to win.

Life moves pretty fast .... if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you may miss it. (yeh...that's Ferris Bueller!)

So maybe it's time to practice -- and enjoy it for what it is:  the reason we're here.