Famous author, coach, and motivational speaker Tony Robbins once said: “The only thing that’s keeping you from getting what you want is the story you keep telling yourself.”
As Tony suggested, we tell ourselves daily stories to help rationalize our decisions. But what if these stories could be rewritten? What if they could shape our thoughts and behaviors in a way that transforms our identity, or who we are?
Begin to think about what is important to you. When you stop and think about it, what matters to you? Is your health important to you? Do you desire to live healthily but keep finding obstacles trying to strangle your desire for healthy living?
So, when your parents tell you...
- You aren't eating enough
- Eat for me
- Do it because I spent so much time doing this for you
- Normally you like that, why aren't you eating it?
Then you think you're not a good person for not eating it for not finishing your plate, or maybe even for not thinking about the hungry little children in Africa.
What happens over time is that physically, you start not trusting your body and your natural sense of satiety, which is extremely important because we all have that naturally within ourselves. We all know when we're full, we all know when it's enough.
We've learned as children not to trust ourselves and that others know better than we do about what's good for us. And that's the lie. People can't tell you really what's good for you. They can give you advice based on their own experience and provide you with information, but they can't tell you what's good for you. Emotionally, you start associating over or under-eating with receiving more love and attention and bringing others satisfaction.
Like many of you, I've faced numerous obstacles and storms that keep trying to pull me back into cycles of destructive behavior. Perhaps you've experienced this too. You were doing well with your eating habits and fitness goals until one day, it just stopped happening. You start by eating one fast food meal after you’ve been cooking daily for some time, but that one meal starts to play with your mind, and you feel you can do it again, yet you remain stuck in a downward spiral.
What do you do?
Remember this: Sometimes, guilt in our minds shows up, causing us to feel locked in an invisible prison cell. Guilt robs us of the ability to believe we are worthy of success in life, and we are never truly free as long as we carry its burden.
In her book Never Give Up, Joyce Meyer states, “Jesus came to break the bondage of guilt in our lives. He paid with His life for everything we have ever done wrong and everything we will ever do wrong.” When we believe in the work of the cross and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He looks at us and says, “Not guilty.” What does this mean? God sees us as if we had never sinned. That guilt of your eating habit is no longer a place of guilt, but if you don’t give up, you can successfully live a healthy lifestyle.
No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to live without making mistakes. Live each day recognizing that each day is a new day, and because we get to die daily, remember to ask for forgiveness and forgive yourself each day. This begins the process of combatting limiting beliefs.
So, how do you combat limiting beliefs, you ask? Here are five steps for combatting these beliefs:
- You can choose to stop Agreeing. The past does not equal the future and we can start changing our future today by remembering that we are children of God, made in His image.
- Pay attention. Start noticing how those limiting beliefs appear and when they plague you the most.
- Question Your Limiting Beliefs. Approach them as though you were a “know-it-all” teenager arguing with his or her parents.
- Test your assumptions. You’ve heard the phrases “act as if,” and “fake it ‘til you make it,” Now is your chance to try it.
- Change your thoughts. It’s time to change those negative thoughts and beliefs into positive declarations.
When you’re feeling the walls trying to crumble around you, start building a new wall. Every "Body" is Beautiful! We're all created in God's image. Believe and trust this truth. Realize this: the enemy wants to keep you in a state of chronic pain, and he is attacking you because of the way you have lived. You haven’t kept your walls up; you have no protection. But with God’s help, you can begin to build the right kind of life; you can start building walls of protection around yourself to protect you from the enemy. The first place you need to run when the storm of bad eating habits hits your life is to the secret place of the Most High (see Psalm 91:1), the presence of God. Read His Word; pray; worship Him; tell Him you trust Him as the winds of adversity blow. The enemy may come against you, but if you stay close to God in this season, the enemy’s plans will not succeed.
If you feel this storm of quick and easy paths to the wrong unhealthy eating habits, and they have left you feeling stuck for too long and you are ready to build some walls of protection, I’m excited for you. But realize this: there will be some opposition. That’s just a reality of life. Anytime you move forward, the enemy will be unhappy. But, the Bible tells us, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate, and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
It’s easy to stay on that broad road that leads to destruction. Will you join me on the narrow road that leads to life? There’s a breakthrough with your name on it, and I’m here to support you and believe in your victory. You have what it takes to win every battle. God is for you, in you, with you, and around you. Keep going and moving towards overcoming those limited beliefs, and trust God in the process.
To ensure that you are moving forward in your healthy eating habits, I have created a downloadable Food Journal that you can receive for free. This food journal has many steps for growth with a place to write down what you’re eating and drinking, along with how you’re feeling throughout your day, and writing Scriptures and what you’re meditating on so when you’re feeling weak, you can go back and focus your thoughts on what is true (see Phil. 4:8). Grab your free printable Food Journal along with a customized wellness scan here and begin crushing those limiting beliefs!
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