Focus on the Details: the Big Picture will Come

On the long and winding path to self improvement, we often lose sight of the incremental progress we make because we are overly focused on the end result.  While it is important to have goals and know where we'd like to go--that gives our work meaning, after all, it is not the be all and end all. The cliche "life is a journey not a destination" comes to mind.  Sometimes, no matter how much we'd like to achieve a certain goal and no matter how hard we work to get there, it still eludes us.  That doesn't mean the goal wasn't worthy.  It doesn't mean our efforts weren't admirable.  It doesn't mean that we didn't do our "best."  It just means that a particular goal at a particular time was not ours at that single moment.

I am reminded of the Summer Olympics that are coming up.  The qualifying competition for girls' gymnastics was just completed.  A gymnast from Minnesota was competing and had a chance at making the team for the first time.  So close--and yet so far.  For reasons that had nothing to do with her preparation, skill, points, or execution, she did not make the team.  The reason--she just wasn't "good enough" to help US overall win a gold medal.  While heartbreaking for her, it doesn't diminish her work, her accomplishments, her dedication, discipline, drive, focus and sacrifice for all the years that brought her to this point.

For the rest of us who are not contemplating Olympic medals, we too need to focus on the process--the work, the attention, the discipline, the life skills that help us lead a healthy lifestyle.  This comes in the form of mindful eating which means meals at tables with chairs and without technology.  This comes in the form of managing stress with fulfilling activities that make us happy and feel that life is worthwhile.  This comes in the form of regular physical fitness for the sake of our bodies.  This comes in the form of resisting temptation when it just "shows up" so that we can choose mindfully the right time and place for the right special treat.  This comes in the form of quality sleep and lots of water consumption.  There are so many ways that we can improve our chances of a healthy and long life; we cannot afford to diminish any of them whether we lose weight this week or not.  We influence the scale but never control it.  We are not robots.  Bodies are always changing because of food, medication, air travel, lack of sleep, humidity, salty food...We need to look at the process.  The desired outcome is likely if we focus on the process.

For the week ahead, focus on all the little things and big that you do every day to make your lifestyle a healthy one.  Give yourself credit for every single step in the right direction, even if you have been taking these steps for a while.  Consistency is a treasured thing.  Remind yourself that little by little, day by day, the journey is worthwhile.