We all fall off the wagon from time to time - the trick is getting back on again quickly, without falling down any number of rabbit holes. Those rabbit holes are dug by things such as guilt, fear, regret and other such negative emotions, and we can get lost in the underground warrens if we don't know how not to slide down the rabbit holes in the first place.
How we defend against the negative emotions and self-talk is key to getting back up and running quickly. When we slipped and fell as children, did we stay down and refuse to even try to walk, run, ride a bike, climb a tree, roller skate, or anything else we were trying out for the first time? No, we did not. We got back up, dusted ourselves off and tried again until we succeeded!
Over the years since childhood, we collected guilt, fear, regret, and other negative emotions from being told "Can't," "Shouldn't," "Don't," "Not Good Enough," and a whole host of direct and not-so-direct negative messages. We internalized all that negative input, and it became our Inner Critic and our own worst enemy.
Remember our discussion on Personal Prose? When you fall off the wagon, rather than focusing on the negative thoughts and feelings, focus instead on the power words that support and nurture your goals. Remind yourself of the five whys, the deepest reasons for achieving your goals, then get up, dust yourself off, and get back on the wagon that will take you down the path of your best life!
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