Last year, I joined Noom, which is a lifestyle change approach to losing weight and taking control of your life. I was given many tools to help me make better choices, set goals, gain knowledge about health, and face the real reasons why I was making poor choices in my diet. I did extremely well and lost 35 pounds in about 6 months.
As usual, it seems easy to lose weight when that is the primary focus of your life, but then LIFE sets in again. Once my focus changes to other things going on, everything seems to fall apart. But, what is really going on? I still know everything that I should be doing, and yet, I stop making the choices that I know will help me to continue to succeed – either at maintaining my achievements or continuing to make more progress.
For me, I noticed that my will had changed. I had other more pressing issues facing me than losing weight and my will (or desire) was focused on other things. As someone who grew up in the church, was a pastor’s kid, went to Bible college, and has dedicated much of my life to ministry, I definitely have many tools in my arsenal when it comes to spiritual warfare and spiritual ministry. However, at times, I simply find myself not caring or putting in the effort that I should be.
Challenges and trials in life can knock us down and sap our energy. We may know what we need to do and have the tools to do it, and yet, we simply let things slide. Those are the times we really need to lean on others for support and encouragement! We can’t do all of life on our own. It’s especially challenging when those around you aren’t focused on the same goal that you are.
So, how can we maintain our will and desire for change in one area, even if it’s not the major focus in our life? I think the most important way to achieve that is to maintain some kind of accountability partner in that particular realm that can check in with you on occasion and continue to support and encourage you to maintain the progress you have already achieved. When you find that you have the tools, but not the will – find someone to lean on and hold you accountable. Don’t allow the progress to gradually slip away until you are right back where you were when you started. Another thing that I am working on doing is updating my vision board for 2020. My plan is to incorporate my goal from last year into an updated version that continues to keep me focused and on track for continued change and improvement.
I want to be a person that gathers tools and then continues to use them by maintaining my will for improvement in all aspects of life – relationships, physical care, spiritual growth, etc.