Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
748902 tn?1286034758

How do you suvive to thrive

After 4 months of falling or even throwing myself of the wagon . I had to find ways to get my self back on track,
I tried all the advise and words of encouragemen that I would normally give to anyone else, but it all fell onto my deaf ears, I couldnt or didnt want to see a way forward, and in some ways was getting a buzz about proving to myself just how useless i was,

Has your dieting ever had a setback? Of course it has. Perhaps your weight went up instead of down, Or maybe you just couldnt bring yourself to exercise. Or even worse, perhaps you lost the will to carry on.
Whatever happened, whether it was a large or small setback, how we deal with the issue most likely determines where we are today. Those who realize that setbacks are simply part of the diet process usually thrive, while those who dwell on the setbacks falter.
The fact is, a setback is really a change that needs to occur in order to move forward. And no matter what stage you're in, you're bound to have things change. The key is to remember that these temporary setbacks can empower you to reach even greater levels of future success. No matter what obstacle has plagued your attempts,

It’s said the difference between people who succeed and people who fail is how they handle setbacks. We will all suffer setbacks,
but whilst one person learns from the experience, the other can be crushed by it. Where one treats a setback as something that
comes with the territory, others see it as a reason for quitting.

So what can we do and who should we turn to when we suffer a setback?
I read this article called ‘Hippo Time’.
Hippo Time is when we allow ourselves some time out to wallow (as hippos do in mud) and to acknowledge our frustration and disappointment and perhaps even
anger. We’re not robots. We cannot simply turn our emotions on and off at the flick of a switch. What Hippo Time does, is give you the opportunity to experience your emotional lows and to be honest about those feelings.
However, in order to make Hippo Time a helpful rather than a harmful experience, make
sure you avoid three kinds of people:
1. ‘The Hijackers’. These are the people who take over your Hippo Time with comments such as “I know how you feel, the same thing happened to me”
2. ‘The Awfulisers’. These people give too much sympathy and can make you feel even worse about your situation. They say things such as “That’s terrible, you must feel awful ……. I had a friend with an in-growing toe nail and he had to have his toe removed!”
3. ‘The Happies’. These are the ‘I’m really positive but I have no grasp of reality’ people. You lose your legs in an accident and they smile sincerely and say “At least you’ve still got your arms”. Or your partner finishes your relationship and they reply “Well there are plenty more fish in the sea!”

How To Make Hippo Time A Helpful Experience?

1. Allow yourself to ‘feel bad’. It’s actually OK to feel down. Give yourself permission to do so.
2. Be careful who you speak to. Find someone who will listen without feeling obliged to offer advice.
3. Avoid hasty decisions. Allow yourself time to work through your feelings before taking action.
4. Learn from it. Whatever you’ve experienced, there is always something to learn.
Ask yourself, “What can I learn from this experience?”
5. Treat yourself. This does not equate to binge eating, but a small treat can be the ideal ‘pick me up’. You’re then in a better frame of mind to move forward.
6. Treat others. Do something positive for someone else for no particular reason. You’ll feel an ‘inner satisfaction’ for having done so. Feeling good about yourself prevents you slipping into pity party mode.
7. Make space. You may need time simply to be alone with your thoughts, as opposed to talking through your issue with others. Personal ‘alone time’ may well be the order of the day.
8. Decide on desirable distractions. Perhaps what you need is to stop thinking about your issue altogether. Watch a movie, take some exercise or surf the net. When you do decide to re-focus, you often have a fresh perspective on your situation.
9. Write down your ‘downs’. Putting your thoughts and feelings down on paper can be a helpful way of off loading and working through your issue. Seeing things on paper can create a sense of clarity as well as being an honest account of how you’re feeling at the time. You’re then in a position to decide how best to move on.

10.Whichever of the above helps, remember this - Hippo Time is temporary. Successful people make sure they don’t spend too long wallowing and realise that setbacks are temporary, but quitting lasts a life time.

These tips have helped me to refocus on my goals
2 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
748902 tn?1286034758
Yes Im done being a hippo, about time im done with wallowing
Helpful - 0
649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
I'm so glad to see you back on the forum again; I guess you're done with hippo time?? LOL

Love this post, because it reflects so much of what we all go through, but often can't express well.

Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Weight Loss and Fitness Community

Top Healthy Living Answerers
649848 tn?1534633700
FL
Avatar universal
Arlington, VA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
14 super-healthy foods that are worth the hype
Small changes make a big impact with these easy ways to cut hundreds of calories a day.
Forget the fountain of youth – try flossing instead! Here are 11 surprising ways to live longer.
From STD tests to mammograms, find out which screening tests you need - and when to get them.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.