Emotional Eating: A Prompt

Let me tell you... I've never exactly been an emotional eater, but I'm definitely a person that eats when they are bored. I am also a person that normally does not buy junk food, but when we have it in the house, its as if I've never tasted a candy bar in my entire life. I become the niffler from Fantastic Beasts, just taking and eating everything that I see. Sadly, you cannot turn me upside down and steal all the candy bars back. Instead, they go right to my arms, abdomen, and thighs!


In the last month and a half, I have been doing a 30 day journal challenge where I answer a prompt/question on a daily basis. The people who created the journal challenge stated that by the end I should have a better relationship with food. Located below is the list of questions. After reading through the questions, I will give a general synopsis and evaluation of this challenge. I will even give you a glimpse into my own journal (ooh, ahh!)

 MY THOUGHTS/RESPONSES

I am normally pretty good about writing in my journal every day, but after starting this blog I became a little more lax about writing in my journal. That is why it took me a month in a half rather than just 30 days to finish. As you can tell, there are a lot of evaluation/reflection questions along the lines of how do you view yourself, how can you better yourself, evaluate different experiences in your life, and ultimately what themes are you seeing and how can you change? In that way it was a great journal prompt to do since the year is about to end.

During the month and a half I went through a few difficult experiences where I was in high stress/fight-or-flight situations which created the whole stress/boredom eating tendencies. Despite the issues, I held it together pretty well. The main issue started when Josh... I guess I was involved slightly....... decided to buy the $15 dollar bag of candy from COSTCO. Oh rest our souls. We have had it for over a month, and I think we're like 50% of  the way done (oh the shame).  The sad thing was that we didn't even have one kid come to trick-or-treat. I recognized this month especially that I have a lot of insecurities, as we all do. There are days where we feel like we are owning at life, and then there are days where we have to check our back to make sure there isn't a kick me sign. In that way the world has a sense of humor, I guess. It was also through this Challenge that I decided that this is the time I can take to explore what I enjoy and to take some time for myself. I haven't quite gotten into the workout kick, but I'm planning on joining a gym soon! I also decided that through this challenge I was way too full of myself and was taking too much of my day just having a poor me attitude. When I journal, I seriously feel like I'm one of those young girls from the Judy Blume novels where everything is a big deal while in reality it really isn't.

Now I would like to share with you guys some snippets from my journal entries. I will try and just add little snippets since I tend to be long-winded. Know that these answers are really mine and are backed with a lot of emotion since I was really putting my best effort into these questions. I hope that you gain some insight from them. (BTW everything I'm writing is exactly how I wrote in the journal, nothing has been added/taken away).

Question #24 Describe the last time you compared yourself to someone. How did you feel?

• I feel like I compare myself to other people quite often, but that is not a good thing. I look at other people and think that their life is perfect, but it isn't. I cannot compare my blooper real to someone's feature film. It isn't fair to me to do that and it isn't fair to them either. Everyone has their struggles and trials big and small. Some people are very vocal and other people are very private or timid with what they share. When you compare yourself with others, it is like drinking your own poison. Most of the time the other person hasn't done anything wrong and you are being hurt because of your own choice. I have to remind myself often that other people are Children of God, and that they are on the exact same journey that I am. That statement should be a comfort to us. I also have to realize that everyone has a different plan and priorities in their lives, so of course a person that practices their instrument 6 hours a day is going to be better than me at the viola. Instead of comparing and complaining, appreciate the good that there is, learn from other people, and continue to better yourself through the Atonement of Christ. That is the best you can do...

Question #25 Write a letter to your 8 year old daughter who says she is fat.

• ...You are a daughter of a Heavenly Father who created you the way that you are meant to be. There will always be people who disagree with us or say mean things, but we determine our reaction to the situation and to the person. Sometimes the people who say the mean things are the ones who are struggling the most. Help them. Be better than the situation and trials that are given to you. I know that is a difficult thing to do, trust me, even I am still learning how to do this. You are beautiful and strong and I know that even without meeting you yet. I love you, Mom.

Question #27 Write down 10 activities you could do to feel more relaxed.

1. Read: Any books: fiction, fantasy, scriptures. It is something that I've always loved.
2. Praying- listening to the Spirit.
3. Cooking for Josh and trying something new.
4. Clean the apartment (Afterwards I feel more relaxed, not always during).
5.  Light a candle
6. Go outside and discover something new.
7. Blog: create new content.
8. Spend time with my husband. Snuggling, watching a movie.
9. Finding new hobbies and discovering new passions and things that I enjoy.
10. Serving others. Turns all the negativity and selfishness away and instead you focus on others.

HOW DID THE CHALLENGE GO?

I was able to finish the challenge strong, but my emotional/bored eating didn't really change. Instead I was able to reflect on where my life was and where I want to change and become better. If you're not into the eating questions, just skip them and answer the other ones. Writing in a journal is such an amazing activity. For me it is therapeutic. I put my raw feelings on the page, I evaluate my anxious feelings, and normally by the end... (when I'm done venting and my hand is cramping), I know why I'm feeling the way I am and what needs to be done. I know not everyone has the same result with writing in a journal, but if you have a moment, do this challenge! Hopefully we can continue to support each other as well as ourselves on this journey called life. Also, do not give me any candy or treats. Josh and I do not need them!

~Anna Wilson 

p.s. I do have a Spotify page. I started a playlist called BLOG SONGS. This has the music that I listed on the previous blog entry. Check it out! As I post more concerning music, that playlist will be updated. I will also be doing multiple challenges and then doing a review on them with this blog. Let me know if you have any specific challenges you would like me to do. Currently I'm working on a minimalism challenge.