Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Satisfaction

The scale reported no loss this week.  Eh.  Yesterday I was down a pound, but today that pound was back.

My weight tracker with Weight Watchers had this to say to me:

"If you’re satisfied with your weight this week, keep doing what you’ve been doing." 

It also said that if I wasn't to read some articles about plateaus.

I'm not at a plateau.  I'm just changing.  Two people in the last couple of days have commented on my looking-thinner-ness.  My husband keeps mentioning changes.  It is all good.  The number just didn't change this week.

But I had to think about those words,

"If you’re satisfied with your weight this week, keep doing what you’ve been doing."

Am I satisfied?  Am I satisfied with my weight loss efforts?  Am I satisfied in other areas of my life?

For me, the answer is yes.  Yes, I am satisfied with my weight loss.  I am making small, sustainable changes in my life that will naturally lead to a healthier me.  I'm satisfied with that number this week.

There are areas of my life where I'm not satisfied.  The reason I'm not satisfied, in most cases, is because I'm not giving those areas my all.  I'm not putting forth enough effort.  I'm not doing my best.

In my weight loss journey, I'm giving my best.  My best is different than your best.  It is mine.  And because I'm doing that, I can be satisfied with the scale and the physical changes I'm making.  My numbers may seem puny to what others can do, but it is MY best.  I'm satisfied.

In my parenting journey, I sometimes wonder if I'm giving my best.  I'm a religious person, but am I using that to help my parenting?  Am I praying enough for my children, for patience, for understanding, for an open-mind?  Am I spending enough time just being with my children and knowing them?  I had a form to fill out about my 4 year old a few weeks ago.  It asked me what his talents were.  I couldn't come up with one.  I felt like an awful mom.   I could have put "ability to charm the pants off anyone" but that didn't seem appropriate.  Do I really know my kids?  I know I could be doing better, therefore, I'm not satisfied.

As I look at the other areas of my life where I don't feel satisfied, I find the same thing ... I'm not giving those areas my best effort.  I'm coasting.  Coasting does not bring me satisfaction.

How about you?  Are you doing your best?  Have you learned to be satisfied with that?

2 comments:

Jeri Dawn said...

You know, I feel like I have made a HUGE step in the last couple of months towards parenting. I feel like I am finally starting to get what all the little things mean. I feel like I have focus and determination to be a good Mom and to train my children to be what I know they can be. Even then, every day is a struggle, though. Energy, selflessness, motivation...why can't they just be a part of life?

On another note, my sister introduced me to this fabulous quick meal: sauteed veggies (I do zucchini and squash and peppers and onions, but whatever), toast some rye bread (we used russian rye, not dark) and butter it with cream cheese...then put the veggies on top. It's fabulous! Try it. You'll love it.

Shelly said...

Satisfaction can be tricky. Some times I think I'm satisfied, but really I'm just satisfied with a mediocre situation.

There are parts of my life I'd like to improve on. My weightloss journey is going along well, especially if I can keep up the momentum. But the parenting-thing. Like Jeri Dawn said, it's a daily challenge.

That being said, I have some ideas of what I'd like to see done a little better in our home. It's just a matter of consistancy. For me, consistancy begets satisfaction.