Pull Away From The Dock And Set Sail!

Do you ever feel like you just need to retreat from the world? Do you stay in your house and hole up in your room, dreaming and wishing for a better life?

A lot of us do this or have done it in the past, while also possibly filling up on junk food or watching endless television to pass the time so we don't have to think about our feelings. Going into this dream mode on occasion is good for us. Sometimes it leads to figuring out what we want to do with our lives or how to deal with a sticky situation. The problem comes when we do this all the time. If this is what you do day after day, you are only numbing yourself...you are not really living.

I speak from experience. I've had periods of time in my life when I stared at the screen and ate candy or ice cream to make myself feel better. Most of the time I barely tasted the food, I just ate it as fast as I could, trying to fill up an empty hole inside of me. I didn't go out of the house very often to do anything. I felt like I couldn't go out and do certain things until I reached my "dream weight". It took a long time, but I finally discovered that food was not going to fill that hole, and neither was TV. I needed to work through my emotions and figure out what I needed to do to make my life better. I started by being conscious of what I was putting into my mouth, and now when I do decide to have a sweet treat I concentrate on actually tasting and enjoying it. I find that when I'm actually present while eating, I no longer feel the need to go overboard with food because I'm enjoying the portion that I have.

Also, when I do my thinking and dreaming now, I make it a constructive time. During this time I get ideas for my writing and set plans in motion to get things done. It's no longer just wishful thinking...I use my thoughts to propel my life forward instead of just dreaming it away. You do have to stop and think about where you're headed sometimes, but you also have to balance that with actually DOING. And I no longer feel that I have to be a certain weight or size to get out and do stuff. What joy and freedom there is in this!

Here is my advice for anyone who is still out there sitting around and letting life pass them by: Take the time to think through what you want to do with your life. Write down the things you are good at, and also those things that you've always wanted to try but haven't yet. Make a plan around this list, and get out there and try something new. Figure out the first steps that you need to make something happen and then GO DO IT. Get off the couch or out of bed and start actually living. Those first steps will lead to further steps and before you know it, you will be enjoying your life. Just like a ship is not meant to stay tied to the dock, you are not meant to stay attached to your sofa. Unhitch yourself now and set sail on a fulfilling life!