thanks thesusanone,
It encourages me to know that something I said resounded with someone else. That's what I so love about this board. Being able to encourage someone when they need it, and being able to find encouragement here when I need it. Sometimes when someone pats me on the back for some bit of "wisdom," I reread it as if it wasn't me who said it (if that makes any sense). But what I mean is, it can be difficult to take my own advice sometimes - like the infamous parental "do as I say, not as I do."
This stuff is really difficult. I think in the past I thought it was easy, or at least that everyone else who lost weight, did so easily. After all, every diet presented in a book and magazine tells you how (unlike the rest) easy it is -- of course who would buy a book in which the author honestly admitted, "this is one of the most difficult things you will ever attempt. It might even be traumatic, and you're odds of quick or long term success are very poor."
But I think success depends on understanding how difficult it is. There have been studies that show that when people are told a task is "easy," they give up much faster if they cannot do it. However if they're told it is difficult or challenging, they will work much longer to master it.
I wonder how often that happens to us with dieting, that because we're told how "easy" it is, if it doesn't work quickly and dramatically for us, we give up. We must be doing something wrong, or we must be unable to do this. "What's the use," mentality.
I was just discussing this in a post to a yahoo tapestry crochet group. Tapestry crochet appears deceptively easy to anyone who can single crochet and who has ever done cross-stitch, needlepoint or latch hook.
Several of the members were complaining how frustrating and "not fun" the technique was, and how tempted they were to just give up. I really think expectations play a role in feeling that way. I know it did for me. I thought the technique was going to be simple and easy, because the concept is simple. But a lot more concentration was needed than I expected and my hands were very sore from the unfamiliar technique. I was shocked that it was a lot more difficult than I'd expected. I was ready to give up, because I was thinking that it "should" be easier.
The discussion really turned me around. Knowing that everyone new was struggling, made me realize that I wasn't "just not getting it," but rather it was a challenging endeavor and I would eventually master it if I keep trying.
It's very weird how a very slight attitude adjustment can make all the difference.
