Monday, January 31, 2011

Pat on the Back!

Home after four days away. Took a fun/challenging, 3-day quilting workshop. Catered lunches were supplied, with lavish desserts baked right there in the kitchen adjacent to our classroom, plus fresh-baked cookie snacks in the afternoon and other students sharing their dark-chocolate-coated blueberries. I don't want to write about the desserts! Just let it be known they smelled and looked like the best of the best.

Struggle to maintain my sobriety? Yes, a bit. The class was challenging for me... not my normal approach to art and not my most comfortable medium, lots of new techniques, and most of the students way more advanced both as artists and as makers of art quilts than I am. Did I feel frustrated and inadequate some of the time? Yes, I did, perhaps most of the time. Did I smell the chocolate brownies (oops, I wasn't going to tell...) and want some? Yes, it crossed my mind. Did I watch other women cheerfully devouring snacks and desserts? Yes, I did.

However, ta-dah, did I take a smidgen, a taste, a bite or a serving of any of it? No, I did not! Pat on the back and bravo me! Did I eat a bit too much at meal time? Hmmm. I shall try to be honest here... Yes, a few meals were a bit more than I have at home. Plus, I don't normally eat much at all for breakfast; whereas I did partake of the free hotel breakfast (in a mostly sensible way).

This is a good lesson. The OA approach works for me. Sobriety works for me; it's not as difficult as diets. There was a woman in the class on a diet, who talked rather constantly about what she could and could not eat, what she wanted to eat, what she wished they had provided for us, etc. My experience was different. I didn't think about food, except when they brought out a steaming fresh plate of desserts and announced we could "come and get it." I didn't talk about food at all that I can recall.

Actually, it really wasn't very difficult at all. Back in my days of yo-yo dieting, I had much, MUCH WORSE times trying to limit how many cookies or brownies or candies I ate. I am very grateful to have learned about OA and for all the sources of support keeping me sober!
* * * * *
Today's I'm grateful for: blooming Narcissus and Hellebore, Northern Flickers feeding on our property, safe travels to and from my class, sleeping in my own bed, longer days, good neighbors, silence

8 comments:

  1. Bravo...what a major success during what could have been a most challenging 3 days!

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  2. You are right - it's easier to leave it off
    altogether
    than to try to sort it out, sometimes.
    A cheap trick?
    Maybe.
    But one that never fails!
    Let's call it a shortcut.
    And a good lesson learned!
    *pats on back here!*

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  3. Bravo, PB! Here's a virtual pat on the back from me. Sounds like it was a total win.

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  4. Welcome back. I am so proud of you for maintaining your sobriety. A pat on the back from me.

    You must be feeling very good about yourself :-)

    Did you enjoy the classes? I'll bet those quilts were 10 times more impressive in person than on the photos let on.

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  5. Kudos! As you know, moderation is not my strong suit. I have often thought of you and your abstinence and wondered what items I'd need to put on my own list. Too many to count. But for sure it is easier not to eat many foods than to try to moderate.

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  6. Hurray for you!! I am very proud!!

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  7. Good for you for taking a class you weren't entirely comfortable with. It's GOOOD to stretch every now and then. :)

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