Some Simple Steps to Remember
by Karen Otto Copyright © 2001
Starlene Stewart wrote on our e-mailing list:
"I think someone on this list before mentioned that
they noticed when they got tired of their job they found themselves
overeating, and asked are we supposed to go from job to job to job just
because we're unhappy and overeating? Okay, so my overeating was similar
to this. Am I to eliminate everyone from my life who causes me some
discomfort? ... When do I learn to cope without eating? Isn't it like
I am running from my problems by eating, and trying to eliminate all
the problematic stuff? My life is about as mellow as it can get, and
sometimes things gets stressful. I think it would be unrealistic for
me to think that I could arrange my life to be absolutely stress-free."
Karen Otto responded to me with a very simple, straight to the point
list.
She said, "No, Starlene, we're not supposed to avoid every stressful
situation. You are very right in saying that's impossible. What we are
supposed to do is to:
1. Recognize that's why [the stressful situation] we ate/are feeling
compelled to eat.
2. Try to understand the reasons that cause the urge.
3. Do what we have to do to deal with it. Sometimes that means
not eating, sometimes eating, sometimes searching out some other consolation.
4. Congratulate ourselves for doing whichever of the steps (1-3
above) that we managed to do.
5. Move on with life.
The objective is to move from the state of not knowing, to knowing,
to understanding, to changing what we need to change, and then (most
importantly) LETTING IT GO."
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