The 5-Letter Word That Dooms A Diet

I’ll NEVER find time!
I’ll NEVER lose weight!
I’ll NEVER be able to wear my bathing suit!
I’ll NEVER achieve my goals!
I’ll NEVER be happy!

Do you find your mind frequently drifting into the NEVER mode? If so, you will NEVER succeed, and thats a promise!

Throughout the course of my own personal life and professional career, I have gained a strong belief that the absolute NEVER will ALWAYS result in failure. Unless you TAKE the TIME to MAKE a CHANGE, you’ll be stuck in a rut FOREVER!

Since your attitude is the way you view your life -- your past, present and future -- and your behaviors are so intimately intertwined with your thoughts, it’s time to take control of what you CAN control!

Our attitudes begin as harmless little thoughts that become layered by practice (habit) into unbreakable chains that either serve to hinder our existence or enhance it!

Many of us are unaware that our cynical thoughts exist because they have become so much a part of our being from early on! We have actually molded our attitudes into what they are today. Interestingly, our attitudes then become a driving force behind who we will become.

Just because we may replay that broken record from childhood of how “you don’t measure up” or “can’t you be like your sister?” or “you are so pretty, too bad you can’t lose a little weight” doesn’t entitle us to give up on ourselves as adults. We’ve all heard the negative, but it’s time to weigh in on the positive.

As adults we can take control of those absolutist outlooks and turn our lives around 180 degrees... if that's what we choose. NEVER should be erased from that record and replaced with ABSOLUTELY.

There is one major difference between those who succeed in life and those who do not -- ATTITUDE! Do you find yourself relinquishing your power in the face of challenges or do you persist?

We certainly cannot control those situations that “happen” around us, nor can we control the thoughts, feelings and behaviors of others. But we sure as heck can control how we want to perceive and manage the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Losers let life happen. Winners make life happen for themselves and for others.

The idea here is that our thoughts make us who we are today! Your own belief system leads to negative or positive emotions, unhealthy or healthy behaviors, unsuccessful or successful relationships, and so on. As a result, our emotions, behaviors and relationships all contribute to our healthy or unhealthy lifestyles. Get the point? Changing one piece of the puzzle of life will ultimately result in overall healthier living!

NEVER, in my opinion, is worse than any four-letter word. It does not allow you to attempt to make a difference. If you wont make a difference, youll end up in the same boat you are in today. Now, why not get off the boat, take a plunge, and explore your potentials? Wait until you see whats awaiting you.

Attitude -- this precious, personal possession that we all have -- is something that must be nurtured just like a flower. When cared for, our attitude will blossom into a future of delight, making the old impossible become absolutely achievable!

Winning and losing is all about attitude. It’s all about taking time and making a change today!

Dr. Susan Mendelsohn is a licensed psychologist who works with a variety of addictions and specializes in managing eating disorders. In addition to teaching and maintaining a private practice, she counsels eDiets members online. Got a question for the doctor? Feel free to email her at drsusan@ediets.com.