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Ok, so we are not really going to boycott jellybeans. I love jellybeans. I hate jellybeans. Yeah, I have one of those love-hate relationships!

 But I am done with them. No, really, we ate them all, mostly my kids but they are gone! I got it all out of my system and now I am ready again to join forces with you to start up another challenge. 

 The problem I have with jellybeans was that I was using them as treats for good behavior, like if I was my dog, Leo the Corgi. 

  I know that using treats or rewarding ourselves for our hard work from time to time is not necessarily a bad thing. However, HOW we do it is often counterproductive to our goals.

 We “treat” ourselves by indulging in the exact activity or behavior that we are working to limit or change. 

 Didn’t spend any extra income on non-essentials this month?  Treat yourself to a whole new expensive outfit or a shopping trip to HomeGoods. (We all know how dangerous HomeGoods can be!)

 Stuck to your diet all week? Treat yourself to a pizza and an ice cream sundae. Maybe even an extra snack before bed, you earned it! Or in my case jellybeans! (You can just never eat 1).

 Good habits are hard to form and very easy to break. So what we sometimes view as one “cheat day” or “treat day” can actually work against us when we try to get back into our healthy routine the next day.

 Now that is not to say don’t treat ourselves!  Now, more then ever we need to seek out wellness and treat us ourselves.

 Just that the challenge is to treat ourselves without indulging or defeating ourselves.

 In order to do this – we have to have a plan.  So here is how I am seeing this “treat”‘ and my plan of act. 

If I stick to a healthy diet all week and want one day to add a treat, I will plan ahead what that treat will be. 

 If it is my treat will be an indulgent meal, plan to stick to my healthy diet for the other two meals of the day and determine ahead of time what portion I will consume of my “treat meal.” 

 If I want to reward myself with dessert – choose the healthiest version of that dessert that I can find and also determine my portion size prior to indulging. Or choose a fruit dessert for natural sweetness! Strawberries…YummY.

 So, when I “treat” myself, I want to do so without feeling guilty. By planning ahead when I will treat myself and how much I will consume, I avoid overindulging and impulsive decision making.

 You and I deserve to treat ourselves! And you and I deserve to do it in a way that will not defeat ourselves. In the way that God intended us to treat ourselves, as a Daughter of a King, with a merciful love towards ourselves so that we can in return love others.

 So, I want to challenge you to join me next week for a free 5 Day Catholic Mom Whole-Body Wellness Challenge.

 

 

Self-care is crucial for our physical, emotional and mental well-being.

 This 5 -Day Challenge will inspire and encourage you to continue your whole-body wellness journey.

It includes:

* Private Facebook group.
* Teaching Tuesday Webinar: 3 Reason Why We Overeat.
* Daily journals with 3 tasks to do for body, mind, and soul that will not take more than 30 minutes altogether.
* 1 person will win a free entry to Immaculate Heart of Mary, Merciful Love Challenge coming up on May 18th. ($75 value)

 

We might come from different stages of motherhood but we all want the same thing; holiness, wellness, and community.

Remember to seek joy even in the little things and there we will find God’s merciful love.

With God’s merciful love,

Maria Cecilia