Thinking you can do it is often what makes the difference when you are bringing your behavior in line with your weight-loss goals.
Can you go that extra mile today, make dinner for the family as well as keep to your weight-loss routine? Do you think you can assuage your hurt feelings in some way other than by snacking beyond reasonable limits? What about the dinner party on Saturday? Will it be an occasion where you eat out of control like you usually do?
Why does thinking you can do it make a difference in these kinds of situations? First of all, let’s consider the opposite of “thinking you can”, “thinking you can’t do it”. What happens to you when you take this kind of negative outlook? You might not really work at it. Thinking you can, on the other hand, gives you a better chance of ‘working at it’. Working at it implies being more motivated, perhaps even more curious, definitely more persistent, and in all likelihood, willing to tolerate mistakes and even learn from them.