The Reward System

Give me a goal! GOAL Give me a credit card! CARD. what does that spell... REWARD (read: one dress one size too tight)

I am a believer in positive reinforcement and a lover of pretty things. Sometimes pretty things are out of stock in your size and you have to turn what could be a misfortune into a reward outfit.  I just could not pass it up - y'all it has a pineapple as a zipper! While I am making excuses for the purchase one quick swipe of the card and two problems were instantaneously solved two issues; a lovely incentive for sticking with the sugar detox was created and an outfit for Foxfield, which is now only 2 weeks away :) 

I took some pictures in this dress on Saturday with sole the intention of creating and posting a before & after. Personally, I am pretty excited to have a visual so I can see how 14 days without sugar looks on me. I have also prepared myself for the fact it most likely will not be the miraculous before/after that pops up on zillions of inspiration boards but I think we should get into the habit of celebrating our successes, big and small!  It is all too easy to shift to self-deprecating thoughts when we compare our results to others results.  

One of my favorite yoga teachers always opened class with this quote by Buddha "We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves."  How amazingly simple is that? It is a shame we do not live in a perfect world, wouldn't it be so wonderfully refreshing to think happy thoughts about ourselves when we looked in the mirror or think happy thoughts when we see someone walking past with something we would love to have hanging on our shoulder cough cough LV Speedy #guilty. I am going to try my hardest to practice this mindfulness, even if I catch just one negative thought and turn it around that is one additional minute of my life that I am happy.

Personal goals for this week: Mindful happiness and mindful eating :)