Why is it so difficult to make resolutions stick? My list is almost always the same from year to year. When I look back over the past year, I don't drink more water, exercise more, eat better, etc. Not measurably so. I kind of hit and miss -- a lot. One of the biggest problems with failing again and again to make these changes is that I start to doubt my own resolve. Yeah, right... I've heard THAT one before! My self-respect droops. Maybe my list is too long, or maybe I'm approaching it in the wrong way. If I took just one item and set it in my schedule regularly until it was second nature, maybe I could forever scratch it off any future lists. But how are good habits formed and bad habits broken? Is there a way to truly change habitually for the better? Behavior modification? CBT? Hypnosis? I don't have an answer yet, at least not based on personal experience. I have hope, though, that change IS possible, and a sense of confidence in the malleability of my brain, thanks to recent research. I share a sampling of what I've found here:
Emotional hunger: how can I gain control over my cravings?
In my previous post, I wrote about a recent book, The End of Overeating, the science behind our desire to eat, even when we're not hungry, and the tools it suggests to overcome the impulse to overeat. Understanding how the brain works in relation to food, gives me a better handle on how I could effect personal change in my way of eating. I've been exploring this subject for some time -- the inside, mental part of weight gain and loss. I know I have food issues, as do most people. For many, food = love. It's the center of a celebration, the reward for doing well, something to mark a special occasion. But it's making us really large, which makes us feel bad. It gets so confusing! Great recipes, wonderful restaurants, variety is the spice of life! The push-pull of eating makes us feel a little crazy and out of control and sometimes very guilty.
The psychological/psychic part of eating is generally overlooked or merely touched upon in most diet books and programs. I think that's why most if not all established diets don't work for the majority of us. One of the least expensive, most comprehensive online programs I've found is The Duke Diet. Its emphasis on diet, fitness and the behavioral issues of weight loss goes much farther than most programs. In the late 90s, I came across The Solution, from Laurel Mellin at UCSF. I knew she was onto something, but it seemed too involved and I never followed through. It was on my "to do" list for a while, though. Mellin's work has evolved over the years into EBT (Emotional Brain Training), building on the latest science in neuroplasticity. Her latest book Wired for Joy gives an introduction to EBT. Sounds promising, and I might even sign up for EBT when I can afford to... But while I'm on the subject of neuroplasticity, I've included some interesting information below:
One word: plastics
Neuroplasticity is an exciting and relatively new area of brain research. It draws upon the latest breakthroughs in neuroscience, cognitive-behavioral studies and insights gained from examining the effects of contemplative practices, such as compassion meditation. If you're interested in this topic, search your library for Sharon Begley's Train Your Mind Change Your Brain -- How a new science reveals our extraordinary potential to transform ourselves. She talks about the meeting of the minds between new western science and ancient eastern practices. I find this area enormously fascinating, for all that it may -- in time -- open up for us. Here's a talk by U.W. Madison's Dr. Richard J. Davidson: Transform your Mind, Change Your Brain. His talk is long, but so interesting! Another take on this subject is Dr. Norman Doidge's The Brain that Changes Itself. I'm also including his talk on brain plasticity. This area is really just in its infancy. There are so many potential applications down the road. Here's one more interesting talk, on the neuroscience of emotions from Stanford's Dr. Philippe R. Golden.
Mindfulness meditation: the first step?
For a long time, I've believed that regular meditation practice could lead to profound personal changes. It's been on my list for a number of years. I am aware of its many benefits for helping to cultivate centeredness and compassion. Here's a good introduction to mindfulness meditation. I found another talk by Dr. Golden that combines neuroplasticity and meditation: cognitive neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. As far as instruction goes, I tend to favor the western-born practitioners. Jack Kornfield is one of my favorites for guided meditation. You can listen to a short preview of his talk on Mindfulness and the Brain on the Sounds True site. Another teacher I like is Pema Chodron. Her description of mindfulness is a good one. I have been especially drawn to her talks on maitri, unconditional friendliness to onesself. Her talks are good medicine for me. Another big name in the field of mindfulness meditation is Jon-Kabat Zinn. You might like listening to his talks Coming to our senses and Mindfulness. From the East, there are so many great teachers. One of my personal favorites is Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. He has such a gentle way of explaining things. I always feel better after listening to him talk on any subject.
There are lots of videos devoted to the subject of meditation, but if you just want something neutral to focus on while you're in contemplative mood, I discovered a great assortment of videos online. Here's a good one, if you don't mind "new age" music. This video's also good. Both of these videos include instrumental music and beautiful imagery. Try just looking at the images while breathing slowly and deeply. This alone might help when you're in a bad head space.
So, just from this single post, it's clear that there's a lot of information floating around in my noggin. Yes, a veritable cacophony of complex, complementary concepts competing for my attention. When all is said and done, I have to exercise lots of maitri while I struggle to form new and better ways of living. Maybe the best way to start is to pick just one new habit and build from there.
Perhaps I shall just sit with this and meditate on it for a spell...
n a m a s t e
No comments:
Post a Comment