1) Acknowledge Your Abundance
I remember from my dieting days (long past – don’t worry) that I would tend to grab lots of foods that I deemed “bad” when I was at parties because I would never allow myself to have them at home or just on a normal night out. I was like a food prisoner on furlough who wanted to make the most out of this brief period of freedom.
Nowadays, I can check in with myself to better understand what kind of food I want, because I no longer restrain myself the rest of the time. It’s as if my mind and body no longer think that this particular party is the last chance they will have for some chocolate cake, so chocolate cake doesn’t have the same kind of desperate appeal it used to have. Next time you find yourself in this situation, remind yourself that this is not your last chance to have whatever food it is you’re reaching for, and see how this changes your choices.
2) Allow Nourishment From Other Sources
Food isn’t the only thing that nourishes us. Parties give us a great opportunity to be nourished by social interaction. If you find yourself uncomfortably focused on food at a party, decide to turn your attention to how it feels to interact with different people. Allow the talking and the laughter to move through you and energize you. Recognize that this is also nourishment. And don’t let how you think you look (unless you think you look fabulous!) affect your confidence when approaching others to chat; you’re fascinating and with your shoulders back and chin held high, people will be delighted to talk to you.
3) Acknowledging Your Feelings To Yourself And Others
I’m going to let you in on a little secret that I’ve learned in my years as a counselor—99% of people feel at least somewhat shy at parties. Some of the most extroverted, confident people I know still feel a bit overwhelmed in a room full of people they don’t know. So the next time you’re at a party and you’re reaching for an extra drink or cookie that you don’t really want, just acknowledge to yourself how you’re feeling and tell yourself that it’s okay. For example, you can think to yourself, “I’m feeling shy/anxious/fearful etc. and I accept that completely.” You may even find that after you accept it, that feeling lessens. You can also tell people who you meet how you’re feeling. I find that if I admit to someone I’ve met at a party that I don’t know anyone and I’m feeling shy, he or she will generally either reciprocate the feeling or introduce me to lots of people. Speaking your truth in this way is a wonderful practice and it has the added benefit of redirecting your attention away from behaviors that no longer serve you: i.e., eating and/or drinking too much.
Try these tips at your next party/event/holiday and let me know how it goes by leaving your thoughts, comments and questions below.
To check out more great tips this week, click HERE.
[Cross posted to www.moreofmetolove.com.]