At a recent conference, I was so excited about the opportunities to learn and grow. The flight delays, luggage issues, even the rental car fiasco had not thrown off my good humor. I was ready, and nothing was going to derail me. On that first morning, things were going so well – until they weren’t, until the balance of “I can handle this” met one too many frustrations.
Oh, crumbs. There’s a gremlin in my baggage.
“Gremlin, thy name is _______”
I call it “Ronny.” Ronny pops out at the most inopportune times as the worst version of myself with all the unresolved wounds, poor choices, and frustrating remains of who I once was. Part of my summer learning is to notice when Ronny is peeking out and practice making better choices to unpack and leave that gremlin behind.
Do you have gremlin hiding in your baggage? If you’re struggling to identify it, you might check near the intersection of Old Wounds Lane and One-Too-Many Buttons Pushed Boulevard.
Unpacking Your Gremlin
What are the characteristics of your gremlin, and how much of that is more tied to who you were than whom you have become? That residue can be unpacked and left behind.
Whatever the challenge – personal growth, emotional eating, family, or work – identifying that gremlin is a step toward being your best self.
On that day when Ronny popped up, I realized I wasn’t looking after myself in a helpful way. I was letting my old emotions drive rather than making good-for-me choices consistent with whom I wanted to be. I wasn’t being my best self, but I could start right then. Sometimes, that’s all it takes.
Renée Jones is a counselor and coach specializing in overcoming emotional eating. After 40 years on the Diet Yo-Yo, she struggled to find what worked for her while emotional eating sabotaged every attempt. When she finally overcame that emotional eating to lose her weight, maintenance on a low-fat diet left her tired, hungry, and cranky. In April of 2015, she found the ketogenic lifestyle and later Carrie Brown’s recipes, which freed her from the Diet Yo-Yo and dark mood swings.
Now she helps others get free of their emotional eating and other baggage so their hearts can heal along with their bodies. She has a Master’s degree in Counseling with certifications in both traditional and contemporary models as well as Horse-Assisted and relaxation methods. She has an international counseling and coaching practice.
Author of What’s Really Eating You: Overcome the Triggers of Comfort Eating
Connect with Renée!
www.packyourownbag.com
