Have you "fallen off the wagon?"
We've all heard of "falling off the wagon." The term originated in the early 1900s when people primarily rode wagons; the roads were unpaved and dusty, so water wagons were used to settle the dirt. If someone were trying to stop drinking alcoholic beverages🥃 they would say they were getting on the water wagon, meaning they were drinking water, not alcohol. But if they fell off the wagon, they were back at the saloon. The term got shortened over time to "off the wagon" and is still used when someone tries to quit drinking or taking drugs. We also use it when we slip back into old habits like eating processed convenience foods, overeating, and away from good habits like meal prepping, exercising, and drinking water.
Lately, I've gotten away from some of my healthy habits, like eating lots of vegetables🥦🥕🥬 and drinking six to seven glasses of water each day. And, I have gotten back into some unhealthy ones, like using food as a coping mechanism to deal with emotional stress😩. But when I tell myself I've fallen off the wagon, I feel like even more of a failure, not to mention ashamed and embarrassed. After all, I'm a health and wellness coach who helps people their mindset in order to embrace lifestyle changes that will get them healthier. I can't be a fraud! But every time I tell myself to get back on, it conjures up even more emotional stress, and I feel like I am on a roller coaster, much less a wagon. It perpetuates the cycle of on-again, off-again. Let's face it. I can't shame myself back into good habits.
Instead, I've decided to take action. I will add one vegetable to my next meal and keep my water glass on my desk as a reminder to keep filling it up. It's not where I was six months ago or where I want to be, but I am here now. I need to forget what I should be doing and what I used to do and start with a tiny action that will reduce the mental drama that keeps me stuck—and thinking that I've fallen so far off the wagon that the next step is impossible. But instead of giving up, I'm taking action— baby steps toward becoming the best version of myself, starting at my next meal. Wow, I feel better already!