This was one of the biggest hurdles my mother and I had to tackle. Trying to get her to take the reins of responsibility was difficult. Like her, YOU ARE IN CONTROL. You need to know it, understand, and embrace it. It's not just during the easy times when everything is going great. It's during the hard times, when you just want to eat a little more, or you try to convince yourself the brownie at the church get-together won't set you back.
Unlike my mother, you may not have someone there to smack your hand when you reach for the extra helping, or when you want to make a bad choice in the grocery store. I bought the groceries without my mother being present, but she needed to make a choice to take ownership of the plan. It wasn't me who was suffering the debilitating consequences for not taking action sooner. She was, and she needed to admit she failed and forgive herself.
Maybe you need to forgive yourself.
Trust me when I say, we all make mistakes we have to live with. We all have addictions we don't want to let go of. We don't want to, we'd rather pretend or make excuses, but in the end we can't move on until we let go. It really is very freeing and liberating.
You also need start listening to that little voice inside you, it's been trying to help you fight temptation. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit you know what I'm talking about. For years you may have been stuffing that voice down trying to ignore it's pleading and prodding. It's there to guide you. By taking control you're obeying God's plan for your life. Your future will look a whole lot more attractive if you start listening.
We're all a little hard headed when it comes to learning a lesson.
My mother knew for some time she needed to make changes. She is now living with the limitations caused by not being accountable. Control is slowly being taken away from her not only from her physical problems, but also because of the lack of self-control. The lesson can't be learned until we allow God to guide us.
You also need to take into consideration how your actions or decisions will affect friends and loved ones. It's not easy standing by while someone you care about is wasting away. Wishing and praying there was something they could do, but knowing it is out of their hands. First hand experience makes me want to reach out to you now and help you stop the suffering.
The consequences for all concerned are tremendous.
For my sisters and I, it's been difficult watching the slow deterioration of my mother's body and mind. Realizing she can't see our faces, having conversations she won't remember, and knowing she is crying from loneliness and pain. She's also dealing with frustrations of not being able to do activities she used to love like needle work and crafts. It's not easy taking her things away from her, or not allowing her to have certain items without supervision because it just isn't safe for her anymore.
Now she's in a nursing home. And although she's getting the best of care, she's still at the mercy of someone else. Taking appropriate steps and being accountable now may save you and your loved ones from suffering later.
Don't let this be your future....
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