I've been thinking a lot about change lately, and the thing that I most want to change is hypocrisy...my own hypocrisy. I'm a psychotherapist so I'm constantly making suggestions to help people feel better, be happier, deal with stress more effectively, etc. But, I don't practice what I preach.
I go to the gym only sporadically, I do yoga even less and I never meditate. I teach my clients to meditate, but I don't do it myself. Instead after a stressful day, I usually have a cocktail or three, eat a big plate of chicken parmesan and watch TV, and/or I eat A LOT of fast food. Basically, I do almost everything I tell my clients not to do, even when I see my clients improving.
Everyday, I see them start to feel better, start to meet their goals, even surpass their goals, and still, I leave my office and continue with the same old bad habits. When I found myself feeling envious of my clients' success, I knew it was time to make a change.
So in the spirit of Elizabeth Gilbert's year long "search for everything" and Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project I'm going to spend a year putting the suggestions I spout to the test. I'm going to take my own advice. This month, I'm starting by finally learning to meditate. Wish me luck!
