| This
is Laura’s response after completing the programmes:
“After feeling trapped
in the rut which was my life for many years – I could never
believe that I would be able to discover that there was a different
way of life!
DSD has helped me to focus
on my life as a whole and get rid of my habit of thinking about
food and weight and becoming depressed about it and allowing all
these feelings to rid me of my self confidence whilst trying to
smooth it over with my smoking habit.
I was stuck in a rut because
of my habits ruling my life. I had habits around food, smoking,
how I handled my emotions, how I treated my child, how I dealt
with conflict with my partner and millions more. All these habits
made me an unhappy person and took away my self-confidence.
DSD has helped me to become
more flexible in how I do things, to see the good things in my
life and allow these opportunities in.
I learned that by making small
daily disruptions to my everyday life, I could effect big changes.
I slowly, but surely started to chip away at my habit web.
By getting into my discomfort
zone with the easy daily tasks of the programme, I started to
see opportunities to react different to situations and then do
things differently.
The good things then just started
to happen all on their own in all areas of my life!
It was no struggle –
there was no pain. I not only stopped smoking and have decreased
my weight to a healthier BMI, but I now feel in control of my
life! I have the confidence to do things I have been putting off
for ages – and feel empowered to continue my positive progress.
We as a family had lots of
fun and giggles doing things that at first seemed uncomfortable
– but when we realised that it gave us as a family something
to do together, without the fighting, we loved the feel good feeling,
and wanted to try more.
In taking a different approach
with how I solve my problems with my partner, I have managed to
get different, good reactions from him. DSD has certainly helped
us focus on each others positive points and become more flexible
about the negative parts.
It really helped making positive
life changes when he came on board the family challenge, as he
now knows the basics of how to DSD. So it is not only me changing.
He now is so motivated to improve his life that he has decided
to join the DSD-smoking cessation group as well.
We constantly look out for
ways in which we can do things differently.
I am committed to DSD everyday
of my life, and now use this as a lever to build my self-confidence.
I have signed up to become a volunteer and hope to get back into
the work place soon.
The programme has helped in
so many parts of my life:
I remembered how much I love
silly dancing around the house when this was one of the DSD tasks
to do, and my son now loves doing this with me too!
I had to draw a picture of
something beautiful as part of the programme, and discovered that
I am rather good at this. Sketching has now become a hobby that
fills the times that I would usually sit around the house trying
to eat and smoke away my boredom.
To help myself address my weight
issues and also to give myself something else to focus on except
my emotions – I have joined an activity club where we go
walking for about 45 minutes once a week.
I am not afraid now to speak
publicly in small groups and voice my opinion.
I had fun finding out how my
world expands and the best was – my WAISTLINE
shrunk!”
If you know of someone who
can answer YES to one of Laura’s previous problems, or would
like to have specific help with depression; anxiety; improving
relationships; finding meaning in their lives or improve the amount
of fund they have as an individual or a family, then they can
find benefit from joining the
Do Something Different programme.
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