Week 3 Wrap - Ryan

Well, I will admit that I took a bit of a nosedive this week. Alcohol consmption increased, meditation was pretty much nonexistent and I only logged about 1/2 week's worth of the journal. While it seems this might be a step backward, I do firmly believe that relapses are common when integrating lifestyle changes into the routine. Once a person becomes used to a particular routine, even making minor changes to that routine can become tremendously difficult. I know that I am a creature of habit and maintaining focus can be challenging.
It is interesting to note that this past week also brought with it some external stressors and a lack of feeling grounded. I'm usually capable of dealing with stressors in a productive manner, however it seems that I was not so successful this time around.
A positive outcome from this is that I now have a clearer understanding of what has been taking place in my subconscious and the desire to relieve stress with a sudsy adult libation. Now that I can clearly link stressors and certain behaviors, I feel that I can more adequately derail future nosedives. This may not have been possible had I not been so focused on what I've been consuming and the seemingly erratic nature of last week's behaviors.
At this point, I'm feeling strong and ready to plunge back into the challenge with greater vigor than when I first began. The first retest draws near and I want to make sure that last week's backtracking hasn't affected my progress. And if it has, it will be a clear sign that I need to become extra vigilant about my actions.
Here's to a successful and healthy week four!