It's so easy, when we decide on a new habit for weight loss, to become totally frustrated if it doesn't work out at first. You know the drill: I must just be lazy. I'm hopeless. What's wrong with me?!?

Maybe the problem is just that habits are hard to overcome, no matter what our intentions?

I had a reminder of this in another context recently. I sometimes lead morning services in my synagogue. I heard a lovely melody the other day that I wanted to use in place of one of the regulars. I even enlisted help-- I told someone who knows the new melody that I might need backup. And then... When I got to that point in the service, the old melody slipped out. It's not that I forgot--I paused, thought about what I wanted, opened my mouth... and sang something else entirely.

What interested me most in all this was my reaction. Instead of starting in with all the negative voices, my thoughts immediately turned to ways I could practice to make the new melody flow automatically. Which immediately made me wonder how I can get that reaction in other situations.

Hmmmm.

But the truth is, I've been working on this for a while now. Improving my initial reaction. Using will, intention, practice... whatever it takes to redirect the negative voices and strengthen the positive voices. To look for solutions instead of only seeing the problems. To stop giving up the first time something doesn't go my way.

Could it be that reacting in this more positive way... is becoming a habit??