Like a superhero armed with a trusty utility belt, when you're trying to lose weight, it's helpful to have a secret weapon you can turn to in a crisis. Anchoring is an effective strategy you can use to connect with positive memories and feelings that can restore your confidence, determination, and belief in yourself.
The right fit matters
An anchor can be anything you choose, anything you associate with those power-boosting emotions: sights, sounds, smells, textures, tastes, people, places or things.
The more personal the anchor, the more powerful it can be. For example, spend 5 minutes reflecting on how your day went — you may be using a daily journal as an anchor when you've had less-than-stellar days: looking back on your comments about what worked, re-reading triumphant thoughts or moments of resolve in the face of challenges. You can also get ideas from your Coach and fellow members who share how they use their anchors to help them lose weight and get healthy.
Remember, anything that puts you in a positive frame of mind and conjures up a time when you felt strong and confident will do the trick — and it doesn’t have to be a tangible object. Favorite quotes and prayers can work, too. Need more inspiration? Answering these questions can also help you identify anchors that will work best for you.
- What inner resource might help you overcome a challenge?
- When have you experienced that resource? What did you see, hear and feel?
- What object, image, gesture, phrase or word might serve as an anchor to bring you back to that time and that resource?
Let's give it a go. Think about the time you had that strong inner resource, and connect it to your anchor. Now use the anchor by itself. Look at it, if it’s an object. Repeat it, if it’s a phrase or song. Call it to mind, if it’s a mental picture. Did it bring you back to your inner resource? If not, repeat this step until it does. And believe that it will!
