The Power of Your Social Circle: How New Surroundings Can Challenge Your Self-Discipline

For the last year I have lived alone, and discipline was fairly easy. When I say easy, I mean that there were not many outside influences around to truly challenge my self-discipline. During moments of weakness, I was able to quickly recenter myself, remember my goals to get back on track. I was the most consistent that I have ever been in my life and that is because I was again… alone. I cooked alone, I trained alone, I lived alone, and I had peace without any interruptions.  

Now, when I took this seasonal job, the only thing that I truly prepared myself for was that I would be sharing living space with others. I have my own room, but the bathrooms are shared, a small thing to a giant. I thought to myself, basic training most definitely prepared me for an experience as such. So, I believed that this would only be a small adjustment, and indeed it is. What I did not account for was being surrounded by others and the impact that it would have on my discipline and goals.  

I have an understanding that many people are not as deep into health and wellness to the degree that I may perceive myself to be. I mean for months I ate 4 or more eggs for breakfast with fruit and rice and ground beef or lamb for lunch and or dinner. I did not get tired of it; it was my norm. I felt amazing and the simplicity broke the barrier between gluttony and necessary fuel. Honestly, it felt surreal that I reached a point of not lusting over food and snacks. My body had detoxed, and it only craved what it needed. When there were times that I desired something outside of nutrient dense fuel, I would literally ignore it. I barely needed a cheat day. My “cheat days” consisted of going to Texas Roadhouse” to get a ribeye steak, broccoli, and plain mashed potatoes (the cheating was the rolls with the butter of course!). But even this meal, aside from the rolls and butter truly was not outside of my diet. And on those days, I would only have eggs and fruit for breakfast and skip lunch to have this meal. There was a balance.  

The seasonal job that I am currently working provides three meals a day, buffet style! When I say that is temptation at an all-time high, it is quite the understatement. Everyday there are several meal options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, a complete feast. Also, there are several dessert options, pure temptation. At this moment I have been here for 3.5 weeks, and I have been completely indulging. Everyone around me has been also, there is no restraint from anyone. We talk about the food before, during, and after mealtimes. We go back for snacks and desserts in between meals as well; it is complete madness.  

After a couple of weeks, I realized that I gained some pounds and that I kept talking about how I needed to do things differently, a few of us had this discussion but none committed. To be honest, no one is really in shape and that is not to be judgmental, but I have no one to be an accountability partner to truly buckle down on our discipline. My running and training overall have improved because I have been consistent since my arrival. But I was used to the total package, my training and diet in alignment with my goals. As it is said, “you cannot out train a bad diet,” and I can attest to this.  

I have attempted to cut back. I tried eating less but at this point I’m already to accustomed to simply indulging, and everyone else around me are doing the same. So yesterday as I had alone time and went into nature, I said to my “to beat temptation I must stay away from it.” So, I decided that I will no longer eat lunch and dinner in the dining hall anymore. Because this place is in a very remote location, the nearest Aldi and Walmart is 1.5 hours away. Therefore, once per week on my day off, I will drive to Aldi and Walmart to purchase ground beef, ground lamb, canned salmon, and cups of rice. Each week I will go to a park and use my camp cooker to whip up my ground meat for the week and portion them out in meal prep containers. So, for breakfast after my training I will eat in the dining hall, for lunch I will eat rice and salmon and for dinner I will eat rice and ground beef or lamb. This is the only way that I will get back on track.  

When I thought of this idea, I felt so much relief in my soul because I am desperate to get back to my habits. This situation has affected my discipline and intruded my thought patterns, so I need to make a drastic change. I am alone in these efforts, and I am okay with that. I simply want to get back to me, to my goals and that is all that matters. It is indeed challenging being surrounded by others who are not as dedicated as I am but maybe I can be that example.  

In situations as such, I ensure that I am gentle with myself and show compassion because it is a big change. I now understand how I got into this situation and areas in which I can and need to improve. At 36 years old, I look at every situation as a new experience to put into my catalog of things that I have learned. I no longer expend energy beating myself up, but I focus on what I can do now. With this mentally I recognize how much I have grown and the hard work that I have put in to be present is evident in moments like these.  

Every experience gives the opportunity to learn something and grow. I am grateful that my self-awareness is present, and that I am mindful. I feel much more peaceful now that I no longer self-sabotage, but I go right into fix it mode. This journey is not linear, and I can change and adjust at my disposal. My journey is just that, my journey and I am grateful that even through these challenges I am still in tuned with myself!  

If you have ever had moments like these, feel free to share! Shoot me an email at hello@TheBriannaAmanda.com‍ ‍