Bothered, Bewildered & Bereft

The definition of the word "bereft" as found in the dictionary is the following:
be·reft/biˈreft/Adjective

1. Deprived of or lacking something, esp. a nonmaterial asset: "her room was stark and bereft of color".

2. (of a person) Lonely and abandoned, esp. through someone's death or departure

I know this because on Tuesday, I felt bereft all day long!  I physically ached because I had received some bad news*, and my usual response to something such as this bad news is to go and immediately head out for something sweet.  However, this time: due to the changes that I have chosen to implement into my lifestyle, I could not head out to my favorite cupcake shop and go pick up several goodies that would comfort me.

Of course, as we all know - I would not, in fact, be comforted by said goodies, no matter how pretty or perfectly iced the cupcakes were (and yes, cupcakes was my go-to I'm-so-bummed food), I would no sooner eat a bite than feel terrible for "failing" and comforting myself with food.  But we're talking 25 or so years of comforting myself with food...it's not like a whole lot of thought was going into the process much anymore.  It would kind of go like this:

Sad/mad/angry/ticked off = go to bakery + see pretty baked goods  then I would bring them home and it was really more that I had them in the house than it was actually eating them. 

Anyway, on Tuesday, all I wanted to do all day long was head out to my favorite bakery.  It took every single molecule in my body to not follow that normal route.  However, I did not.  I have absolutely no desire to let one little bit of possible bad news ruin everything that I have worked so hard to achieve for the past 9+ (almost 10!) weeks.  So I walked around all day long...bereft. 

Bereft because I had eliminated my comfort; my go-to, make-me-feel-better-for-a-minute comfort.  The good news is, I have lots of lovely, dear friends (some of them are even family) to support me and remind me that I really DIDN'T want that cupcake/cookie/piece of cake...and they were very patient and supportive all day in reminding me of my goals. (By the way: THANK YOU!)  

Now, the next time I receive some disappointing or unpleasant news, I know that it will be easier to process the information in a positive way.  And I hope, I surely do hope - that I won't feel bereft, because my cookies have "left the building."

What about you? Are you an "emotional eater"? What do you do when you are feeling blue? How do you cheer yourself up or comfort yourself?

*note: I am fortunate - my "bad news" was more unexpected than it was bad...everyone is okay and the moment has passed...everyone is fine & we are all good...no one worry...in my world "bad news" -- that which sends me running for the cakestand --could be that my favorite pair of shorts is in the laundry...