Dove asked me for some final week of Lent inspiration. Of course I have none. Just in case any of you missed it, this is where my do without-ing began. Each year I choose something to give up. Usually it is sugar/candy/sweets. Last year, I did this again but with the exception of really good dark chocolate (which, let's face it, is more of a health food) and a couple of taste tests to see if I miss it (within a few days of Easter last year), I have yet to eat sugary sweets. I don't really miss it. A little here and there but I am good.
This year I gave up Diet Coke. I didn't do it for the caffeine, I did it because of the aspartame and because I drink it every day. Or did. I did it to see if without that aspartame in my body, would I get some of my memory back (reports show, among other things, that it can mess with your memory). But 35 days into it, my memory still fails me and I can't wait for Sunday and that Diet Coke can that has been in my fridge.
I don't have great self control. It works for me for these few weeks. I think it is always good to check yourself once in a while. I do it just to see if I can. The good things from the last few weeks? I've visited my local gas station with the best fountain drink around less. It has saved me at least $28.40. Who knew? I have been drinking more water - I hope. But frankly, I am tickled pink that it is almost over. There have been so many times this week that a DC would have been so refreshing, it would have been just what the doctor ordered.
So here are my "inspiring" words: whether you did without or did with less or did none of it, what did you learn about yourself? Did it make you stop and think? I don't know that there are any inspiring words from me for you. I don't know that I can tell you that I have any great epiphanies, at least none that I can remember to share with you (see, memory still faulty). It does make me feel good that I stuck to something, however small, when most days I just do what makes things easier, like chicken nuggets for dinner.
T minus 5 days,
~mavis
image from here
4 comments:
Mmm chicken nuggets for dinner sounds tasty. And holy crap you do have great willpower Mavis - you've had a can of DC in your fridge the whole time? I have had to keep sweets out of my house (for the most part) or I would eat them. This doing without which morphed into doing less has been good for me! for my mental self and my physical self. I'm trying to be really good between now 5 days - but I am going to splurge on Friday night. We're going out celebrating our anniversary, and I'm definitely getting dessert. :)
chicken nuggest. i'm so ashamed.
I think the best thing about our doing-without experiment is the concept of self mastery (which I don't have, since I gave up on no DC a few days in and am sipping an icy one from THAT VERY gas station to which you're referring as we speak. Hold on, I need a sip... aaaah.)
I am fascinated by the psycho/physiological connection between our minds and bodies and how we tell ourselves we can't do something, go without something, not have something and then physically feel the manifestations to support it. I know these feelings/withdrawals/urges are real, yet it's just a feeling - why can't you resist?
I can't, that I know. This has really made me think.
Last night at work that little devil on my shoulder kept telling me I REALLY needed a Coke because I was so tired... the more I though about it, the more tired I became and I caved... but to be honest, the coke made me feel sick and I couldn't even finish it. I guess my body made the finall call and I realized I really don't need it or want it. I am going to keep on going without it. Thanks for helping me get the ball rolling. I have a feeling it will be much harder to resist once the warm summer sun makes her appearance!
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