Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year...Enjoy!

What better way to start the new year than with...an old post?

Okay, how about this? What better way to start the new year than with...embracing your weaknesses?

Wait a second, aren't new years all about resolutions and changing bad habits?

True, but this is sort of the same, only different...I mean...Oh, just enjoy this recycled post (and video) about indulging without guilt...only hope and change and...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


REWARD YOUR WEAKNESSES (BY TURNING THEM INTO STRENGTHS)

We all have weaknesses, encompassing myriad aspects of our lives, be it health and fitness challenges, personal development and growth issues, or career and relationship struggles. And then there are food weaknesses. For me, I have a soft spot for salty snacks, like potato chips. I have also been known to power down copious amounts of Doritos with the best of them. What’s your food weakness? Candy? Chocolate? Pizza? Cheese? Cake? Soda? Fast food?

The good news is: help is only a video away:



REWARD YOUR WEAKNESSES (BY TURNING THEM INTO STRENGTHS)

In the above vid, I focused on food weaknesses, like my naughty secret (not-so-secret anymore!) addiction to potato chips. But most of our weaknesses do not stop there. We are, after all, human beings, which makes us flawed individuals, which throughout a lifetime of living leads us to acquire a multitude of weaknesses. Anything from not exercising enough to watching too much daytime TV; from procrastination to condescension. Being too unorganized to being just plain lazy. These are all typical human weaknesses, and all share one commonality:

THEY CAN BE OVERCOME!

Let’s start with some common, and not-so-common, quotes:

“The mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
“Mind over matter.”
“If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”
(one of mine)
“To err is human, to forgive divine.”
“Cut yourself some slack, man!”
(another one of mine)

By admitting and accepting that as human beings we are going to have our share of weaknesses, we can then begin to understand them, and then work on overcoming them.

Let’s return to that potato chip (and Doritos) jones I’ve been nursing since I tasted my first salty treat as a curious child growing up in New England.

FACT: Chips, while made for the most part from natural ingredients, are loaded with sodium and empty calories.
FACT: Mass consumption of chips will contribute to unhealthy weight gain, hypertension, and a laundry list of assorted maladies (possibly diabetes, heart disease, obesity).
FACT: I love chips and could eat them every day.

SOLUTION: Don’t run from your favorite weaknesses, embrace them! Use that weakness as a reward for sacrifice.

Here’s where those earlier quotes come into play. Use them to play mind games with yourself. By embracing your weakness as a good thing, you will eliminate some of the guilt associated with said weakness. By denying yourself your weakness (and, granted, this is by far the most difficult part) through self-sacrifice, focusing instead on exercise, moderation, concentration, and good, old-fashion determination during the five-day workweek, you can then reward yourself with said weakness, in moderation, on the weekend.

Make sense?

It’s all about risk versus reward. We know what the reward is: taste, comfort, fun, and favorite foods. And I’ve already listed the risks. The rest is up to you; your choice. While I have focused mainly on food weaknesses, this formula can be used for almost any other weakness; just follow the formula and give it a try.

If you want to live a better, happier, healthier, longer life, then you have to make sacrifices, need to deprive yourself of some things, and then reward yourself for your efforts.

I’d like to close with my favorite quote on this topic, and one I’m the most proud of:

“Exercise control, control your weaknesses, and your weaknesses will become your strengths.”

Think about it.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

11 comments:

Jennifer said...

Happy New Year, Mike! And I hope you had a peaceful holiday.

HalfCrazy said...

Man, I have a soft spot for Chips too. Potato Chips in particular.

Food weaknesses? Pizza, Spaghetti, Sandwiches, Rice, Potatoes, Chocolates, and yes, that's about it! Wait, is alcohol included too? LOL.

If chips would help me gain weight then I'll eat it everyday for the rest of my life. I have troubles gaining weight. I eat food then it goes nowhere! I eat like, every hour of the day.

Happy New Year, Sir!

Karen, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry" said...

Sorry, but I disagree. I think this is crazy to succeed in cutting out something and then blow it by using that very thing as your reward. I say, go buy something instead. If I'm trying to quit eating donuts every week, it seems ludicrous to me to eat one the next week as a reward for not eating one the week before. I think a better strategy would be to see how long I can go without one.

Evelyn Parham said...

Thanks for this post! My weakness is pretzels and chips, but when I want them, then I'll eat them. Knowing the health issues that can occur, is great, because it will help you to not want that food as much.

Take care and Happy New Year!

cores said...

Happy New Year...

tashabud said...

Chocolates and pastries. These are my weaknesses. My hubby is like you. He goes for potato chips.

If the Doritos company sees your video, it will surely make you its spokesperson, making you a mega millionaire.

Tasha

Unknown said...

jennifer: i had a wonderful holiday and am ready for a tremendous new year

halfcrazy: all those foods sound tempting...but you say you need to GAIN weight...wow, lucky you...

karen: sounds like you have a pretty good strategy there...let me know how it turns out

evelyn: happy new year to you and here's to indulging just enough to be healthy this year

mancai: peace

tashabud: i would love for doritos to check out my vids...i ate enough of those crunchy chips...


peace,

mike

Dori said...

Happy New Year! :-)

Bryan said...

I have a soft spot on chocolates too! It relaxes me, so whenever I had a terrible day, I'll just eat chocolate then I'm feeling better.

Dwacon said...

Good stuff, my friend!

vicy said...

Hello!!Was here today..How's your New Year??God Bless!!ous