Somewhere along the way, I got it in my head that if I enjoyed something, it must be bad for me.
A little dessert after dinner? Too many calories. A beach trip with my friends? Wasting money. Going out for a few drinks? Irresponsible.
Everything had to be justified by some noble cause, or I needed to do some other good thing to make up for it.
I can only have dessert if I’d gone for a run earlier. Don’t travel unless it’s for work. Only drink if I have something important to celebrate.
It makes me wonder – why can’t we do things that feel good just because they feel good? Why does treating myself feel like something I have to make up for?
How much joy are we stealing from ourselves when every fun moment comes with a sidecar of guilt attached to it?
I don’t have the answers to these questions. But until someone can convince me that I should feel bad for being good to myself, I’m going to try being good to myself.
You should try it too.
Andy! You hit a nerve and my #1 vice – SUGAR!! The white poison, the silent killer, whatever you want to call it. It’s addictive. I want to curb my desire for treats but have a hard time to saying no. I have switched to some sugar substitutes which has helped.
Hope all is well! CJ