I'm sure I've made this point before, but it bears repeating. At every opportunity, in every situation, it is possible to either seek joy and pleasure in that moment, or not.
Let me give you an example from my own life. I live right next door to a county park. It is not an enormous park. It is not bordering a beautiful body of water, although the Little Patuxent River (mighty little at this point) does run through it. It is not on a mountaintop. It is a rather simple little park consisting of two small playgrounds, two large soccer fields, three baseball diamonds, and two inline skating rinks. The park is surrounded by cornfields.
One day years ago, I was walking through the park and commenting in my mind about everything I saw. "This park is so ugly!" I thought to myself. "There are no trees!" I continued. "I hate these #$%$@# asphalt paths!"
And suddenly it struck me that I was only looking at the things I DIDN'T like, instead of paying attention to all the positives. I could have just as easily noticed the birds singing. (The park is an important bird-watching area for local clubs. We always see an interesting array of birds there!) I could have noticed the gorgeous blue sky, the filmy stretches of cloud, the light breeze on my skin. And once I realized all this, the park next door changed completely for me.
Now, when I walk there every morning with my dogs and my husband, I make a point of noticing all the beauty that surrounds me. Today, the golden rod and wild asters were blooming. The blackberry brambles were turning a deep shade of maroonish purple. The tips of the maple trees were just lightly tinged with red and gold. Lovely.
And the reason I am making this point has to do with not just what you SEE, but also what you EAT. Sure it is easy to get excited about hiking in Yosemite, but it takes a little more careful looking to get psyched about your local park. And it might be easy for you to get pumped about eating a hot fudge sundae, but can you enjoy your roasted butternut squash in that same way? Or your steamed asparagus? Or your Winesap apple slices?
I say WHY NOT?
If your taste buds and your sugar receptors are inundated with refined sugary treats on a daily (hourly?) basis, it may be more difficult for you to appreciate the subtle sweetness of the butternut squash. But if you put that sugar overload on hold, and stroll down a different path for a change, you might just discover something healthy that you can love. Not just put up with, but truly enjoy!
Do you HAVE to give up refined sugar for the rest of your life? Well, that is totally up to you. I have found that the enormous benefits of NOT eating sugar far outweigh the momentary pleasure of a sugary treat. Perhaps the right path for you is somewhere in the middle. But it is helpful to keep in mind that joy and pleasure can be found everywhere, in every moment, if we choose to seek it.
Let me give you an example from my own life. I live right next door to a county park. It is not an enormous park. It is not bordering a beautiful body of water, although the Little Patuxent River (mighty little at this point) does run through it. It is not on a mountaintop. It is a rather simple little park consisting of two small playgrounds, two large soccer fields, three baseball diamonds, and two inline skating rinks. The park is surrounded by cornfields.
One day years ago, I was walking through the park and commenting in my mind about everything I saw. "This park is so ugly!" I thought to myself. "There are no trees!" I continued. "I hate these #$%$@# asphalt paths!"
And suddenly it struck me that I was only looking at the things I DIDN'T like, instead of paying attention to all the positives. I could have just as easily noticed the birds singing. (The park is an important bird-watching area for local clubs. We always see an interesting array of birds there!) I could have noticed the gorgeous blue sky, the filmy stretches of cloud, the light breeze on my skin. And once I realized all this, the park next door changed completely for me.
Now, when I walk there every morning with my dogs and my husband, I make a point of noticing all the beauty that surrounds me. Today, the golden rod and wild asters were blooming. The blackberry brambles were turning a deep shade of maroonish purple. The tips of the maple trees were just lightly tinged with red and gold. Lovely.
And the reason I am making this point has to do with not just what you SEE, but also what you EAT. Sure it is easy to get excited about hiking in Yosemite, but it takes a little more careful looking to get psyched about your local park. And it might be easy for you to get pumped about eating a hot fudge sundae, but can you enjoy your roasted butternut squash in that same way? Or your steamed asparagus? Or your Winesap apple slices?
I say WHY NOT?
If your taste buds and your sugar receptors are inundated with refined sugary treats on a daily (hourly?) basis, it may be more difficult for you to appreciate the subtle sweetness of the butternut squash. But if you put that sugar overload on hold, and stroll down a different path for a change, you might just discover something healthy that you can love. Not just put up with, but truly enjoy!
Do you HAVE to give up refined sugar for the rest of your life? Well, that is totally up to you. I have found that the enormous benefits of NOT eating sugar far outweigh the momentary pleasure of a sugary treat. Perhaps the right path for you is somewhere in the middle. But it is helpful to keep in mind that joy and pleasure can be found everywhere, in every moment, if we choose to seek it.
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