BABY STEP 31 - Getting used to the view (Jan 31)

“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.” (Jim Davis)
I gave up soft drinks a few years ago, suddenly, and went through three or four months of hellish withdrawal. Headaches and incredible cravings.
This last year, I started drinking diet Pepsi with cherry again and enjoyed every can. But, even when I began drinking it again, I told myself that I would allow myself to drink it, and enjoy it, until the end of the year.
On January 1st, I stopped drinking it again. Only this time, because I allowed myself time to ‘get used to the view,’ I have not had the horrible withdrawals. A few times I’ve had a mild headache, but even that felt more like a sinus allergy headache. But definitely not the horrible headaches I had before.
I also haven’t had the horrible cravings. Before, even three months later, we went over to a furniture store that had Boy Scouts serving free hot dogs and cups of Coke--and every cell in my body put out it’s little arms and cried out, “Gimme!”
I haven’t experienced that this time. Sometimes just giving ourselves freedom to fully enjoy what we want, without guilt, and also give ourselves a date, our subconscious can help us give things up instead of adding to our cravings.
What does your body cry out, “Gimme!” for? Enjoy. For a time. You choose the thing to give up. You choose the time.
Our power to choose is one of the most fantastic gifts our Heavenly Father gave us.
This year, we will choose wisely.

© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks