“Are you trying to trick me into exercising and eating right? Because it won’t work! Others have tried and failed. You won’t get me on the straight and narrow!”
It struck me this morning that all of the things I’m trying to do to restore my energy could be viewed by some as a lot of work.
“Of course it’s a lot of work, you maroon! How is it possible that you didn’t know that from the beginning? Are you an idiot?”
Well, yes, I might be an idiot. I have been blithely attempting each little thing, adding more and more to my schedule, until I finally woke up today and realized that I have a lot on my plate.
However, I do plan on cutting out the things that don’t work overtime. And when you make one little change at a time, it doesn’t seem like too much work. As James Clear might say, small habits will add up to big change over time.
The other reason this doesn’t seem like a lot of work is because each change I make gives me more energy to do the next small change. It does take some discipline, but we must all choose either the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
I would much rather have energy and good mood than be tired and have my cravings satisfied. I think this was a tougher concept for me when I was younger. I hadn’t experienced enough regret yet. The pain of regret never goes away. We re-experience it over and over and over again, and it is cumulative, adding up to a lifetime of cuts that shred our self-confidence. The pain of discipline is momentary and the pride lasts a lifetime, building up our self image stronger and stronger. I think the older we get, the more this rings true for us and the easier it becomes to do the right thing.
So, at my advanced age of 47, do I think this is a lot of work? Not really. Like climbing a mountain, there is some inertia we have to overcome in the beginning, but once we crest that apex, our momentum begins to build and each good habit snowballs into the next until our energy seems unstoppable.
So, here’s to the snowball effect.
