Eating your vegetables…

Today the Columbus Dispatch posted an article about America’s obesity epidemic.  This one focused on the abundance of new, easy to eat, cost effective and convenient approaches to putting fresh produce on your and my plates.  The article went on to state what we already know.  Our daily consumption wanes.  We eat what we’ve always eaten and turn a blind eye away from our future and toward the neon light that flashes “hot donuts, NOW.”  We just do it.

The nations obesity epidemic will not be won by regulations.  The nations obesity epidemic will not be won by education.  The nations obesity epidemic will not be won by our farmers.  The nations obesity epidemic will not be won by our food manufacturers.  The nations obesity epidemic will not be won by franchising Northstar Cafes and tearing down McDonalds.  The nations obesity epidemic will not be won out there.  Don’t get me wrong, everybody could make a difference.

The obesity epidemic can only be won by you and by me.  The victory must be won within.

You and I can choose to deeply change our deeply engrained habits.  You and I can choose to go against the grain, so to speak.  You and I can get a big dream for why we want to become healthier and what we’re willing to postpone to make it a reality.  Then and only then, you and I may choose to delay gratification in service to something bigger. Discipline that sticks always comes behind a big dream.  The big dream leads the way.  Study history and you will see the proof positive.  You just will.

That, btw, is the recipe for living and working at your best. Dream and do, with uncommon discipline.

It’s just a little bit easier to unbridle your desires for something sweet.  It’s just a little bit easier to fly through yet another drive thru.  It’s just a little bit easier to let your habitual triggers send your anger into orbit.  It’s just a little bit easier to let your sexual fantasies play out when you’re out of town.  It’s just a little bit easier to spin some kinda’ shit when the truth in LOVE might be a little too painful.  It’s just a little bit easier to cut some corners to get the deal done.  It’s just a little bit easier to make some compromises in your CORE, who could blame you every once in awhile.  It’s just a little bit easier to look away when an injustice occurs outside your cubicle.  It’s just a little bit easier to push the snooze button, then to get up and push out some planks and pullups.  It’s just a little bit easier to take a seat, then it is to simply take a STAND.  It’s just a little bit easier, is the problem.

Remember, you can do what is easy now, and eventually life will get really HARD.

Or, you can step into some pain now and choose what is a little bit harder and life, eventually, will get a whole lot easier.

Pain is inevitable.  Misery is a choice.  You choose.  Your choices have consequences.  So simple and yet so hard…

God, help me.