One of the best things about monitoring your food intake is that you get a really good look at not only what you eat, but also why you eat. I grew up in a household where food was love. In fact, I'm pretty sure I even heard my mother utter those very words at some point, "Here honey, eat this. Food is love." Anyone who has ever worked with me knows that I live this mantra. When a colleague is having a rough day, I am always there with a handful of Hershey Kisses or a bag of M&Ms. My remedy for any ailment is chocolate ... or a cupcake ... or a cookie.
As I work on the final exam paper for class this weekend, I find myself longing for something sweet and tasty. I'm not hungry. I just want the comfort and love of my good friends, Hershey and Snickers. I find it difficult to focus on the task at hand because all that sits beside me is a La Croix and a bag of nuts. I keep looking over at them in hopes that they might magically transform into something more appealing. But alas, they haven't.
I've never completed a project without the help of my good buddies. This is a first for me. Normally, I sit and munch while I work. I never really taste the handfuls of snacks after the first bite or two. But they're a vital part of my work ritual. It's difficult resisting the temptation to hop in the car and head to Trader Joe's or Harris Teeter. I've never had a substance abuse problem, but I'm beginning to understand the psychological effects of one. It's crazy how our minds attempt to work against us in moments of weakness.
I know that I can complete this paper without eating a bag of M&Ms or chocolate popcorn. My creativity and content knowledge don't flow from these sugar-laden snacks. I'm smart enough to know this. However, fighting the distraction and constant hankering for them is going to be a challenge. I can do it. I know I can. I just have to convince my brain that I can.
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