The education of the will is the object of our existence. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Have you ever eaten something so good that you couldn't stop, even though you weren't really hungry? Then if you're at all like me, you staggered off, found some place to lie down and promised not to gorge again. Why isn't it enough to taste something, be delighted with it, and move on?
There's a human urge to hoard. Maybe we're afraid that it's our one shot at happiness, and if one cookie made us happy, surely six more will make us six times happier. Or if we find one pair of jeans that makes us look good, 20 more will make us beautiful.
It doesn't work that way! Hoarding is a highway to fat, clutter and waste (on your body and in your environment). We all know people that have closets stuffed full of clothes, and yet they keep buying more. Still they never look fabulous. It's better to have a few things you love rather than lots of stuff. A friend asked me if the shriveled up berries he always had in his refrigerator were edible. I asked him why he had them, and he said he bought large lots since they were cheaper, but he could never eat them all before they dried out. Hello? Buy less since that's not really saving money, or give some of them to the homeless guy on the street.
If you're reading this, there's more than enough of what you need to go around! There's enough food, love and stuff. You don't need to hoard. Fight the instinct! Just have enough, and go back for seconds when you need to. Life is a buffet - you might find something you like better next time anyway.
There's a Buddhist saying about holding on to things. If you spend a lot of energy clutching something you love in your hand, you will eventually have to let go - you can't grasp it forever. But if you simply open your hand and let it rest in your palm, you can hold it for as long as you'd like.
What to do - Be Happy with Enough
- Be mindful of when you are hoarding. Ask yourself why you're doing it.
- Do you love it? Take just enough, enjoy it, and move on. Don't stuff yourself.
- Get rid of clutter and all the things you don't love. You'll like the empty space better.
For articles on real food and eating well, go to Food Renegade.
What I ate: 12 oz. green juice, 1 latte, 1 c. yogurt, 2T flaxseeds, 4 strawberries, (uh-oh, high calorie day coming up) 2 slices plain pizza, 1 slice pepper pizza, 3 squares dark chocolate, 1 cup Good Earth tea, 45 oz. water, 1 cup coffee, 1 kiwi, 1 apple, 1 cup Goldfish crackers, 6 oz. strawberry yogurt, Morandi: 2 fried artichoke hearts, 1.5 c bow tie pasta + mushrooms,
Exercise: ran 4.8 miles
