Today I have an Anton Ego line running through my head. "After reading a lot of overheated puffery about your new cook, you know what I'm craving? A little perspective. That's it. I'd like some fresh, clear, well seasoned perspective. Can you suggest a good wine to go with that?" Well, maybe not the whole quote, but the phrase "A little perspective." Over and over again in my brain.
I've gotten a good dose of perspective over the last months, with juggling work and school, finding time to cook and eat healthfully, my body image issues, weight gain, dating, friendships, family drama, the new Hell-kitten and just trying to keep up with life in general. When you have more obligations than you do time, it really makes you re-evaluate, and you come to realize that some things matter and some things just... don't. It's up to the individual what's most important to them.
Steve Jobs passed away yesterday, and Glenn Beck was playing clips of some of his more inspirational comments. Many were about dying and living without regrets. That's something we all strive to do, but how many of us actually do it? Jobs seems to have. All the successful people do.
I'm filling in as supervisor this week while my boss is away with his family, soaking up sunshine in Disney World. I made a conscious decision about two days ago, nearly halfway through the week, to take a more Zen approach to the whole ordeal. Typically I am of the perfectionist sort, where I have to do the job just as masterfully as my supervisor
This week. This week is Zen. I'm doing the best that I can, and I know it. Mistakes happen, but odds are they won't be the end of the company, or my job. So why stress? And if they are... well, life goes on.
My yoga instructor put us through a very helpful (and silly) exercise last week and asked us to do our worst possible Sun Salutations- because then you've made all the mistakes you can possibly make. The worst has happened so you don't have to dwell on what could go wrong. It already has. That leaves you open to achieve complete success! "Eat the Frog" she called it. If the worst thing ever was to eat a frog, do it first thing and get it over with. That way the rest of your day looks up. It's all about perspective.
In Hitting the Reset Button I discussed my current weight/size situation and my plan (or lack of a plan) to (not) deal with it. I know how counter-intuitive that sounds, but trust me, it's not. I've taken inspiration from one of my favorite bloggers over at CHEESESLAVE with her recent post on cortisol and it's all finally fitting together. It was about that same day I noticed a photo being passed around Facebook of a gorgeous plus-size nude model, posted as a response to a gym advertizement that asked "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?" EXCUSE ME!? The photo caption was superb and only served to reaffirm my recent conclusions on my own diet and living a Primal lifestyle. It was a message of enjoying life rather than beating your body into submission or depriving it of pleasure. If that means wearing a size 9 instead of a size 6, so be it. Ladies, our self worth is not determined by our waist size!
Now, that's not to say I don't believe in eating healthfully, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight. I certainly do, but it has to come in balance. What good is eating perfectly and mastering your workouts, pushing your body to its physical limits if you're stressed out over it or obsessing? Is that bikini worth passing up wine with the girls? Does that morning workout really do any good if you're neglecting your sleep just to squeeze it in? Quite possibly freaking out over eating an ice cream sundae is more damaging to your body than the ice cream itself. Primal wisdom (a la Mark Sisson) states... Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
I don't claim to have all the answers- or even any of them for that matter. For me it's a HUGE success to not be counting or tracking something- calories, carbs, protein. Nope. Zilch, zero, nada, nothing. I consider it a victory that I've come to a point (perhaps in spite of myself) that I am able to completely trust my body and finally eat only according to my hunger cues. I'm starting to believe that is one issue that is actually fixed now that I've given up trying to bend my body to my (and society's) will.
It's all about perspective.
You can either look at the worst of a situation, or you can appreciate life for what it is and have gratitude. If you have to eat a frog, it's only one frog. And once it's done it's over with and you can get on with the rest of your day knowing you did it. You ate the frog.
"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." - Steve Jobs
3 comments:
There is no more productive diet than listening to your body. All considered, you will only want what you need.
Don't forget that while we might think that a successful person like Steve Jobs probably died without regrets, that may be far from the truth. Regrets are pretty common and I almost want to say "natural". Who knows, maybe he wanted to live to see laptops eliminated completely and everyone convert to tablet-use.
I recently saw a small sign in a store that read, "Don't take life too seriously - no one gets out alive." Stress is not only bad for your waistline, but it is bad for the type of companionship you have to offer others. It is all about perspective and I applaud your decision to find balance. However, I love reading your blog, so don't stop writing.
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