Consequences of Lazy

'If death were a person, everyone would avoid him!' says my husband.  This comment came after a short discussion on people who drink after having been told it will harm them or people who eat things that will harm them, etc.  He said he didn't think people understood the consequences until they nearly drank or ate their way into an early grave.  He's one of those people that can truly follow a routine and never deviate from it. He's not tempted by much. 

I came away from this conversation thinking I need to work harder at avoiding things that I know aren't doing me any good. With the New Year I was reviewing my last year's improvements and taking notes on where I've fallen short. And folks, I'm ashamed to say I fell short in may areas. Towards the end of the year, I got lazy. I think it had a lot to do with the job loss and then trying to adjust to starting something new. Turns out things like that wiggle it's way up to life priority without one even knowing it.


Because of these events and others like them, I've become lazy with working out and mediocre with eating. The thing is, I know what will happen when I let these get out of control. We all do. But somehow I hit a dumb spot somewhere in there. I had one eye on my slightly tighter waistband and the other eye on the sweets. So many cookies, candy and whatever else fell in my lap. The trips to the gym were spotty at best. All the while my mind kept saying, 'You know you need to do better so why not start now?' I made myself promises before I lay down but would let myself down come daybreak. I saw things that I knew were bad for me and went for them anyway thinking I just couldn't resist them at that point in time.

Keeping all that in mind, as I was listening to Joyce I felt like it was a sign that maybe I should finally pick up my lazy thinking and stop believing I can't do without some things.  She relayed a story that I found funny yet eye opening.  I found the text for the teaching from this site:

"YOU’D BE SURPRISED HOW MUCH YOU CAN CONTROL YOURSELF IF YOU REALLY REALIZE THAT EVERY ACTION BRINGS A CONSEQUENCE. YOU SAY, “WELL, SISTER JOYCE, I CAN’T HELP IT, I HAVE TO EAT CHOCOLATE EVERY DAY.” “I CAN’T HELP IT. I’VE GOT TO HAVE ICE CREAM. I JUST…. I JUST…. I JUST CAN’T CONTROL MYSELF. I JUST CAN’T CONTROL MYSELF.” OKAY, WELL, LET’S JUST TELL A STORY. HOW MANY OF YOU LIKE ICE CREAM? ALRIGHT. GOT YOUR ATTENTION, DIDN’T I? YOU MIGHT SAY, “JOYCE, I DON’T LIKE ICE CREAM, I LOVE ICE CREAM AND THAT IS REALLY MY WEAKNESS.” WELL, I LIKE ICE CREAM. IF I WAS GOING TO EAT A DESSERT OR WHEN I DO EAT ONE, I REALLY LIKE ICE CREAM WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE ON IT.


YOU SAY, “JOYCE, I JUST CANNOT SAY NO TO ICE CREAM” AND I SAY TO YOU “YES, YOU CAN” AND YOU SAY “NO, I CAN’T, I LOVE IT TOO MUCH” AND I SAY “YES, YOU CAN AND I’M GONNA PROVE TO YOU THAT YOU CAN SAY NO TO ICE CREAM OR TO ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU NEED TO SAY NO TO.” ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO STOP DOING IS MAKING EXCUSES. “I JUST CAN’T DO THAT.” YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO. IMAGINE YOURSELF INSIDE THE LARGEST ICE CREAM PARLOR IN THE WORLD. THEY HAVE EVERY CONCEIVABLE FLAVOR YOU CAN IMAGINE. MORE THAN YOUR HIGHEST FANTASY. THIS SISTER OVER HERE IS WITH ME, I’LL TELL YOU THAT. SHE SOUNDS LIKE SHE’S ABOUT TO FALL OUT IN THE FLESH OVER HERE. I LIKE THAT STUFF WHERE THEY PUT IT ON THE SLAB AND THEN PUT STUFF IN IT. MMM! THE CLERK BEHIND THE COUNTER SAYS TO YOU, “WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? NAME IT, I’LL MAKE IT.” SO YOU TELL HIM AND HE MAKES YOU THE LARGEST, CREAMIEST ICE CREAM DELIGHT YOU’VE EVER SEEN.

HE HANDS IT TO YOU ALONG WITH A BIG SPOON. NOW HERE’S MY QUESTION: CAN YOU PUT DOWN THAT ICE CREAM? AND YOU SAY: NO! OKAY, LET’S ADD SOMETHING ELSE TO THE STORY: AS YOU’RE ABOUT TO HEAP A SPOONFUL INTO YOUR MOUTH, YOU HEAR A CLICK BEHIND YOUR HEAD, YOU FEEL A COLD METAL OBJECT TOUCH YOUR HEAD AND OUT OF THE CORNER OF YOUR LEFT EYE YOU CATCH A GLIMPSE OF A LARGE, HAIRY HAND HOLDING A GUN TO YOUR TEMPLE AND A DEEP VOICE SAYS: IF YOU EAT THAT ICE CREAM, I’M GOING TO BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF. NOW COULD I ASK YOU ONE MORE TIME: CAN YOU PUT DOWN THAT ICE CREAM? (Yes!) CONSEQUENCES. CONSEQUENCES."

My husband and Joyce were indeed speaking to my laziness.   I see the consequences of lazy sneaking up on me in the form of tighter clothes and more huffing after three flights of stairs.  I will do better.  I have to.  I have a 'fat' gun at my temple telling me I'll suffer a miserable fate if I don't drop the lazy.