Temptation

Wouldn't you know it? Just when you decide to "give something up" its everywhere! You can hardly take a step without encountering it. People you haven't seen in months suddenly appear to offer it to you. Stores who aren't known for their generosity want you to have it free of charge - force it into your hands on your way out the door! Egads. Is there no justice in the world?

Hard enough to pretend not to think about it, now one has to exert extra willpower to turn the darn stuff down. Your hand reaches out to take the forbidden fruit, grasps the coveted item, turns it over, feeling the texture, the aroma, the nuances you never knew existed.

You think, "Just this one time. It won't hurt. Besides, no one knows I made a decision not to have any. No one will think the less of me."

But you know. You know if you give in once, the flood gates will open and there will be no stopping it. You will not only have as much as you normally would have, you will gorge yourself. The latter end will be a thousand times worse than if you had never thought of leaving it alone for a short time.

And so, you give it away. To anyone who will take it. Get it out of the house, out of your reach. Refuse to think about it. Concentrate on something else. Consume your desire with something better. Stay busy. Make avoidance a habit - it only takes 49 times to create a habit! I must say NO 49 times. That's not so bad. I must have already said no (with somewhat less conviction than needed) at least 30 times already.

No.
No.
No.

And even after that, today I automatically reached for the darn stuff and without realizing what I was doing, almost partook. STOP! Don't do it. Halfway to the mouth, throw it away as if you were stung. Doggone. That was close! Work on a strategy to cope with when the time of refusal ends. Don't want to suddenly find myself in a closet somewhere glutting out. Need to realize that if I have gone without for forty days, maybe I can go without for longer. Maybe cut normal consumption in half. Or at least down by a third. Yes. Plan ahead. Exercise those discipline muscles. Select the next item to give up. Go with the flow. If you're on a roll, keep rolling!