For
most people, myself included, it's difficult to pass up a cookie in
favor of cauliflower. Even though I like cauliflower, I like cookies
more. Our preferences, most generally, lean toward choosing what's not
so good for us over what is convenient or tastes sweet or salty,
whatever our weakness is. It takes a concerted effort to get into the
habit of eating better on a regular basis and saving less healthy
options for occasional treats. We're all aware of the physical
consequences of easy food choices.
As
for mindset choices, pessimism is usually an easier route than
optimism. Many of
us can slip right into thinking the worst of every situation without
even trying, and there goes the whole day, given over to a bad mood.
Optimism, however, will often take effort. Some days, it might take
every ounce of strength we've got to not let the worst get the best of
us.
Likewise,
worrying is naturally easy for most people. The more difficult choice
is to relax and keep the faith, recognizing to fret does no good, and,
in fact, does us harm, as stress is a major cause of many illnesses and
conditions.
These
easy choices mostly affect our personal health and welfare, but many
other
choices affect those around us, especially our choice to judge the
actions of others. It seems to be far more difficult to give others the
benefit of the doubt, to consider there might be at least one more thing to know about a person or a circumstance which would change our opinion
about what's happening. I recently made a decision based on assumptions
which were totally off-base. Fortunately, I took a moment to confront
the situation, found out I was wrong, had to swallow my pride and
apologize for jumping to wrong conclusions.
Simple and easy sound as if they should go together. Living simply goes against what most of society believes is "necessary", which makes living simply, not so easy. And I don't believe life should be "easy" either but it certainly should be simple. That's more to live for :)
ReplyDeleteOh, how true...it is not easy to live simply in a society dominated by materialism and consumerism. Simplify! It's been my theme for several years, but it is an ongoing process to "back out" of that which entangles. Thanks for commenting.
Delete"Sister Terry", worry is something that I have done for so many years that it is a habit. It is very hard for me to choose to relax. A simpler life would be post helpful to me but my attempts are much more difficult with a family situation that I choose to serve first before myself.
ReplyDeleteFrancis Chan, in his Christian book called "Crazy Love" says that “Both worry and stress reek of arrogance.” At first I didn't get what he was saying. Then I thought, my worries are often that someone else will not do the right thing. In reality, I feel like I'm more capable than that person, hence arrogance. I never was a very good people manager because of the sense that (or desire) I could do it better myself.
"Ozark Uncle", something to ponder and hopefully, put away my arrogance. I have been a worrier most of my life but never considered it arrogant. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteOzark Uncle, I agree...worry is arrogance. What a spot-on observation. Now, the simple thing, stop worrying! (Again simple does not equal easy.)
ReplyDelete