RIP Instant Gratification

Happy New Year, everyone! It is only a few weeks in and I’m already declaring this to be my year! I’m hyped, but not for reasons you may think. Honestly, if you were to collect the facts of my life, it could look pretty grim. A fun thing about facts is- regardless of what the facts are, I get to decide their meaning.

I’ve got a lot of goals for 2024. Some may seem far-fetched and some seem reasonable. Again, really depends on the point of view. I find them all to be attainable or I wouldn’t make them as goals. I’ve already accomplished a lot in a month.

What’s that? What did I accomplish?

I’m so glad you asked. In a matter of a month, I have healed my mind. All anxiety and depression is gone. I have peace that makes no sense. I have self-control and self-discipline. I can concentrate. I can remember things. I have energy and motivation to live life to the fullest without fear of going back to the way I was.

How did I do this?

Well, first I’m going to tell you how I did not do it. This did not happen overnight. It didn’t even happen in an instant. It was not a single-day transformation. Lighting did not strike and change everything. It was not just a prayer pleading God to take it all away.

Though miracles are possible, my healing took work.

So how did I do it?

The best way to accomplish a goal is by breaking it down into simple doable steps.

Focusing on problems only magnifies problems. It is almost impossible to be successfull focused on problems. 

My start to accomplishing freedom in my mind was eating better. I’m not going to preach dieting. I don’t believe in that nonsense. I’m talking about a life change in the way I eat and interact with food. I pay attention to what I’m eating and how it impacts my body. I make choices on what I allow to enter my body. I paid for the program Be Balanced. I highly recommend it for anyone struggling with weight loss, a poor relationship with food, and hormonal imbalances. It is not a program for the faint of heart. It is easy to get overwhelmed when you begin, but once you truly commit to the program and become self-disciplined, the plan becomes second nature.

Doing Be Balanced showed me I could be self-disciplined, even through the holiday season of Christmas. I stuck to the program even when everyone else was drinking hot chocolate and eating delicious cookies.

The second thing I started to implement in my life was The Five Minute Journal. My amazing sister-in-law-to-be gave it to me as a Christmas present. Ever since December 26^th, I start my morning, before touching my phone, writing down three things I am grateful for, three things that would make my day great, and an affirmation statement. This completely changes the way I wake up and tackle the day. It is scientifically proven that gratitude changes our mental state.

With mental clarity from the food that I eat and being grateful, I decided to take on new mental and physical challenges. I’ve been reading a lot more. I’ve been listening to podcasts. I am learning Italian. I am relearning/refreshing my piano skills. I have started brushing my teeth with my left hand. I am also working towards being able to do pull-ups.

I have other daily routines, but I’m not going to list out a day in my life.

Consistency is key. Small doable, repeatable, easy changes that don’t disrupt everything. Eventually, those small changes build up and become the results I am looking for.         

So why is this time different from all the other times I made this kind of declaration?

This time is different because I have put to death instant gratification. I think that is the biggest disease in our world. Anything worth having takes time. In the past, I wanted results without taking action. Now, I recognize the power of doing hard things. If being successful, being healthy, being mentally well, being rich, and being truly happy regardless of circumstances were easy everyone would be those things. When people say “That’s hard”- good! Cause when you accomplish whatever it is that is “hard” that means you can accomplish hard things.

I have been listening to the Old Testament because I’m reading through the Bible in a year again. It has dawned on me that the people God called to serve Him had to wait for lots of things. God promised Abraham and Sarah a son and made them wait 10 years. Jacob wanted to marry Rachel and worked 14 years to be with her. Just because something is good, doesn’t mean God is going to give it to us instantly.

It was truly prideful and childish to think I could do nothing and have God give me what was good. Faith without works is dead. God directs my steps because I am in motion. I’m not working for my salvation. Jesus paid it all on the cross. I am working towards the life God has called me to. A call that is greater, higher, better, fuller than what I could ever hope or imagine.  

Sitting still. Staying stuck. Giving up. Wishing for something different. Complaining. Wallowing in self-pity. These things do not work. They never have. The reason most people do that is because they do not receive instant gratification.

I encourage you. Choose ONE simple, repeatable, easy habit to implement in your life. Choose a minute of mindfulness a day. Choose to read a page of a book a day. Choose to brush your teeth with the opposite of your dominant hand. Prove to yourself that you can do something new consistently. See how it changes you over time. Put to death instant gratification. It’ll change your life.