Office Blog
Giving up on “giving up”
- Cleo Tools
-
Print
-
Send to friend
-
-
Archive
12 Feb, 2010
Late last year I’d decided that February was going to be the month I gave up a few things, namely buying my lunch at work (in order to save money for my Vegas/New York trip and as part of ANZ’s
FebuSave campaign and alcohol (after being inspired by blogger Claire,
myyearoffthepiss.blogspot.com). I thought I was being smart, too, as February only has 28 days, but I could still brag about how I’d given up booze for an entire month.
On Day 2 of my Not-Buying-Lunch-At-Work Challenge, I bought a medium Quarter Pounder Meal from Macca’s. Day 3, I bought quiche and vegetables. And then on Day 5, I went out for schnitzel. So approximately $30.30 later, and less than a week in, I’d already failed.
It made me rethink this whole “giving up” concept. Anytime I’ve ever tried to give up anything, it’s never worked. Like when, for health and environmental reasons, my brother and I decided to give up eating meat. But, then, we’d also nominated every second Sunday to be “Meat Sunday”, which was when we’d binge on anything that used to have a face. It defeated the purpose of our pseudo-vegetarianism.
So I’ve come to the conclusion that rather than focusing on what I don’t want in my life, I need to focus on what I want.
Back to the money thing: I redefined the Not-Buying-Lunch-At-Work Challenge to Taking-My-Lunch-To-Work Challenge. And it’s worked a lot better – except for today when my pre-cooked, frozen soup was still ice-like at 12.30pm, so I had to buy something to eat.
As for the alcohol, instead of giving it up, I’m completing a 60-day Bikram Yoga Challenge. Sweating it out doing yoga every day, in a 40-degree room, makes me not want to drink. Success!
So, dear reader, what’s the lesson you can take away from this rambling post? If you want to make a permanent change in your life, give up “giving up”. And, if you think this is all nonsense and just a silly play on words … well, you’re kinda right. I am a writer after all.
View all posts