“Sometimes what is the most obvious in others is the hardest to see in ourselves.”
Frequently in my Monday Morning Motivation blogs to encourage you to do something, improve something, risk something or give something.
These articles are generally meant to help you lead a radically inspired life and ignite others with the great possibility of their lives.
But today, I’m done with all that optimism, all that positivity, all that winning. Today, I’m in the mood to just let go of all of that and to start losing.
Let me explain.
After finishing college I started a real estate development firm. With the help of a small team, we’d buy old buildings, rehab them, and then sell them. It was exciting, rewarding work, but also absolutely exhausting. The days were long and hard, the mornings came quickly, and waking up early for them was always a struggle. To get fired up for the day, and not being a coffee drinker back then, I’d grab a 32 oz. soda on my way to work.
At 10 o’clock, the guys and I would take a short break, run to a gas station, and get another soda. We needed reprieve from the physical work and something cold to cool us off.
At lunch, the waiter or cashier would ask, “What would you like to drink with that?” Guess what my answer was? Yup.
And then for good measure I’d swing past a gas station on the way home and grab one more.
Besides the wasted expense and my teeth likely to fall out in my mid-20s, significant soda consumption has been shown to wreak havoc on long-term health.
A few years into this habit I went to my doctor with stomach pain, and he made the radical suggestion that I stop drinking so much soda.
I switched to one cup of coffee in the morning, water throughout the day, and my stomach pain disappeared within a week. As in added benefit, my teeth remain in my mouth to this day! It was such an obvious solution.
But sometimes what is most obvious to others is hardest to see in ourselves. [Tweet this.]
So, my friends, here’s my question for you today: What’s your soda?
Come on…We ALL have it. Maybe for you it’s alcohol or cigarettes. Maybe it’s overconsumption of food, or an addiction online. Maybe it’s the need to fill yourself with material goods, or a constantly full schedule. Maybe it is a permanent scowl on your face, or a constant need to be right.
What needs to disappear from your life? What needs to be cut out of your diet? What habits are far from life-giving, but instead are life-taking?
Change is hard.
Some of us might need a friend to share the weight of this change. Some of us might need a group to share our struggles and to learn from theirs. Some of us might need someone to talk to professionally. Some of us might just be sick and tired of being sick and tired and choose that this is the day that whatever their “soda” is, they’re going to pour it out!
Regardless: sometimes we need to lose something in our life to stay on fire with the gift of truly winning.
Challenge: What is your soda? In the comments below, tell me what your “soda” is and one action you will take to start eliminating it from your life this week. I can’t wait to hear and cheer you on – here’s to a life-giving day.
My friend, today is your day! Live inspired.
16 replies on “Pour Out Your Soda”
Too many for this small space ?, but between vacations Oct, Feb-Mar. and still on the road since July 9th (RV). Gallbladder surgery in May…I have eaten my way through 24 states in less than 1 year and going back to Florida in October! Most people can’t eat when they have Gallbladder acting up! NOT ME! Between now and Oct 15th I will be trying to cut back on snacking and increase healthy foods. Hoping it works! Thanks for the prodding!
My ‘soda’ is seconds or more after eating, esp evening meal. I’ll even ‘snack’ after dinner. Not because of hunger… Boredom, sense of pleasure, ‘this little bit won’t hurt’….
It is a bad habit, that without a physically “calorie burning job” has me overweight.
I also have a bad habit of going to the fridge and just opening for not reason.
Got to ‘lead not into temptation’ and stop doing work at the dining room table which is close to the kitchen. And I have to be more creative and regular with my prayer – as this is more of a spiritual battle, than a physical one. The tempter telling me ‘you need this for affirmation’.
Thanks for making us think about this, John!
Blessings to you and your family!
Ray
My “soda” is poor eating habits and too much wine. I’ve put on a lot of weight in the last year. I’ve gotten better in the last couple weeks. Just praying i can stick with it. I fall off the wagon often. Thank you for messages. They are always inspiring.
I wish you hadn’t listed constant need to be right. I am trying really hard to let that one go, but it feels so wrong! Procrastination has also been my constant companion for 30 years. It’s time to let it go as well. I think giving up soda might be easier :/
Thanks for being honest and vulnerable – that is the first step! Stephanie, today is your day to live inspired! J
my soda for this week is not going to any porn sites on the internet including foot porn, and staying off sodas especially dr pepper, and coca cola. and finding me a good full time job.
Mine is procrastinating, sitting on the computer reading emails and facebook messages instead of building my business with phone calls, booking parties, follow up customer service. I love what I do, earned trips, but, I know I could become better by doing the right things.
My soda is a glass of wine most evening after work. I don’t really need this and feel like it could actually hinder my relationship with God. I do not feel that an occasional drink is a sin, but the wine has become my crutch at the end of a long work day. I just purchased Alan Carr’s The Easy Way to Stop Drinking and am expecting good results from myself! You are an inspiration to me! Thank you.
Let us know how the book is, Cynthia! Here’s to you and dumping out your “soda”! J
My soda is actually…soda! Coke Zero to be exact and my days sound very much like the ones you describe in your blog. I’m not a coffee drinker so soda has been my main form of caffeine. I decided at this years Mastermind (say you last year!) to give it up. It’s been a struggle and I’ve cut back but haven’t cut it out yet. But I can tell you that this morning I’m drinking a cup of tea and plan to give it my best. Thanks for the well timed (as usual) inspiration John!
Thx for sharing, Jennifer! And congrats on the first steps. I hope you are enjoying that tea! Hope to see you at another Masterminds event! J
My soda is too much social media. I will take a step to take my life back and stop giving all my attention to it by not picking up my phone in the morning until I am ready to walk out the door. Thanks for all your great posts!
I replaced all my soda consumption with Water & a slice of lemon, lost 12 pounds. I quit my coffee habit and my blood pressure dropped by 20% and now I have been able to cut my blood pressure medication in half. These two changes made a big difference physically and mentally.
My “soda” is the constant need to have control over my chidlren’s lives, even though they are grown adults (23, 27, and 29)! They are independent, bright and loving human beigns, yet I always find fault in something they are doing. I need to learn to respect their decisions and just allow them to be who they want to be. It’s truly difficult but I am taking baby steps and learning to just let go.
Feeling used and mistreated when my boundaries are not clear. Shame, blame, anger – let it go!
My “soda” is the feeling of insecurity I have about performing my job. I have dual Masters degrees and am CPC certified, working in a Fortune 500 company yet I don’t feel that I am confident enough. I am tired of going to work with my stomach in knots. I earned this job and have every right to be there.