WILLPOWER

Willpower is defined as, “The strength of mind or determination to overcome challenges and achieve goals.”

Where has my willpower gone? I thought I had trained it well. If it wasn’t good for me, I said NO thank you and left it where it belonged. Nothing could sway me or push me into just trying a little bit. Nothing.

Until I met my nemesis. It started with a nonchalant trip to the bakery to get some cake for a friend. She loves her pastries and cakes. Displayed behind the pristine glass case were different cakes all perked to perfection and begging to be devoured but my eyes settled on a bland looking creamy concoction and for some reason it had my name written all over it. How much harm could come out of eating just a small piece of whatever it was I thought. It had no fruits on it and no added decoration to make it look pretty and yet there was something about it. I couldn’t put my finger on it. If I had known, I would have run screaming from the store!

“Willpower is like a muscle, the more you train it, the stronger it gets.” Unknown

Right, I had trained mine to withstand anything so coming back to that almost innocent looking piece of nothingness in that glass case. It was a cheesecake I was told. I’ve had cheesecakes before but this one looked different because it was almost crustless or perhaps because it had my number and was looking to break me!

I brought it home and that afternoon I took a bite into it. My eyes lit up. It wasn’t sweet as cakes go but there was something. I could feel my WILLPOWER crumbling and disintegrating into a thousand pieces. Well, it felt that way anyway.

The battle was lost. Every chance I got after that fateful afternoon I made it to that bakery or I found excuses to go by there. Each time the lady would grin and say, “I don’t have to ask. One cheesecake?”

Me: “Hmm…yes.”

All fine and good. Cheesecake alone is not going to bring my world down. I’m still fine on all other fronts as far as willpower is concerned I had thought. What I didn’t know is that WILLPOWER is a learned thing and when one thing crumbles, the other parts get shaky. Anyway, I was invited to a friend’s place for coffee and cake. Yes, you guessed it. He had cheesecake and not just any cheesecake. He said it was the best in the land. I politely refused but he insisted. I tried a small piece and put my by now non-existent willpower on the line. I raised that dessert fork filled with creamy cherry filled cheesecake to my mouth and tasted it. The portals opened and I heard, “Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” It was sumptuous, delicious and mouth-wateringly good! I had two pieces and as my WILLPOWER cowered in the corner somewhere all but forgotten, “I asked, “Can you get me a whole cake the next time you go to that bakery?” He grinned and said, “YES!” My eyes glistened with joy but my willpower screamed, “I GIVE UP!”

“Strength is the ability to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands and then eat just one of those pieces.” Unknown

I was there once. Hell, I could even say “No chocolate for me please.” However, chocolates are not cheesecake and to prove a point, the friend brought me the cheesecake I had asked for. It was beautifully packed and when he opened it carefully, I saw my ‘nemesis’ staring back at me. It didn’t know I was putty in its hands. To make a long story short, I had two pieces and it was scrumptious. Then I noticed all the other pieces mouthing, “Eat me too!”

“Rule your mind, or it will rule you.” Unknown

It’s time to break the cycle and to send my cheesecake fetish packing! I shut the cake box, put it in the fridge and made myself some green tea. It’s supposed to be healthy. Tomorrow, I will walk an extra mile in the fields AND I will train my WILLPOWER to heel when it’s told to heel!”

“It will hurt. It will take time. It will require dedication. It will require willpower. You will need to make healthy decisions. It requires sacrifice. You will need to push your body to its max. There will be temptation. But, I promise you when you reach your goal, it’s worth it.” Unknown

HAVE AN AMAZING DAY.