I returned from my retreat yesterday and broke my fast. So it's over and it did not run the duration of what I have predicted or expected, but that happens. I am not discouraged. Much good was done.
To summarize, I went from Monday through Sunday and broke the fast on Sunday night. So that is six full days.
It was easier this second time than it was the first, but there was not really any difficulty on either one. The hardest part was the first day.
I will be cranking another one up shortly . . .
Monday, April 7, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Day Four 6:32 AM
Another day presents itself. It's early and we'll see how the day goes, but I am extraordinarily introspective this morning. I don't know if I have more RAM available in my frontal lobe because I am not thinking about what I am going to eat or regretting what I just ate, but it seems like it is easier for me to sink into nice, calm reflection sessions with myself while I am fasting.
I have been thinking about how much we are trapped by our habits. How much we do without thinking, just reflexively because we have developed these "habits" of lifestyle behaviors. Some of them can be better defined as addictions but the word "habit" is easier to accept in order to move ahead with this particular reflection.
Unfortunately, most of our habitual behaviors have short-term purposes without any connection to long-term outcomes. I say "most" because there are some habits that are specifically initiated in order to achieve desired long-term outcomes. The habit of studying, for example, has the long-term benefit of achieving some sort of desired academic outcome. Another one would be exercise which would bring about the desired long-term outcome of improved health.
But there are many, many other habits that we allow to occupy big swaths of our lives that have invented and inserted themselves into our routines with NO positive long-term outcome. We have allowed these almost-invisible demons to invade, occupy and, many times, direct our lives in undesireable ways. One huge example of this would be watching television. It induces a comatose effect on our intelligence. Another huge example of this would be eating, which has resulted in an obesity epidemic around the world. These things are the result of unplanned and unwanted habitual behaviors that cause unplanned and unwanted long-term outcomes.
So why am I saying all of this? Because I am demonstrating to myself the ease with which I can control my habits by this fasting experiment. I am out-of-the-habit of eating every time I get a twinge to eat. I have broken the cycle of eating right before I go to bed and because I have now developed this behavior into a "habit", it's easy.
We are such creatures of habit that it isn't even funny. Habits drive our lives and if we allow habits to become addictions (this is another blog subject in and of itself) then we become lost, victims of unwanted and unplanned outcomes. Our self-esteem plummets and our feelings of helplessness and depression increase. We grow quickly to believe that we have no control over our waistlines, our appearances, our health and our lives and just "give up" on trying to control them anymore.
My tiny example of one, completely unspectacular and boringly normal, man's ability to completely stop eating solid food for a not-insignificant period of time is noteworthy evidence that we have absolute control over our short and long-term outcomes.
Please believe me when I say that "if I can do it, anyone can". It doesn't take much more than a sincere desire and a day-at-a-time strategy.
I have been thinking about how much we are trapped by our habits. How much we do without thinking, just reflexively because we have developed these "habits" of lifestyle behaviors. Some of them can be better defined as addictions but the word "habit" is easier to accept in order to move ahead with this particular reflection.
Unfortunately, most of our habitual behaviors have short-term purposes without any connection to long-term outcomes. I say "most" because there are some habits that are specifically initiated in order to achieve desired long-term outcomes. The habit of studying, for example, has the long-term benefit of achieving some sort of desired academic outcome. Another one would be exercise which would bring about the desired long-term outcome of improved health.
But there are many, many other habits that we allow to occupy big swaths of our lives that have invented and inserted themselves into our routines with NO positive long-term outcome. We have allowed these almost-invisible demons to invade, occupy and, many times, direct our lives in undesireable ways. One huge example of this would be watching television. It induces a comatose effect on our intelligence. Another huge example of this would be eating, which has resulted in an obesity epidemic around the world. These things are the result of unplanned and unwanted habitual behaviors that cause unplanned and unwanted long-term outcomes.
So why am I saying all of this? Because I am demonstrating to myself the ease with which I can control my habits by this fasting experiment. I am out-of-the-habit of eating every time I get a twinge to eat. I have broken the cycle of eating right before I go to bed and because I have now developed this behavior into a "habit", it's easy.
We are such creatures of habit that it isn't even funny. Habits drive our lives and if we allow habits to become addictions (this is another blog subject in and of itself) then we become lost, victims of unwanted and unplanned outcomes. Our self-esteem plummets and our feelings of helplessness and depression increase. We grow quickly to believe that we have no control over our waistlines, our appearances, our health and our lives and just "give up" on trying to control them anymore.
My tiny example of one, completely unspectacular and boringly normal, man's ability to completely stop eating solid food for a not-insignificant period of time is noteworthy evidence that we have absolute control over our short and long-term outcomes.
Please believe me when I say that "if I can do it, anyone can". It doesn't take much more than a sincere desire and a day-at-a-time strategy.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Day Two 9:09 AM
I don't have a lot to say to myself today. It's day two and it's my birthday. I told Tere to make me an ice cake since I'm fasting and can only drink water. I am really funny, aren't I?
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