Giving Up’s Never Easy!

Giving up anything is never easy, but the feeling of holding out to your desires, will always beat the short-term joy of giving in! Three months in to the New Year and my resolution is still holding. It’s not something that many would deem hard and certainly isn’t the strongest resolution I have ever adhered to. The product of a throw away comment made to friends days before the end of 2014 that was greeted with jeers and laughter, such is the necessitate that this food-stuff has had in my life. My resolution, to give up the greasiest of Demi-Gods, an overly fulfilling time saver, the children of the supreme-being that is the potato, yes I have given up Chips! Glorious, glorious chips! That’s oven chips, chippy chips, pub chips every type of chip, including crisps too.

Now, you unlike me may not be a huge fan of this versatile vegetable. However, I would dine out from my local chip-shop at least once a week in both the ease and the desire of a portion of these salt ’n’ vinegar soaked soldiers. And, just writing about them now is causing salivation like I have never known. My mind forcing the smell inside of my sinuses without a plate in sight and I can taste the memories that these soulful beings have shared with me.

Some weeks have certainly been harder than others, having spent several minutes standing in the inevitable chip-shop queue in the company of a friend who didn’t wish to cook for himself in the evening and as such dragged me out with him. The post football drinks where there have been several people sitting round with opened packets of those gluttonously glorious golden specimens, my friends indeed knowing better than to try and offer me the delicious taste of self-betrayal. Nevertheless, the scent has often driven me in to a temporary insanity fraught with self-doubt and the sight of unfinished portions growing cold and uneaten on the coffee table in front of me could certainly make lesser men turn nasty in such an instance.

I have not broken though, and I am yet to suffer at the hands of my own addiction, however-much a fleeting one it may be. And, though the hard times are many and the path to chip-less-ness is paved with an ever growing temptation. Every morning I wake up knowing that I have overcome this baseless desire of my carb-craving self I roll over with a smile from the ever increasing sense of accomplishment that holding out thus far has given me.

Perhaps, you’re reading this believing that I’m a fool, for finding this challenge as hard as I am, well if you’ve got me beat, please share below. As nothing helps to control desire like talking about what you’re fighting against.

2 thoughts on “Giving Up’s Never Easy!

  1. I have just read the above article, with a smile of knowingness on my face and at times the empathetic nod – For I know the pain that comes before me, I have been here before and therefore I know the horrible anguish it is to deny yourself something you love. Well done Stefan, you are doing a great job….I shall now be joining you – no more chocolate for me! And, like you some people don’t see an issue with chocolate, but I am addicted, actually addicted…..I can not pass any shop or garage without buying something!! Not just a simple one bar….NOOOO….I am talking about the bags you are meant to share….I will devour that bag all to myself, secretly, happy and guilty at the same time. There I have revealed my disgusting habit to the world. Wish me luck for the future. I won’t lie, I’m going to be grumpy for awhile 🙂

    1. Thank you for your kind words Sarah! I can’t tell you that it gets any easier denying yourself something you crave. Nevertheless, the growing sense of accomplishment fuelled by self-control and the pride of not giving in to such a desire sure makes it a very worthy cause. I believe I am now standing half-way up a mountain, from here the path down is paved with what I crave most. However, if I continue to ascent the rough terrain and summit this beast then the view will be made all the more sweeter by what I have left behind.
      I wish you every success for the future 🙂

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