Why would you want to do this to yourself? In no way, shape or form, can you ultimately benefit from cheating. We teach children this, don't we? In a given moment, it may seem that we can take shortcuts and come out just where we want to be, or even ahead but really and truly, we come out short changed, ignorant and deficient.
If we have a test to take, and we don't study properly, we surely do not know or understand the material. Back when I was in high school, we used to "cheat" with Cliff Notes. Who could bother to read that boring book that the teacher assigned? In hindsight, I can say I wish I read every single book from cover to cover. Why? Because I would have been more able to answer the questions and probably get them right. I also would have been more at ease leading up to, and during the actual exam or assignment. I could walk around, proudly and honestly, telling people "oh I read that book." Lastly, I would have more intelligence. Ok, so I did manage to get good grades, and I am ok today.... but that came when I stopped taking shortcuts.
When we cheat (on ourselves) we do ourselves a HUGE injustice. There are no rewards or benefits to be gained from cheating. We rob our souls of value. And in the end, you NEVER save time (what a false notion) because you are left with a whole lot LESS goodness, and whole lot more ... DECEPTION. "Just getting by," leads to a life of frayed ends and partial completion. The only person who is being fooled in the process is YOU.
This mindset is relative to all aspects of our being. The most important aspect is your health, and how you work on it. Do you work towards trying to be healthy in your mind, body and soul? Are you throwing on some makeup everyday, washing your hair, nice clothes, starvation dieting, 3 or more cups of coffee to keep it going, and a fancy car --- and then telling yourself and the world that you are "just fine.... and getting by"...??
You are cheating on yourself if this is the program you follow daily to "get by." Yes, you probably are a dear and sweet person, have a respectable job, beautiful home, maybe beautiful children. And, oh, yes, you drive the best car. BUT.......... HOW DO YOU FEEL? Physically? Mentally? Emotionally? How do you enjoy what you have if you don't feel very well?
Do you really have it together in all the areas that really do matter? Are you pretending?
Have you started working out recently but when no one is looking, you leave the gym 20 mins early because you need to get home to watch your favorite show???? Or, did you cut your workout short because you think that 20 minutes of stretching is not so important??? Do you still drink soda because..... you love soda and don't care how many studies prove that it is terrible for your body??? How many other questions like these, can you ask yourself?
This is largely NOT about being judgmental. It's more about how you can really and truly--HONESTLY, feel better on a daily basis, without the need to cheat, make excuses, fool yourself, fool others.
Let's put it in perspective:
1. Yes, some foods just taste good and gosh darn, you feel you have the right to eat whatever you want to eat especially if you work so hard. BUT.... if you are walking around complaining daily (quietly in your brain, or outwardly for you and others to hear), then you can't keep fooling yourself that it's ok to eat things that make you feel terrible.
2. Yes, there are some great shows on TV that just entertain you (and me) incredibly well. Those actors/actresses are amazing entertainers. You worked hard all day and you deserve to go home, unwind, relax and watch TV. You do. BUT...... if you are sitting at the TV, feeling uncomfortable, feeling like, "oh wow, thank god I got through this day. I wish I did not have to get up and do it again tomorrow," .... you are fooling yourself that tomorrow will be a better day.
3. You cut that workout short for what reason??? The 20 minutes that you cut off were very important minutes that benefit your body and your mind in amazing ways. Add up all the 20 minutes that you have cut off over the past one year? Two years? I am sure they add up to many HOURS. Hours that you can not get back. Hours that would have added HUGE benefit to your body. Hours that would have added longevity, strength and goodness to YOU on so many levels. And hours that you probably now spend taking days off from work because you are sick, or time spent going to the doctor. Hours that you worked, made the money, and now spend it on drugs/medications. Hours that have just passed and will never return. More hours now that you will have to use to make up for what you lost. Saving time.... can cost more in the end.
"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to DO IT OVER??" ~ John Wooden.
There you have only 3 different perspectives on how you short change yourself. I can come up with 100s more. I am certainly NO angel. I do it too, especially being a mother of two, you find yourself constantly having to cut things short. I came to realize that now, my children have a certain respect for me because they see my constant dedication to my health and theirs. It's not a 24 hour a day/7 day a week dedication, but it is daily.
I thought about it and I realized that I am the only one that gets burned in the process if I don't stay dedicated to certain "well-being" importances . You can't even reason that you CHEAT on yourself for someone else's benefit. That one does not work either. If you don't take the time out to work on you - to keep YOU well, healthy and happy -- how can you be of benefit to anyone else???
Stop cheating on yourself.
Find the ONE or TWO itty bitty hours out of your 24 HOUR day that you spend doing so many things (some important, and some truly not so important) -- and ENHANCE you .... fully and with PURPOSE... no shortcuts.... no masks....no detours...no excuses.... no explanations....no justifications.....
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