Little Voice

Musings of the unamusing sort.

People complain, “Oh, I can’t lose weight. I can’t get into shape. I’m a big blob.” The same folks I see eating chips and cookies, drinking sodas and sitting on their duffs. I think, “How silly. It’s a simple equation. ( Calories Out > Calories In ) = ( Weight off + Better health ). How hard is that, really? Sheesh! Big lazy whiners.”

The thing I need to remind myself is that I am not those people. Eating well and staying active is easy for me, but other things aren’t. Other people often need outside influences to do things they realize are good for them. I’m no different and I need to remember that before judging. There are plenty of cases where I could find a use for that little outside voice to help motivate me to do the right thing.

• “The litter box needs cleaning again.”
• “Do you really think a second glass of wine is such a good idea?”
• “Why don’t you just sit and do nothing for a little while?”
• “Did you floss?”
• “You realize, of course, that the speed limit on I-5 is only 70mph.”
• “Surely you can find fifteen minutes for a little yoga. You know you always feel better when you do.”

The list goes on and on. There are things—big and small—on which we all I need that extra push, motivation and inspiration from elsewhere. We’re humans and therefore subject to Newtonian physics. A body at rest will remain at rest unless an outside force acts upon it. Sometimes the mind can create its own outside force. But not always and that’s what I need to remember before judging others.