We manage to feel guilty about some pretty strange things.
Food.
Rest.
Exercise.
Not getting enough done.
Getting too much done and ignoring everybody while we did it.
Apparently we’re quite talented at this. 😄
I don’t think guilt is particularly useful for most of it.
You need food.
You need rest.
Your body needs movement.
And sometimes you need an afternoon where you accomplish absolutely nothing impressive.
That’s being human.
I’ve never liked the idea of exercise as punishment for something you ate.
“I had dessert last night, so I have to work it off today.”
No you don’t.
If you want the dessert, eat the dessert and enjoy the damn thing.
Then go back to eating the way that makes you feel good.
Same with movement.
Move because you want your body to remain strong and capable. Move because it feels good. Move because you want to be able to keep doing the things you enjoy.
Don’t move because you’re angry at yourself.
And rest isn’t something you have to earn either.
Sometimes your body is tired because it needs rest.
That’s useful information.
None of this means I think we should stop caring about what we eat, quit moving and spend the rest of our lives on the couch congratulating ourselves for being human.
Taking responsibility for yourself and beating yourself up are not the same thing.
I care a lot about how I live.
I pay attention to what I eat. I move every day. I try to sleep well. I make choices deliberately.
And sometimes I make choices that probably aren’t optimal.
Welcome to Earth.
Make the best decisions you can most of the time.
Enjoy your life.
And when you make a decision you wouldn’t make again, learn something from it.
Guilt doesn’t need to come along for the ride.
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