Sacrifice or Satisfaction

Sacrifice or satisfaction. Can you have both? Right before Christmas I had a student tell me how much she loves boots. The last time she and her mom went shopping, my student insisted on getting another pair of boots and her mom said no. My student, being financially savvy, told her mom that she had the money, but the money she was referring to was from her college fund. Using your college fund for boots? As adults that sounds crazy, right? How about this? You have been wanting to reach your fitness goals for months, maybe even years. You have thought about what it would be like to finally fit into a size (X) so much so that you are convinced it will happen for you. Then someone offers you a piece of cake, a donut, or a night out at your favorite restaurant. It’s just one time and no big deal, right? That depends. Can you have one piece of cake or one donut without being sent into the abyss, or are you the kind of person who will be hooked again from one bite? I have fallen in both categories. It is evident that my student’s mom knows her well. Her love for boots will have her constantly accessing her college fund until her account is empty and her closet is full. For some of us, eating what we want when we want it can leave our clothes beyond snug and our dreams of finally getting fit a false reality. Sacrifice or satisfaction? It doesn’t have to be one or the other, but there has to be a realization that there are times that only dedication, discipline, and sacrifice will lead to the ultimate satisfaction.