I really love peanut M&Ms.
Or how about those white chocolate Hershey Kisses?
Those are so good.
When I go to the movies,
Part of the excitement is sitting down with some of my favorite candy and chowing down.
My favorite,
However,
Is probably Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
There's something about that creamy,
Fake peanut butter and chocolate that is so appealing.
I like Reese's Pieces too,
But the extra peanut butter with the regular sized peanut butter cups is delectable.
And then the minis.
They have a nice ratio of chocolate to peanut butter.
And when you peel back that little cupcake wrapper and it comes off so perfectly,
That's a thing of beauty.
I remember taking a road trip with a jumbo sized bag of those mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups at my side.
I was traveling the three and a half hours to see my parents and listening to my favorite music.
I'm not quite sure what I had in mind with that big bag of Reese's,
But I kept eating them and eating them.
And before I realized what was going on,
I was down to the bottom of the bag.
There were maybe two or three left at that point.
And suddenly I had a conscience telling me I shouldn't eat so much junk food all in one sitting.
But debating with myself,
I rationalized that I had basically already finished the bag.
So what's another handful of Reese's going to do to me?
Then I reached my hand in and finished them off.
When I was putting this story together,
I wrestled with the message.
I was considering moderation and the benefits I've experienced when I've been able to practice moderation.
But I also know that moderation is often impossible when people struggle with addiction.
And it may be a dangerous concept in those situations.
However,
Excluding those situations involving addictions that may require abstinence,
For many things I find moderation to be important.
Everywhere you turn,
You find conflicting studies on the benefits of moderation in diets,
In part due to the addictive nature of some foods and their unhealthy qualities.
But on the other hand,
For me,
When possible,
Consuming moderate amounts of unhealthy food is better than pigging out.
The struggle to abstain from all unhealthy foods sometimes causes me to fall into a defeatist state of mind because I inevitably give in and eat junk food.
The result of the all or nothing approach is failure.
So when it comes to diet and some other areas,
I find the mindset of moderation allows me to have some grace for myself while still working on healthy practices.
I don't know how it is for you,
But when I indulge in almost anything too much,
I don't feel good.
And I know it's personal and individual.
That line in front of me,
The one I cross when I do too much of something,
It's not the same for every person.
But when I do it,
I know it.
I get this gross feeling when I eat too much and my body feels heavy.
Or when I sleep too much and I feel groggy and lazy.
Or when I work out too much and my body protests in pain.
When I play too much and I feel like I've neglected important obligations.
Or when I work too much and realize I haven't played enough.
These experiences have led me to embrace the idea of moderation as being a choice that often makes me feel good.
And that's not to say that I shouldn't indulge on occasion.
Oscar Wilde famously said everything in moderation,
Including moderation.
For me,
I really love a big bowl of ice cream after a long,
Hard day's work.
The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus said,
Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.
So how about you?
Does the practice of moderation allow you to have grace for yourself as you navigate this life and the stresses of this journey?
Or is there something in your life that you could mitigate that would aid you in your journey to better health?
Is being mindful of these areas helpful to your continued growth?
For me,
I often need to be mindful of when I'm working too much or eating too many Reese's peanut butter cups.
And for me,
Being mindful of these things allows me to set aside enough time for rest and recovery,
But still enjoy a sweet treat without overdoing it.
So I encourage you to have grace for yourself and be mindful of where moderation is right for you.
Dealing with the stresses of this life is often difficult and maintaining healthy practices may be a key component to you finding the peace and freedom you deserve.
