It's little battles that win the war

I have been craving donuts for weeks now. One day,  I stopped at Wawa for gas, and on the gas pump was an ad for 6 donuts for $3, right inside the store. Any six donuts I wanted for only $3. All I had to do was go get them.  And I was tempted. Pink iced Homer Simpsons, chocolate iced cream filled, blueberry cake...all of my old friends, just waiting for me to come and take them home.

I got in my car and drove away. I very rarely, if ever, actually go into a store to pay for gas. I pay at the pump--and it keeps me honest.

But that idea of donuts has been there, festering. I almost convinced myself last week that I should just go get them, and eat them, and get rid of this craving. That would be the smart thing to do, right? Satisfy the craving so it goes away--and then move on.

Today, on the way to run an errand, I had to drive past Dunkin Donuts TWICE--on the way to, and the way back. And it would have been super easy to hit the drive through and just get one donut--heck, who am I kidding--two donuts, and eat them on the way back to the office.

And the more I tried to justify it, the more I realized that I was winning the battle with the donuts. I didn't really want them anymore. I liked the IDEA of the donuts. I liked to imagine the taste of the doughy glazed pink iced with sprinkles...how sweet and satisfying it would be. And then I started thinking about things that I wanted more. To fit into that new pair of jeans this fall that are patiently waiting for me in my closet. To fit in a stadium seat this winter when the ELB and I go to hockey games. To fit comfortably EVERYWHERE.

And I left the donuts behind. I drove right past them. And I won.

I know that the this is only a small battle in the giant war that I'm fighting--but every little battle gets me one step closer to winning the war. And I want to win this war.