The Devil’s Bargain

When we adopt new healthy habits, we have to give up some old unhealthy ones.

This can be pretty difficult for a lot of reasons. We get used to behaving a certain way. The old unhealthy habits serve a purpose even if that purpose is bad for us. We identify ourselves by the things we do and develop relationships over these things. Etc.

Some people I talk with, who are struggling* to adopt healthy change, bargain with themselves.

“Well, if I eat clean Wednesday and Thursday, then I can go out Friday and eat terribly.” or “If I don’t drink during the week, then I can get shitface on the weekend.”

This is the old you messing with the new you. 

We think we are getting something good but really we are fooling ourselves.

If you are working to make positive changes and recognize the devil’s bargaining, write it out and be blunt with yourself or, better maybe, find someone who will call you out.

* I use the term struggling here in a positive sense. Change can be hard and so struggle we must!