I mentioned at the end of yesterday’s blog that it had taken a turn mid writing.
It started out as being about the biggest film of quarter one of 1999 (when the aforementioned yard that I did on 19th birthday occurred).
I know some will have got it from the quote in the title.
It was The Matrix.
I watched it with my kids the other day and didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
But back then, we thought it was awesome.
Cutting edge effects.
Memorable characters and lines.
Many of which became part our our student lexicon for a while (I probably haven’t used the word lexicon since I was a student).
We all liked Agent Smith.
Housemate Matt’s surname was Smith so we, cleverly, started calling him Agent Smith.
And we repeated one of his lines over and over.
When he’s holding Neo (Keanu Reeve)’s head up on the train track, ready to be decapitated by the oncoming train that you can hear approaching.
“You hear that, Mr. Anderson? That’s the sound of inevitability, that’s the sound of your death, goodbye, Mr. Anderson.”
We’d mainly just go “You hear that?” to each other and follow up with “That’s the sound of inevitability” said in the unique Agent Smith way.
Death is probably the only thing in life that is inevitable.
“And taxes” according to the old phrase.
But, do you know what else can often feel inevitable?
Our own behaviours.
The things we, perhaps, feel we “shouldn’t do”.
But can feel are coming.
That our mind starts to tell us are inevitable.
That demolishing the packet of biscuits.
That tub of ice cream that’s whispering our name from the freezer.
That left over cake or bottle of wine in the fridge.
What starts out as an easily dismissed passing thought………..
Snowballs into this feeling of inevitability.
Until it happens.
We almost feel it was out of our control.
That resistance is futile.
It’s gone this way before so many times that this just feels like it’s going to be the same, until it is.
So, what’s the answer?
Well, I can tell you what isn’t the answer.
Just trying to use ‘willpower’ to not do it this time.
That didn’t work the previous times, did it?
There are a couple of things we can do though that might just help.
Firstly we can, essentially, make the decision ahead of time.
By not having those ‘inevitable choice’ so easily to hand.
When we do our food shop / order and make the choices to not have those things in whilst we’re in a much less ‘tempted’ position.
If the cake, wine, biscuits, ice cream, etc aren’t in the house then we’re way less likely to slip down that ‘inevitability slope’.
We can nip out to get them, sure.
But, I reckon, we all agree that’s less likely than if they’re already in the house.
Secondly, we can get these thoughts out of our heads.
When they bang round our brain, semi formed at best, it’s hard to change the outcome they produce.
If we take 2 minutes to sit down and get these thoughts down on paper, it can help lead to a different result.
The very act of writing things down can change the way we see them.
Having specific questions to ask can change things even more.
You could try;
1. How am I feeling right now?
2. What am I thinking of doing that part of me thinks I shouldn’t?
3. What’re the plus sides to doing it?
4. What’re the downsides to doing it?
5. What I am hoping will change by doing it?
6. When I’ve done it in the past have I usually been glad that I did or regretted it?
7. Could I get the same benefits or changes with some other decision that doesn’t have the downside(s) and regret?
Takes two minutes to answer them.
Copy and paste them onto notes on your phone, maybe?
Then actually type your response.
I know many reading this will think “I can do this in my head”.
“Do this in my head” is code for “can’t be @rsed to do it properly” and “won’t actually change anything”.
If your answers lead to making the same decisions, that’s cool.
Your life to do with which as you please.
But taking that two minutes when you’ve got that feeling of inevitability might just end up being the most beneficial two minutes of the 1,440 in the day.
And taking 30 seconds to reply to this with INFO to find out how our programme can be what hundreds have called “life changing” WILL BE the best use of any amount of time you spend this week – we guarantee that!
Much love,
Jon ‘No lieutenant, your men are already dead’ Hall
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RISE in Macclesfield was established in 2012 and specialise in Group Personal Training weight loss programmes for those that don’t like the gym and find diets boring and restrictive!