We spent Spring Break in Whistler, Canada. My typical vacation diet consists of eating and
drinking whatever I want: it’s vacation after all. I am currently doing the program Take Shape For
Life, which is effective and restrictive.
I am not allowed to drink alcohol or eat carbs or sugar. I really like the program and definitely like
the results I am seeing. My results motivated
me enough to change my normal vacation eating and drinking pattern. I stuck to the program but allowed myself one
cheat day.
On the day designated
for cheating I allowed myself to eat and drink whatever I wanted. I spent the days leading up to that day
thinking about what I would eat, which probably isn’t very healthy, but there
you go. My family had visited Rocky
Mountain Fudge Company a couple of times but I had resisted and said no to the
yummy looking caramel apples, ice cream and gourmet fudge. I did, however, add the rainbow sprinkle
caramel covered apple to my list of no-no foods I was looking forward to eating
on my cheat day.
My cheat day finally arrived and I could not wait to enjoy that colorful, caramel apple. I ordered
it from a young clerk and he asked me what I was ordering for myself. I told him that it was for me. He said, “You can’t have that. That apple is for kids. You need a grown up apple.” I assured him the sprinkle apple is the one I
wanted. He insisted that I get the Skor
covered apple, a chocolate and caramel apple that was not on my radar at
all. I continued to argue with him and
told him I would like the apple covered in Smarties then. He was not having it. He said it was colorful but not for me. I was getting irritated but was unable to
express my irritation with him and just smiled and bought the Skor apple, which
to top it off, was $3 more than the sprinkled cover apple I had been craving
all week.
I left the store disappointed and told my friend Wendy, who
had been at a different counter ordering, what had happened. She was angry on my behalf and said she
wanted to take it back and get the one I wanted. I didn’t want to do that, so we went on our
way and half-heartedly ate some of the apple I did not want.
As I thought about that transaction, I had to ask myself why
I did not insist on purchasing what I wanted.
There is no shame in liking sprinkles.
I had ordered a Birthday Cake tea the day before that had actual
sprinkles in the tea leaves. I didn’t
even need to smell it first before ordering: they had me at sprinkles. My
husband gave me a Birthday Cake flavored vodka for Christmas and we have a
recipe that includes a sprinkle rim. If
it’s wrong for a 40 something woman to like sprinkles, I don’t want to be
right.
I feel pretty strongly about sprinkles so why wasn’t I able
to insist on ordering it? There are
probably multiple reasons. I don’t particularly
like conflicts, but was this really a conflict?
It was just a silly sales guy trying to upsell an apple. I want to be liked. In some strange way, telling the salesperson
no, give me what I want, created anxiety in me.
What if he thinks I’m rude?
Really? Yes, really. I was worried about his feelings. Lol. I
know that must sound strange, but I make my living talking about other people’s
feelings and I am hyper-aware of others emotions. That is usually a good thing but when it
interferes with me making a mundane purchase for something I actually want, it leaves
a lot to be desired. I’m a work in
progress. I am learning that it is okay
to like sprinkles and it is okay to say no.
I work with clients each week teaching them to say no and to be true to
who they are. Counselor heal
thyself.
Later that evening, we heard a knock on our hotel door. My daughter answered it and found a sprinkle
covered caramel apple waiting for me, a surprise from Wendy. Now that apple was totally worth the cheat
day. Good friends and sprinkles. Life is good.
Just say no.
