Nourishing yourself is attainable, and you are worth the effort. –Voltaire

With the onslaught of sweets and sugar over the holidays, I started off 2021 vowing to eat better.  Limit desserts.  More fruits and vegetables.  You know the drill.  But all those plans went out the window this week. I’m not sure how a box of Hostess Orange Cupcakes landed in our pantry, but, in the end, I’m sure glad it did!

Just spying the box unleashed a flood of positive childhood memories that had been locked away for years.  It seemed every warm summer day in my youth, my brother and I would walk up to Broad Branch Market and pick up a few items to help my mom out for dinner.  Back in those days, we had a charge account with the store.  This meant we didn’t need any cash or plastic, just our family’s “word” that we would pay the bill at the end of the month.  So, inevitably, my brother and I would work in Yellow Zingers, Orange Cupcakes, or some other slice of Hostess heaven along with the butter and spaghetti sauce.  Delicious!

With the nostalgia flowing, the dam on my will power burst open.  I tore into the first orange cupcake with the enthusiasm of a six-year-old.  The icing.  The creme filling.  The spongy sponginess.  How could I resist another?  And, like Godfather II, the second one was arguably as good as the first.  Mmmmm.

And then a funny thing happened.  I didn’t have the slightest shred of guilt or remorse.  It had been a long year and I needed the mental and physical diversion.  Those seconds of sheer joy provided the temporary escape I needed to recharge the batteries and refocus on the future.

And, in this new year with pandemic fatigue still hanging over us, couldn’t we all give ourselves, and others, a similar break.

We Are in a Sensitive Time

We don’t want to be soft.  We are all accountable and we need to hold others accountable.  The standard is the standard.  But everyone is struggling to some degree.  A little more empathy can go a long way at this time.  And that starts by looking in the mirror.  As long as our work is getting done, it’s okay to take a mental break.  As long as we are focused on our training, it’s okay to take a rest day.  As long as we are driving toward revenue, it’s okay to give our suppliers a break.

We won’t settle for mediocrity.  We won’t excuse slack or unprofessional behavior.  But we are in a sensitive time right now.  It’s cold, the days are short, and it is increasingly difficult for some to see hope on the horizon.  We are not the best version of ourselves.  So, as long as it not illegal or immoral, any momentary escape that brings joy and restores our energy is welcome.  Anything that provides perspective and boosts our faith is a bonus for us and our team.  It doesn’t have to be significant or life-changing.  A couple of orange cupcakes can go a long way toward maintaining our sanity.

Escape the Madness

Of course, we can’t go in the other direction.  We can’t throw in the towel and dismiss our superiors and co-workers.  We can’t tune out our family (entirely) and bury our heads in the sand. We can’t binge on Netflix and abandon our exercise routine.

But a little compassion for ourselves will help ease our burden.  A little empathy for others will make our journey (and theirs!) more tolerable.  A little escape from the madness will help us all in the long run.  It’s not an easy time.  We need to stay focused and disciplined.  But don’t forget to leave a little room in your lives for orange cupcakes!