I eat ice cream every single day. I have a dedicated monthly ice cream budget and the proximity of an ice cream parlor was a factor when I picked my apartment. (There are five in a two block radius of where I live.) Some people love coffee, some people love soft drinks, I love ice cream. 500 days ago I made the specific decision to embrace this oddity of mine and it has proven to be the most impactful small decision I have ever made.
Allow Me to Explain
The ice cream diet is not really about ice cream. Instead, it is about realizing what you love and allowing yourself to embrace that part of you fully and without guilt. Be it eating ice cream, popping bubble wrap, or reading f7u12 cartoons, the important part isn’t the medium, it is the act of fully allowing yourself to indulge in one thing without thinking or caring about the down sides.
There are a thousand reasons I shouldn’t indulge in this gluttonous act everyday but there is one overwhelming reason why I should. Ice cream is a small thing that makes me very happy. I enjoy it fully and allow it to consume me for a few short moments. Many of my friends have commented that my body language lights up when I eat it.
There are many times in my day when I have to say no to something that I actually want to say yes to. No, I can’t go out and do that, I need to work. No, I can’t do that, I am dating someone else. (wait what?) No, I can’t buy that, I need to save money. Ice cream is my exception. The answer is always yes.
What Is the Ice Cream in Your Ice Cream Diet?
It is not the ice cream in the ice cream diet that is important. You can (and should) indulge in whatever small pleasure makes you happy once a day. The only rules are:
- The act must be simple
- It must be done daily for many weeks (500 days?)
- It must be done completely without guilt
Below is a list of some things that might be right for you:
- Wearing really soft socks
- Spinning in your office chair
- Having morning sex
- Playing Mario
- Shouting the name of objects you see (Bird!)
- Whistling
- Taking naps
- Dipping everything in ranch dressing
- Always wearing an apron
- Humming 80’s sitcom themes
- Crushing people you don’t like with your mind
- Making your mom jokes (Your mom makes your mom jokes)
- Eating potato chips
- Planning your next bucket list activity
- Walking around your house without pants
I won’t be able to tell you what the ice cream in your ice cream diet is but I bet your friends can. Ask them what quirks you have and you will be able to identify your unique flavor.
Life is full of compromises, don’t make your happiness one of them.
