MKE Week 8 – Sacrificing Bananas

The one thing I could not wrap my head around was the idea of a sacrifice. I just couldn’t understand why we would be encouraged to let go of the metaphorical banana – while also repetitively reading what our banana is.

I found myself rebelling against this requirement as strongly as I had embraced the idea of letting go of what holds me back by simply turning my focus to something else.

I could easily rattle off what I think would make the list of things to sacrifice. Video games, social media scrolling, TV shows. I could even see how these things did little to further my mission on Earth.

I just didn’t want to write them down and promise to stop doing them. Because anything we deny ourselves becomes an obsession I rationalized. Because these things help keep me entertained, happy and regulated, and that’s important, I reasoned.

But I had already learned this lesson a long time ago. When I was younger I played a LOT of video games and I knew that it was getting in the way of living the life I wanted. I decided to sacrifice them in order to get the things I wanted in life. And it worked back then. I got the boyfriend, travel experiences, friends, grades, and creative outlets I wanted when I let go of them.

Why was now different? It isn’t. Would I go back and choose the video games if given the chance? No. Can I be brave and choose to let things go now? Yes.

Not only yes, but a resounding, happy yes! This means that I can add even more to my life: novel new ways to be happy, entertained, and regulated using methods that are actually aligned with my future goals!!!

The word sacrifice needs a branding facelift. It’s a positive thing. It is a replacement of less helpful methods of getting needs met for other more aligned methods of getting those same needs met! How does that have a negative connotation?!