“If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin!”
Do you eat salads all week so you can “cheat” on Friday night with a burger and fries? Do you go hard every morning so you can sleep in on Saturdays? Do you deny yourself a treat even though you’re worth it?
Who’s cheating? Or more like it, who are you cheating on?
When you choose to live a better you, you’re cheating death, that’s who. You’re adding one more year to your already pathetically short life. One more chance at taking a walk with a friend. One more minute with your kids.
So why not adopt a different mindset?
Eat those salads so you can feel better and live longer, and stay out of hospitals. Cheat the system. Don’t give in to processed food, easy meals cooked in the microwave, or that convenient drive-through garbage that comes in a sack.
As a matter of fact, don’t eat anything that’s bagged. Cheat that midnight run to the toilet, dry heaving while trying not to wake your spouse.
And if you don’t do those pushups, you’re cheating yourself. If you can do 1, you can do 2, and tomorrow you can do a few more. Let’s go!
Here are a few more cheats you can add to your player in the game of life:
- ✅ Get a sufficient amount of quality sleep. At least 6-8 hours for most people. And if you have teenagers, let them sleep as much as they want.
- ✅ Get some movement built into your day. An hour or so works well. Walking, lifting, increasing your heart rate, and giving your lungs something to think about other than reaching for that snack.
- ✅ See the sun—the actual one. You know – the one that we circle each day and is the life source of all that we have. That one. See it. Feel the heat. Get that natural vitamin D, baby!
- ✅ Eat good food. 75% or more should be from non-processed sources. Eggs are fine. Learn to cook. It’s easier than you think. Get this book (it’s bombproof) and get cooking!
- ✅ Connect with others in whatever way works for you. Focus on healthy connections, quality time, and in a way that works for you. Stay off nonsense message boards and out of Facebook arguments. They’ll take you nowhere and will only add to your bitterness.
- ✅ Drink more water. Seriously.
Part of that list was borrowed from this guy. He seems reasonable and isn’t selling something other than hoodies.
I’m going to add a few more tips on how to cheat and live a better life:
- 😊 See a mental counseling professional or therapist regularly. It’s worth it. Get over the stigma and book an appointment as soon as you can. Speaking with someone that is trained in listening, that won’t argue back, and who offers fair feedback is the golden ticket everyone should get.
- ⏱️ Spend more time with your kids. Our firstborn turned 15 this month, and it was only 5 minutes ago she was a toddler. Time flies. Literally. Even if it’s only an illusion…
- 😠 Don’t hold on to bitterness, grudges, or other negative thoughts and feelings. They will only degrade you and do nothing to move you forward. Bitterness binds you to a sad and lonely life. Let it go. Forgive, and maybe forget, and move on.
- ☂️ Sign up for umbrella insurance, and look over your insurance portfolio, in general. You’re probably not as covered as you think.
- ❤️ More date nights with your spouse. It’s time. Every Friday, a new opportunity to see them again, for who they are, and for whom you fell in love with in the first place. The brisket fries are just a bonus…
- 🪢 Learn a new skill, preferably using your hands. It’s one of the best feelings you can have seeing something new be molded, created, or shaped right in front of you. Start with the bowline, for example.
There’s no reason not to cheat in life… after all, you want to hang out for as long as you can, right? Add value to yourself and others by checking off a few items on the list above… it has certainly helped me.
And listen, you can do whatever you want. 😉