Moderation
All things in moderation, my Dad used to say. It is easy to recognize the wisdom in living moderately, but it is another thing to actually do it.
Why do we struggle with moderation? Even at our best, we find one area in our lives out of control, spewing ashes on the areas of our lives that we've worked hard to keep clean. Each area, in itself may be good, but when taken to the extreme can do more harm than good.
When looking at my own life, I believe my lack of self-control is due to taking good things too far. One bite of ice cream leads to me tipping the carton over, hoping that I missed a couple of bites. I click play on Netflix, and the next thing I know, I am waking up bleary eyed, searching for my phone's snooze, wondering why I stayed up so late the night before.
We aren't the first people to struggle with moderation. The bible is full of warnings to stick with moderation.
Proverbs 25:16 - If you find honey, eat just enough, too much of it and you will vomit.
Proverbs 25:28 - He who is without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls (to defend itself)
Even those at the summit of human success have struggled with moderation, sometimes leading to their downfall. Julius Caesar, not content to be a leader within the Roman republic, demanded to become dictator for life. Napoleon and Hitler suffered defeat in Russia. Sinclair Lewis, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jim Morrison, and Amy Winehouse all died due to alcohol.
In many ways we are set up to fail. Our brains crave dopamine and will do whatever it takes to get more. Our own bodies fight against us as they become numb to past pleasures, beginning the hedonistic pursuit of the more extreme, more novel solution to fill the desire for pleasure left in our hearts. With the deck stacked against us, what can we do to get back to a healthy, balanced solution?
There is no magic pill for moderation, but the below questions may lead to some ideas of how to moderate yourself.
Before you begin, ask yourself:
- At what point will I stop?
- What changes can I make to my environment to make it easier to stop at the right time?
- Who can I ask to encourage me to stop and hold me accountable if I venture into excess?
- How can I be thankful for this moment and be mindful of the current experience?
Moderation is hard, but critical to leading a balanced life. You will not get it right every time. Don't let that stop you from trying.