So I got this jar full of jelly beans. Have had it, in fact, since at least June. A friend of mine didn’t want it, so I brought it home with me. At the time, it was full to the brim with jelly beans.
That was then. From the picture, maybe you can see that it’s getting close to the bottom, as containers of desirable foodstuffs tend to do. What makes this jelly bean jar different is how I have gone about eating the jelly beans.
Again, I said I got this about June. So that’s about five months (Side note: the jelly beans have not gone stale!). I have mostly been the ones to eat them, notwithstanding the occasional student who snacks on them (I have the jar set in the front room where I teach).
Awhile ago I wrote about being nearly sugar-free. Well, I have mainly kept up that habit: I don’t eat much processed sugar. So when I got the jar full of Jelly Bellies, I invented a way to enjoy the jelly beans while honoring my diet.
My solution could sound a little crazy. It might sound tedious or impractical. Heck, it might sound eccentric! I’m okay with that.
Every day I give myself three jelly beans 🙂
If you have followed my blog posts for awhile, you may know that I believe in small continuous efforts: whether applying the principle of compounding, or simply going slow and steady, one’s efforts, though small to begin with, do add up. What might look inconsequential at first will eventually become huge. Continuous drops of water can, eventually, break through rock or concrete.
I use this principle to train for long runs, read long books, write music, write this blog… and apparently now to eat jelly beans 🙂 The fact of the matter is, this relaxed, consistent routine-oriented approach suits me. It may not suit you. That’s okay.
The world is like jelly beans. If you don’t like my flavor, try your own.
Another thing I got out of my jelly bean eating experience: eating three jelly beans tastes just as good (if not better) than eating more! That’s because I fully enjoy the jelly beans, and I do not worry about whether I’m going to eat more. So I don’t over-do it, and I know I will have more jelly beans the next day. There’s no stress, it’s an enjoyable little treat and a good dietary practice!