Cookie Jar
In his book, “Can’t Hurt Me”, Navy Seal and ultramarathon athlete David Goggins, writes about different ways to overcome doubt when difficult times arise. During a 100 mile foot race in Hawaii while having a hard time moving forward he came up with the idea of reaching into a cookie jar and pulling out his favorite cookie.
Goggins used the cookie as a metaphor for the small successes he had achieved throughout his life. Not the big successes one would think, like becoming a Navy Seal, but the small ones that helped him overcome many of life’s hardships. He then used these cookies as a way to energize himself emotionally.
Life is not always easy, we face many challenges that can cause us to doubt ourselves to the point where we may want to throw in the towel. If we were to use David’s cookie jar analogy, what small successes would we find ready to boost our spirits?
Often, when we are down, and can’t see the way forward clearly, our self-doubt creeps in and begins to erode our confidence. But if we were to pick a cookie from our jar and examine our small successes, we may begin to strengthen our resolve to keep moving forward.
In my cookie jar would be the time I decided to try out for the spring track team. I had just spent the previous winter and fall taking twelve aspirin a day for severe rheumatoid arthritis in my knees. I had had enough and thought that anything was better than the mental haze of taking that many aspirin every day.
Although it may not seem like much, this one decision changed the course of my life. When I feel low and can’t summon the motivation to do anything. This cookie reminds me that anything is possible. As I think about this cookie now, it fills me with joy, elevating my emotional state of being.
Other cookies may represent even smaller successes. But whatever they signify, they are meant to lift us out of our self-doubt. Thereby giving us the opportunity to recognize that we are much more successful than we may be willing to accept.
With each new cookie we pull from our jar, we can use these positive memories as a way to strengthen our ability to stave off our self-doubt. Our cookies can be big, like publishing a book for instance, or as small as growing basil in a pot by the window. Each of these events help us build a positive frame of mind which helps us live to the fullness of who we are.
The next time doubt begins to seep into your consciousness, open your cookie jar and pick out a big, delicious double chocolate chip cookie and watch that self-doubt dissolve with the memory of a past success. The great thing about these cookies is they lift you up emotionally when times are tough, and you don’t have to worry about the calories.
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What cookies are in your jar?
Let me know what you think, I’m always open to exploring the subject further. Leave a comment below, I always enjoy hearing from you.
David Goggins read at a third grade level when he entered his senior year of high school. He taught himself how to read, so when he graduated high school he read at a twelfth grade level. That’s a big cookie. His book, “Can’t Hurt Me” is worth reading, although he is a potty mouth, a curse free eBook is also available.
Each week I email an article to those who have subscribed to my weekly. This week I wrote about how life is a spiritual journey. Here is an excerpt.
The deeper we travel along our path, the more we must learn to trust ourselves. That is the challenge isn’t it, learning to trust ourselves. Yet that’s what a spiritual journey is all about, knowing ourselves enough to know what is true and right for us.
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Here’s something exciting! I’ll be leading a 4 session book club, diving deep into my award winning book, “A Complete Life, Discovering Your Authentic Self.” We meet on Saturday March 2nd, 16th, 23rd, and April 13th, from 1:00 to 2-30 pm at A Little Bit of Kindness, in Sierra Vista AZ. It would be great to see you there. For more information, or to purchase a copy of the book before our first gathering, contact me or A Little Bit of Kindness.
https://www.paulhudonauthor.com https://www.alittlebitofkindness.org/
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It is with much gratitude I thank you for being a part of this wonderful adventure called life, I appreciate your support.
Peace and well-being, Paul
Copyright Paul Hudon 2024
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