What If Feeling Amazing Won over a Need for Instant Gratification?

Let’s say you had the choice (which you do) to choose either A. Feeling Amazing or B. Instant Gratification, which would you choose? This question surged through me the other day, not just in thought, but in one of those spark-of-electricity moments—the kind that force you to wake up and pay attention.

I should preface with this, in that moment when the idea rushed through me, I was feeling amazing. The feeling acted as a sort of call-to-action, a desire to produce or create more of that splendid feeling.

In theory, I’m sure you might agree, that like many people, you would choose to feel amazing, letting instant gratification fall by the wayside. Of course, satisfying yourself instantly comes in many forms; I’m talking about the kind that speaks loudest to you. For me, it’s Sugar and Flour.

An Unfair Choice

I’d have to say this choice is an unfair one because to choose wisely, wouldn’t you have to experience both sides?

So… how often do YOU feel Amazing? Do you even know what it feels like? And if you’re not feeling super-enlivened-awake-and-revitalized, how can you choose it over a need for instant gratification? Not a fair choice at all.

If you’ve never (or rarely) tasted this “amazing feeling,” how would you know what it tastes like? You wouldn’t.

No wonder the pull toward instant gratification is so strong; it’s instant (no work involved or need for patience), satisfying (speaks for itself), and familiar (no need to stretch beyond your comfort zone). You know what it tastes like and it tastes good; it’s a no-brainer.

But what if there was something better?

A Taste of Amazing

Unfortunately instant gratification tends to escape the bigger picture of our desires, namely, our deeper desire for well-being in body, mind, and spirit. This makes sense because its purpose is to meet an immediate need, not create the building blocks for sustainable joy, vitality, and plenty.

Let me circle back a couple of days to that moment when the surge of electricity flowed through me. How did it happen; what was I doing? If you’re anticipating a profound answer, you’re going to be waiting a long time. When I tell you it’s the small, intentional things done consistently, mark my words, positive results are cumulative.

Here’s what took place: I went to a health food store cafe to do some work for the day. I drank a veggie juice (celery, cucumber, kale, lemon, ginger, sunflower sprouts, and parsley). I ate a big salad with a variety of micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and enzymes). I had a lovely cup of peppermint tea. Body nourishment… check.

I was deep into the creation of content writing and graphics (photos, colors, design…) for a lead page (basically a web page that offers a free giveaway in exchange for a subscriber’s name and email). I was immersed in a web-tech learning curve (which is fun for me). Spirit nourishment… check.

I broke my focus a few times to come up for air, get more herbal tea, and rise up from that sitting position that research tells us is awful for our health. Stretch, stretch, stretch! While circling the store a number of times, I struck up conversations with the produce gurus, wellness advocates, juice bar artists, and cashier-offerers-of-friendly-conversation. Mind nourishment… check.

While nothing extraordinary happened to me that day, I felt amazingly-in-my-groove.