Friday, December 5, 2008

Be Nice...But Stick Up For Yourself!

I just talked to a friend of mine who is rather needy. She's one of those people who asks me to do something with her, asks me what I'd like to do, and then when I suggest something----she says, "Nah, let's do ______ instead." I usually go along with it because I am an agreeable person. This has gotten me into all kinds of situations in the past, generally ending up with me being inconvenienced or out to dinner somewhere I didn't want to go. For the most part, I don't mind because I love my friends, but I've been contemplating recently how my lifestyle could affect others and how that could all possibly work out.

I don't want to be one of those people who has special food needs at restaurants or at peoples' houses. I don't want to call attention to myself or have someone think I'm being rude or picky. At the same time, I don't always want to go eat cheesy greasy Mexican food on a Tuesday night. I'm working on crafting my lifestyle into one that is mostly healthy, and I need time and consistency to be successful at it. My roadblocks come in the form of friends and family, and having to have kid food in the house. I don't want any of those people to change or go away, but I need to be able to have what I want too and not feel guilty about it.

My friend recently met my boyfriend, Joe. It's been a couple weeks since we went to dinner, and I haven't talked to her much since then. I invited her and her husband to go out for sushi last weekend, but they declined because she doesn't like "weird different food like that"---however she called me back to see if we'd go out to get Mexican, and Joe said no because we had been planning to get sushi. I was uncomfortable saying no---in the past or by myself, I would have gone for Mexican because that's what they wanted. But it really made me think that I have to start sticking up for what I want. Funny thing, when I talked to my friend today, she mentioned that she isn't sure about whether or not Joe is right for me. I guess she liked the old Lisa better--the one who just did whatever she wanted to do.

I'm not embarrassed that I like to eat healthy food, but I am the first to admit how easily I am persuaded into other options. My goal for the rest of December is to be honest with my friends and family and tell them what I do and don't want to do or eat. I'm guessing no one will really care, except maybe that one friend who is quite possibly more in this friendship for herself anyway.

What is your goal? Do you put your health and wellness plan aside for the convenience of others?

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