Wow. What she said! From Zazen in the Moonlight:

Simply stated, Buddha said there are four kinds of action. Things that we like to do that are good for us, things we don’t like to do that are bad for us, things we like to do that are bad for us, and things we don’t like to do that are good for us. The first two are easy, without even thinking you do the things you like to do that are good for you and avoid the things you don’t like to do that are bad for you.

It’s the other two that give us trouble. Buddha said that they are a measure of discernment, or wisdom, not of willpower. The wisdom lies not only in seeing the connection between the cause and effect, but also in learning to understand your own mind to see how you can out maneuver the disruptive voices in your head. It’s the kind of wisdom that can see through the blockages that the mind puts up for itself, the difficulties it creates for itself.

I had another person (who I don’t know) stop me in the hallway at work and ask me if I was shrinking. I said I was, and she replied that she needed to stop by and find out my secret. I replied that it was pretty boring: healthy eating.

What I’ve really done is become much, much better on those second two actions. I’m eating far, far less of the foods I like that aren’t good for me, and far, far more of the foods that are good for me.

And it’s not so much that I don’t like fruits and vegetables, but if I was being honest, I don’t particularly “like” eating healthy foods. Hell, I’d much rather have had an apple fritter for breakfast this morning instead of the yogurt, grapefruit, and oatmeal I had. For lunch, I’d much rather have a burger and fries than the three servings of veggies and grilled chicken I’ll probably have. And I’d sure as heck rather polish off most of a bottle of wine and inhale some crappy chinese food instead of taking the time to pan-fry some wild salmon filets tonight.

But I’m going to eat those healthy foods. At least for today.

Update, 1/30: Here’s the original source of Impossible Things by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.