Beat Cancer Daily: Sloths Are Cute, Don’t Be One

Excerpt from Beat Cancer Daily: 365 Days of Inspiration, Encouragement, and Action Steps to Survive and Thrive by Chris Wark

Day 277

Sloths Are Cute, But Don’t Be One

The most underestimated factor that prevents a person from improving their life, their health, and their situation is laziness. Once upon a time, this state of being was known as sloth, for which my favorite definition is “a habitual disinclination to exertion.”

Laziness is chronic lack of effort or making as little effort as possible. Laziness is a bad habit that over time becomes your modus operandi. Some people end up on lazy autopilot, always taking the laziest possible option. And the lazier you are, the more disorganized, chaotic, and unhealthy your life becomes. A hallmark of laziness is apathy and indifference, not caring about yourself or others. And let’s not forget that sloth is one of the “seven deadly sins.” It’s the sin of not caring and not doing.

But laziness isn’t genetic or terminal. Once you are mindful of your lazy tendencies, you can catch yourself in the act and say “I’m being lazy” and then bust through it by taking actions like making your bed, making juice, exercising, planning ahead, and keeping your house clean and organized. These actions will give you a sense of accomplishment and the energetic boost you need to do more and to resist your next lazy temptation.

Don’t be lazy!

---

Day 70

A Thousand Things

My daughters live in a bubble. All their needs are met. They have nothing to complain about, but of course they still do (they are children, after all). One day, my daughter Mackenzie was sitting next to me at the kitchen counter pouting about something that didn’t go her way, something so utterly insignificant that I can’t remember what it was.

I have an extremely low tolerance for complaining from my kids, and in a moment of frustration I blurted out something that was accidentally profound. I turned to her and sternly said, “You have a thousand things to be happy about. Pick one.”

She got quiet. I could see her mind working. And almost instantly, her attitude changed. And I thought to myself, Wow. That was pretty good!

Nearly every day, things come our way that try to steal our happiness and distract use from the countless blessings we have. I had a lot to be unhappy about in 2004. My wife and I were in a tiny house, struggling financially, and I had cancer.

But that’s when I learned that gratitude is the secret to happiness. In any difficult circumstance, it just takes a moment to count your blessings and thank God for them. This will reset your perspective and stir up thankfulness and joy in your heart.

No matter what life throws at you, remember: You have a thousand things to be happy about. Pick one.

---

Day 173

Obstacles Have a Purpose

Obstacles come into your life for one of two reasons: to be overcome or to divert you onto a new path.

Obstacles are meant to challenge you, to push you, to test you, maybe to force you to lighten your load. The more difficult they are, the stronger and wiser you will be when you finally overcome them. Small obstacles are necessary; they prepare you for bigger ones.

Some obstacles, however, cannot be overcome. They are too big. Impassible. Impossible. They force you to take a new path, a “road less traveled.” And you may find in hindsight, as I have, that the obstacle that forced you to change direction was a blessing in disguise because you were going the wrong way.

Cancer diverted me onto a new path, forced me to change who I was, and took me to a place and a life that were far better than I could have ever imagined. This is why so many cancer survivors call cancer a blessing or gift.

You can sit defeated at the bottom of an obstacle, wallowing in self-pity, or you can decide to figure out a way over or around it.

Obstacles have a purpose!

…

Order a copy of Beat Cancer Daily: 365 Days of Inspiration, Encouragement, and Action Steps to Survive and Thrive by Chris Wark