I’ve been on a diet for about two months. I haven’t lost a bunch of weight, but I’ve changed my eating habits and my water intake. 

However, my plan was to make it to the week of Thanksgiving and then take a nutritional vacation.

Basically, I’m going to eat myself silly this week.  Then, I will resume my healthy procedures on Monday. That’s the plan, anyway.

Although I don’t plan on making it a habit, a time in which I allow myself some of that culinary comfort is something I’m looking forward to.

This year has been the pits in so many ways. I have allowed myself to get so aggravated at people that it’s enveloped me in a negative, cynical and isolated attitude. I’ve regularly used the word “stupid” so many times that I need to go to time out. I’ve found myself feeling so aggravated at people and events that I am simply unable to find joy in any aspect of life.

And that’s pretty awful.

So, I guess this whole looking forward to eating thing is the starting point of a better attitude. Just the other day, I started reevaluating things. This usually happens, for me after a good amount of time in prayer, turning my mind off, and then picking up my Bible and reading.

Amazing how that happens.

People shouldn’t matter as much as they do. No matter how hard we try, we can’t change attitudes, behaviors, or personalities.  Well, for the most part. All we can do is be real, polite, firm in what we believe, and loving.

That last one is the hardest. I’m writing all that down so I can read over it a few times. I might tattoo it on my arm or something.

I can read through previous columns from the past decade and chart my ups and downs, my aggravations and moments in my life that were joyful.  

Thank you for continuing to read – even though I might be ugly and judgmental at times. I appreciate your readership and I hope you know that I’m just a flawed human being who was once asked to write a few silly articles.

I’m thankful I’m still here.

I won’t list a bunch of  “count your blessings” phrases, cliches, or worn out sayings here.  Suffice to say I am tired of feeling worn out due to the state of things around us, and I’m going to work hard to laugh more, to manage my joy more, and love others the way we are called to love them.  It doesn’t make me a great person, because I have the capacity to go from zero to evil in about one sentence.

However, I don’t think we can truly make attitude and behavioral changes without first focusing on the things that really matter in life.

Again, I’m writing all this down in hopes of sticking to this attitude. There’s something about seeing stuff in print that makes it more contractually binding, even though this column is not notarized or anything.

And just when I start thinking that staying out of the funk I’ve been in for several weeks, if not months, gets to seem a little daunting, I just start thinking of something wonderful.

Like pumpkin pie.  Rolls. Dressing. Mash potatoes and gravy.