The Big Salad Pt. 2

Living the life you deserve starts with your mindset

Susanna texted me the other day and asked if I had time to grab lunch before her doctor’s appointment. Being the efficiency-minded engineer, I suggested the hospital cafeteria, as it would be easy for her to go straight to her appointment afterward. Oh, and it happened to be half the price of the restaurant we considered going to. She reluctantly agreed to the plan.

Walking into the cafeteria, I saw her waiting for me at a long white table. The look on her face wasn’t one of unbridled joy. It seemed that everyone but us was dressed in hospital scrubs. Most were in line for burgers and fries. We filled our plastic salad containers with iceberg lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, pressed chicken cubes, garbanzo beans, sunflower seeds, and croutons. I was delighted to see the bucket of free saltines at the checkout line. As we sat down to our delicious feast, Susanna turned to me and said, "Just so you know, Tarek, this does not count as a date!” This was not my finest hour as her husband of 33 years!

A few days later, I had lunch with some colleagues at a local restaurant called Mirabella’s Table. They had a vast all-you-can-eat salad bar with good lettuce, grilled chicken, veggies, high-end toppings, homemade dressing, and—here’s the kicker—pizza and dessert. Yes, it was twice the price of our hospital "date," but this spread was amazing! The error of my ways was instantly revealed to me. You definitely get what you pay for.

How often do you settle for the half-priced salad bar when you could enjoy the bounty of a never-ending big salad?

The truth is that changing yourself starts with changing your mindset. Changing your mindset from “I can’t” to “I can” begins with changing your habits. As John Maxwell says, “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”

Here are some practical examples:

• Wrong Belief: I am who I am. I will never change.
  Right Belief: I am my daily habits and can change them one day at a time.
  Positive Action: Pick one area you want to change and take small daily actions that shift your mindset.¹

• Wrong Belief: I am stuck in a job I hate, which will never change.
  Right Belief: I’m only stuck if I choose to be. I can change my situation.
  Positive Action: Hire a resume coach. Realize all that you’ve accomplished. Start looking for a job that leverages your gifts and allows you to add value to others.

• Wrong Belief: I am who others say I am.
  Right Belief: Others have power over my mindset only if I give it to them. I was made on purpose and for a purpose by my Creator.
  Positive Action: Start your day by listing all the blessings for which you are grateful. At the end of each day, write down your successes.

Hey, y’all, don’t settle for the half-price salad bar. You deserve the best life has to offer. The only thing standing between you and that life is your mindset. Today is the day to start your changed life.

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This isn’t the first salad-themed post I’ve written. Here’s another one on an entirely different topic!

Your need for credit is ruining your life

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If you found this post valuable, could you share it with a friend? Thank you so much for reading!

1. Atomic Habits - read it!