Welcome to OAKLAND!The notion of broken windows has been on my mind lately.
Each time I park my car and walk away—Im convinced when I return it will either not be there or have a broken window.
More than negative thinking or using law of attraction in the wrong manner—it’s felt like a form of self-protection.
This way, if I return and my vehicle hath been, um, (finger quote) altered (unFQ) it’s neither devastating nor shocking—it simply IS.
As a result it immediately snagged my attention when I saw Gretchen Rubin had posted about broken windows.
I dont typically read her blog—myriad reasons—but I had to see what she was chatting about.
Did Gretchen live in OAKtown!?Did we share my fear o’the smashed glass!?I practically dropped my ipad I clicked over in such a rush.
Not surprisingly, her blog addressed a different twist on the broken window focus—-and yet *still* related back to my Oakland experience and our healthy living journeys.
Rubin discussed Broken Window theory in general–an idea with which Id been unfamiliar and one which makes a *ton* of sense.
Basically the broken window theory of policing is once we as a community begin to accept small crimes as part of life—see photo above—more serious crime tends to escalate.
Ever the wise writerwoman, Rubin then paralleled the theory to her life and shared:
My “broken windows” are the particular signs of disorder that make me feel out of control and overwhelmed
This resonated with me immediately.
All of it.
From the fact Im beginning to feel we Oakland Peeps are too blase about (literal) broken windows to the fact when I read her post I had my OWN broken window sitting next to the computer.
This:
scene of the crime.Ive joked for years about the fact I OWN MY SHIT TRASHTASTIC CONSUMPTION.
I frequently tweet/facebook/yammer in your InRealLife face how I have one Mommy Merlot (AKA Diet Coke) a day needed or not….and it’s always needed.
I dont drink. I dont smoke. I dont eat fast food. Im 99.9% sugar free. I exercise. Im completely ok with one trashy drink a day.
My broken window?
My sign of YEP. Things are slip sliiiiding down the healthy living slope to sluggish, less healthyville?
When I reach for that second bottle of the day *and* I open it.
(I’ll admit I frequently reach. Im tired. Im weak. I often have moments of Oh this would make me feel better!!! & remember it will not. Water, movement or a protein rich snack will perk me up.)
When I open my second bottle is when my window breaks & cascading toward less healthy living begins.
I dont frequently read Gretchen’s blog—but Im so glad I stopped and read that afternoon.
Im a firm believer in awareness and being an informed consumer. Shifting to framing my second diet coke of the day as a broken window has already stopped me from partaking a few times.
There is something far more powerful about asking myself:
Do you really wanna smash that window? Is it worth it to trigger the downward cascade?
Than merely thinking:
I probably shouldn’t have a second bottle.
Now you.
Whats your broken window? What seemingly small act actually serves to SPARK a downward spiral in your healthy living?
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