[Butterfly Effect ????? – Short Story with Moral Lesson]
Butterfly Effect ????? - Short Story with Moral Lesson
Hope all of you had heard about Butterfly effect. For the starters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect
It more or less says that A small change at one stage can result in large differences to a later stage….I’m no scientist and didn’t even know much about this theory much till my favorite hero Kamalahassan’s Dasavatharam released! But thinking back I thought why not relate it to my life! If you think I’m had done something life saving or threatening as in the movie you got it wrong. ..
One Sunday on August 2011:
I was recovering from a very tough phase in personal life. Also I had recently switched over to a new job which I didn’t like at all. Just because I was at loss in personal life, I was stretching at office. My work wasn’t productive because I wasn’t interested in that role. On one such day my college friend called me & asked me to accompany her for shopping. Come on! Who will leave such an amazing opportunity of window shopping with a giggling college mate & also we haven’t caught up with each other for last two years. I hurriedly said yes & we went for shopping. My friend commented that I had gained weight. I said I knew that. I thought due to the stress, I had gained that extra few pounds…
Initially we had a great time. We discussed about fun we had at college over the coffee…My friend had actually come for real shopping (unlike me!) & she went on to purchase few clothes. Impulse buying had caught on me. I too wanted an jeans…For some reason I wasn’t wearing western clothes for an year, but at that moment I couldn’t resist .I grabbed my usual size & the sales assistant said it will be small for me…I didn’t listen..I was sure I knew my body & size.
I went for trying out the jeans & to my horror yes I couldn’t fit in… I couldn’t meet sales assistant eyes while asking for next size. But that too didn’t fit… I was four size larger than my usual size….At last I did purchase the jean that fitted me but I was very angry..Angry at me for not taking care of my health….
Month following that dreadful day….
I don’t know whether everyone can relate to it. But there’s nothing as shocking to your system, when you knew you have gained a lot of weight. But I was determined to take the challenge by it horns….Actually I was working at shift timings that time, so gym was impossible for me. Contrary to people’s advice against buying a treadmill, I bought one and vowed not to use it as clothes stand! I made it a point that I will start from my office after nine hours come back home and start exercising. That wasn’t easy.
People were used to see me stretching in office, raised eye-brows when I left early. Slowly I started prioritizing and made sure I make effective use of nine hours. I came back home & ran in treadmill like a mad woman. After a month, I checked the weighing scales….No I haven’t even lost a gram. I threw away my weighing scales. But No…I couldn’t sleep…. my jean size came & haunted me in dreams. I went to the shopping mall & got a cute black top for motivation. Purposely I got it two size smaller….
Two Months following that …..
Office…Though I was working only for nine hours I didn’t like it. Previously I thought that I didn’t like it because I was stretching in office! Now I realized I was not suited for that kind of work. One fine day, I went ahead told my manager that I can’t work in the project & asked for release. My manager asked me to continue for some time & in the meanwhile he will try to work something for me.
I realized working out in treadmill alone is not going to help me. I had to concentrate on my food. As it was shift timings, I was eating in office cafeteria. I decided I will make time & prepare the food. I started waking up at Four thirty in the morning, so that I will eat healthy food. I browsed about Protein, Oats, Ragi, Wheat, vegetables, Fruits, healthy recipes. I shopped & made it a point not to buy junk food. Plus I was concentrating on my exercise. Also due to my tight schedule, I was able to sleep peacefully at night.
At the end of three months…I was scared weighing myself. I tried myself in the black top I bought. No I wasn’t comfortable it’s very tight. But I was able to fit in!! At least something in positive direction….
Around New Year….
New Year came & as usual I didn’t take any resolution. I believe if you want to do something why wait for a year beginning…Why not today? But as a New Year gift my manager told me he is releasing me from the project. I was happy because it will mean my nine hours of doing something I hate will end..On the other hand I had to find some other project that I like very soon.
Around that time I had made some other life style changes…Like taking stairs for my office in fourth floor, monitoring my water intake, making sure I had at least eight glasses of water. I cut down on sugars, starch & reached out only for a small piece of cake in office parties. When one of my colleagues joined Aerobics class, I too signed in….
I was able to see some changes in my body shape, I had to use a belt for my jean… but still I couldn’t fit myself comfortably in my black top.
March 2012:
I had recently joined a new project. During the interview when project manager told, I might need to put extra time. I chuckled & accepted the challenge. I joined the project & realized that it doesn’t require me to stretch. I just need to prioritize & concentrate for nine full hours. I was glad because that project was something I liked. After nine hours in office I made it a point to workout. I was very consistent & worked out at least for six days in a week.
One day my colleague told me that my jean is hanging out loose & it’s time for me to replace it. I checked in the mirror…YES… she was right. It was very loose around my thigh area. Over that weekend, I went for shopping. Guess what… I was three sizes down than my last jean size. I couldn’t believe myself that I kept on checking the label for its size..
Last Friday was my dream day because I was wearing my black top with my new jean to office. And my black top is quite comfortable…I don’t know how much weight I have lost because I’m still scared to check the scale.
I don’t know whether this is Butterfly effect or not. I guess that should be something bigger than my attempts with weight loss & managing professional life. But still that horrible experience in shop that day made me realize where I am. I took resolution to take care of me. I committed to myself that I will make time for workout & be healthy. And now I rarely stretch at office…I complete most of my work by nine hours & I’m satisfied by the quality of my work. I’m going to stay committed to my goals & see to that nothing comes in the way of being healthy.
I would be really happy if this article triggers a so called Butterfly effect & help someone start with what they want to achieve!
__END__
[Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jeans_pocket_front.jpg]
