Have you ever eaten a meal or dish before and then compared it to another dish that is effectively the same, yet one tastes so much better than the other? Me too. Have you ever had an experience at one time in your life, and then repeated that exact same experience again with someone different and one was so much better than the other? Me too. Why is one meal, experience, or interaction so much better than another that seems to be the same? The answer is the secret ingredient.
I was enjoying lunch with my dad and his partner Annette last Sunday, and after a yummy main course Annette pulled a delicious looking apple pie out of the oven. It initiated a conversation that has inspired this blog. My dad started talking about his own mother’s apple pie and how amazing it was. This immediately made Annette feel that she was competing against Dad’s mum for the best apple pie. After re-assuring Annette that her apple pie was delicious and rated very favourably with my grandmothers, we started discussing the difference between homemade apple pies and store-bought ones, and why the homemade alternative was far tastier. Annette shared a very cute story about when she served her grandchildren some of her fabulous pie, which they loved. They asked her why it was so yummy, and Annette told them it was because of a secret ingredient.
This special secret ingredient can turn anything, no matter how annoying or unpleasant it may seem, into magic, even a simple walk by the beach. I went for a walk the other day because I felt obliged to. It had been a full day with not a lot of margin for anything else, and even though the weather was beautiful and it should have been a joyful walk, it wasn’t at all. I was far too focused on what I should have done that day and what I should be doing instead of walking, so instead of joy, it was an average experience. The following day the weather was far less appealing, but my walk was an absolute pleasure, and I loved every second of it as it left me feeling refreshed and re-energised. What was the difference? The secret ingredient.
As you may know, I was a proud and blessed dog owner to a beautiful little girl for 14 years until late last year. She was my first dog, apart from dogs my family owned when I was young. Up until that point, I would not like picking up dog poop, cleaning dirty dog butts, or getting licked on the face by a dog. With Joia, all of that changed. Why? The secret ingredient. If you are a parent, I am sure you will understand this, as I can only guess, but before children I am sure crying babies, loud and messy children, and sleepless nights would be something to avoid. When you have children, it is my prediction all that changes, and you start to embrace, and even look forward to, the things that at one time repelled you. Why? The secret ingredient.
As a mentor to authors, I find two different types of attitudes people have as they are writing their book. One attitude is that writing is hard work, a chore, and they find it difficult to get into the zone to get the job done. On the other hand, there are those who just easily flow into writing, and can’t wait for the next opportunity to create something that will inevitably entertain, inspire, and help others. Have a guess what the difference is. Yes, you got it, the secret ingredient. I am thinking by now you are starting to understand what the secret ingredient is.
If you are trying to get yourself in shape and are really struggling to get into a rhythm and motivate yourself to do the simple things you need to do to create change, I believe you are missing the secret ingredient. If work is a chore, relationships are hard, and energy is waning, then you may want to add the secret ingredient. In my podcast this week with Yogi Aaron, called Stop stretching, you will hear the secret ingredient in his voice as he talks with passion about helping people move better and live pain free.
If you are still wondering, which I doubt you are, the secret ingredient is love. It changes everything. It makes food taste better, a walk more joyful, and cleaning a dirty dog-butt or changing a pooey nappy a pleasure. It makes writing a breeze, work a passion, exercise a game, forgiving an easy choice, and anything that seems like a chore, a delight. This is an area I am still working on in my own life, and is a focus for me, as I hope it will be for you. Whatever you do this week, add love to it and watch how it changes the taste, the experience, and the outcome. Add the secret ingredient this week.