Comfort Zone Challenge - Day 14

"Let's face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot, for a lot of people; it does for me."  Audrey Hepburn


Last summer I took a life-changing trip to Belgium.  My husband, my 9 month old baby, and I, spent hours and hours each day, pushing our clunky stroller down cobblestone streets, taking in views of grand palaces, the Royal Opera House, and eating our lunches of bread and cheese with church bells sounding from a centuries old cathedral nearby. 

I was enchanted by the history, the culture, and the fabulously friendly people, but if I'm being honest, my real love of Belgium rests largely on the chocolate!

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Returning home, I tested the strength of the zippers on my suitcase, stuffing it full of every form of chocolate I could find, including a 3 kilo tub of Nutella. 

I have always had a thing for chocolate. 

From my mom's homemade chocolate chip cookies, to bargaining with my brother to trade the lesser Halloween candy for the good stuff, to a near addiction level of chocolate consumption as an adult, I have long loved chocolate.

The problem is, chocolate doesn't love me back.

I've suspected for a long time that I might be allergic.  The symptoms started small, and were easy enough to ignore.  However, when a little sneezing whenever I ate chocolate, eventually turned into headaches and migraines and dizziness, I reluctantly began to admit that I might need to give it up.

Mustering all the strength I could find, I committed to two weeks without chocolate, just a test, to see if it was really the chocolate making me feel sick.  After two weeks, the headaches were gone, and my heart broke just a little.

I am not comfortable with a life without chocolate.  But I am a lot healthier.  Dang it.

It's been 39 days without chocolate, and believe it or not, I am still happy, and life still has meaning.  I'm beginning to feel empowered, because if I can go 39 days without chocolate, anything is possible!

Today's a new day, let's make it purposeful!
Kara