Resilience is about strengthening several mindsets and skills. Loving chocolate is a positive mindset; consuming it is a life-enhancing skill. These are my 13 go-to sentences for helping other people understand why chocolate is good for them (and me):
1 Chocolate contains magnesium, which can help increase energy, so I’ll have a bite before doing the housework.
2 Chocolate biscuits with holes in don’t count as it takes more energy to eat around the hole than calories in the chocolate.
3 Dark and milk chocolate have a relatively low glycaemic index, having a more favourable effect on blood sugar, insulin (and potentially skin) than other sweet foods like sugary drinks or marshmallows.
4 White chocolate isn’t (strictly) chocolate because it doesn’t contain cocoa solids or chocolate liquor. But it does contain parts of the cacao bean – mainly cocoa butter.
5 Chocolate raisins count mainly as a fruit.
6 Chocolate is a vegetable (so that’s OK then). Milk and dark chocolate come from the cacao bean, which grows on the cacao tree, an evergreen from Malvaceae (other family members include okra and cotton). This makes the most essential part of the sweet treat a vegetable.
7 Worldwide, 40 million to 50 million people depend upon cocoa for their livelihood, so I’m helping keep these good people in work.
8 The smell of chocolate increases theta brain waves, which triggers relaxation, so I’m even more laid-back.
9 Dark chocolate improves the function of the brain, and I need to study right now with a cuppa and choccie.
10 Contrary to popular belief, mice prefer chocolate over cheese. Mice love sweet-smelling food meaning a piece of chocolate would tempt them more than a chunk of cheddar. Therefore I’m keeping mice down in my home.
11 Maltesers aren’t solid chocolate anyway.
12 Chocolate can make dogs and cats ill. So by eating this chocolate, I’m keeping all kitties and pooches safe.
13 Rich tea biscuits are low-fat if you ignore the chocolate on the other side.
Whether you enjoy chocolate or not and might have chuckled at the above, please get in touch with me (under Work with Me) to learn how resilience coaching could help you.