Coffee and Me

Each Wednesday I release an excerpt from my upcoming book, Coffee and Me. I wrote this one back in July.

This morning, before driving to work, I brewed a Keurig coffee mixed with espresso and headed out the door.

Then the wrestling match started.

Should I wait until I get to work and brew a fresh pot? Should I stop at Starbucks? Should I swing by 7-Eleven?

Like I said, the Keurig won out.

I have these thoughts often. Last year, going into summer school, I told myself I was going to save enough money so I wouldn’t have to work summer school this year. The year flew by. The money wasn’t saved, and here I am, working summer school again.

Could coffee have been the culprit? Is it possible to save a month’s salary throughout the year if I simply brewed coffee at home? If I skipped Starbucks? If I didn’t visit so many coffee shops?

Then another voice answers back.

“No, you don’t spend a month’s salary on coffee. And denying yourself the occasional coffee out would probably be a fruitless venture.”

Back and forth I go.

At 9:12 this morning, my thoughts drifted to tomorrow. I just got paid, so maybe I should reload my Starbucks card, order the egg wrap, grab some sriracha, and get my usual Venti Americano.

Because I deserve it…

Right?

Or maybe I should just make the bagel sandwich with the Trader Joe’s chicken sausage I bought, brew a Keurig at home, and save the money.

What if I just started small? Maybe coffee out becomes a weekend ritual instead of a Monday-through-Friday habit. There really isn’t a reason to buy coffee on the way to work every weekday.

I’ve had this wrestling match with myself more times than I can count.

What small thing do you keep talking yourself into?