“It’s easy! 30 days. You can do anything for 30 days.”

We were watching a video of an inspirational speaker describing his method for success. Or, I think that’s what it was about. I had tuned out and was contemplating the carpet’s geometrical pattern. Is that a rhombus? Or just an artsy square? Exciting stuff.

“So?” my friend asked. “What would you change for 30 days?”

“Me? God… I don’t know. Um, there are loads of things I guess.” It was a feeble answer which reflected exactly the type of general apathy that had earned me a life where there were, in fact, loads of things I should change.

He looked at me sadly (this wasn’t my first disappointing response) but carried on: “Well… You drink coffee, right?” I grunted my assent. I didn’t like where this was going.

“But you think it’s unhealthy.” He paused. My head tilted in a weak nod.

“Soooo, it should also be simple to stop doing something for 30 days.” Another pause. His face filled with expectation. When I didn’t respond he mistook my disinterested silence for incomprehension (a recurring theme) and patiently spelled it out: “Maybe you could stop drinking coffee for a month. You know?”

“Maybe.” I stood up as I spoke, turning away to refill our wine glasses. And roll my eyes. Meanwhile I could hear the start of another video, this one of a woman explaining her charity work for victims of sexual abuse in India. Where he’s going with this??

But it didn’t matter. I was in a happy place, thinking about coffee. Cooffffeeeee. Glorious,powerful, restorative coffee. The smell alone is  heaven in a cup. (even non-drinkers will admit that) Ahh, the comfort of the warm cup on a cold morning. The buzz of caffeine in your bloodstream! Yes,…