Many years ago, I discovered a tea I loved more than any other tea on the planet—almond-flavored, made by Celestial Seasonings in Boulder, Colorado. I found a cup of this deliciousness every night after dinner an absolute delight. There was only one problem. The company didn’t want to sell me just one box. They required me to buy a case of twelve.

“No problem,” I thought. “I’ll drink it.”

Ten years later, I was still drinking the tea!

Actually, that’s not true. Three years later, I was avoiding it because I was tired of it, yet I couldn’t bring myself to throw the tea away. After all, I loved my almond tea, and besides, there were still ten boxes left.

Having gum surgery a couple of months ago, I’ve been noticing something interesting. I no longer have the cravings I had before the surgery. Before, I could easily grab a tortilla veggie wrap for lunch, or how about multiple spoonfuls of peanut butter throughout the day, and/or a half cup of nuts. Not to mention the many times I’ve eaten popcorn for dinner. Being vegan for the past ten years, I eat pretty healthily, yet I could always find a  rational excuse to overeat or graze on anything!

Having twenty-one healthy smoothies in seven days and eating yogurt bowls and soups for the next week cleaned out my body and my cravings. Why not clean out my cupboards and grocery list too?

So, with gusto I’ve been embarking on this project. As I’ve been cleaning up my pantry, I’ve discovered something interesting. My shelves weren’t filled with food I was currently eating. They were filled with possibilities of what I might eat sometime in the future.

Tahini for recipes I might make

Specialty teas I might drink

Grains I might learn to cook

Sauces I might try

It was less a pantry and more a museum dedicated to my future self.

And then the lesson:

The problem wasn’t the tea. The problem was that I was stocking my shelves for the person I imagined I might become someday instead of the person I am today.

The person I am today likes fourteen-ingredient smoothies for breakfast, bean rice and vegetable bowls and fruit for lunch, and a ten-ingredient yogurt bowl followed by chamomile tea for dinner. Simple meals that nourish my body and fit my life. Once I accepted that, my grocery list became simplified, my pantry became lighter, and oddly enough, so did I.

We all have our versions of twelve boxes of almond tea.

Books we’ll read someday

Projects we’ll start someday

Clothes we’ll wear someday

Dreams we’ll pursue someday

There is nothing wrong with the possibility. But there is also wisdom in making room for what is true right here, right now. Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is let go of a few boxes of almond tea. In letting go of the almond tea, there is room now in my pantry for new discoveries to be enjoyed this week, not someday. When we embrace the reality of now and live in the moment, we change the way we see and the way we live.