The smells of Cinnabon wafted through the stale mall air and flooded my senses. I forgot the cookbook I was reading (actually, I can’t read cookbooks. I was looking at the pictures), Kyla, my appointment–everything but that overpowering smell of sugar, fresh warmth, and sensual brown goop.

I had to have it.

Just a bit of background. I love my organic veggies, workout daily, and drink raw milk. As a rule, I stay away from heavily processed sugars because I’m a devastated possessor of the cold sore virus that tends to surface at inopportune times. Stingy is an understatement when it comes to me spending money on food. (I mean, it’s practically like flushing money down the toilet!)

But for some reason, Cinnabon found every weakness in my armor and bribed my high-metabolism, hunger, and fatigue with one fatal whiff.

“Kyla,” I gasped. “I have to get a cinnabon.”

I might as well have said, “Health goddess, I throw aside all my former convictions and desire to pervert my body with chemicals.”

Her eyebrows raised in disgust. Instead of giving a sermon, however, Kyla must have decided I was nineteen, and old enough to make my own decisions.

We went to Cinnabon.

Ahhh! Lightly browned, thickly gooed promises of bliss stared up at me.

“Share some with me, Ky!”

I must have inherited the curse and blessings of Eve ’cause Kyla took a delicate bite, and I mowed down the rest of my “size-small” temptation before she had another chance.

“It’s not as soft as it looks,” I mumbled through stuffed cheeks. “It kinda tastes old.”

Slightly disappointed and definitely un-satiated, we headed to the food court where I wanted a burger and Kyla forced me to buy a Subway sandwich.

As I reached into my mouth to take out the invisaline that’s been my constant companion for the past three months, my stomach dropped.

“My retainer! Where’s MY RETAINER!”

I’m sure no one in the food court looked at the sugar-flushed girl desperately tearing crayons and left-over sandwiches from her giant purse while mumbling loudly to herself, “I can’t loose this! It will put my treatment back months!” (Picture being twenty years old with a plastic retainer. Yeah. Now you understand the seriousness of the situation.)

Kyla and I dashed up the elevator and began retracing our steps, finally reaching the Cinnabon-devouring-pad. There was a small table and chair. Empty.

“Someone stole it!!!” I sobbed.

Kyla looked at me with one of those looks. You are completely irrational.

I sat down in the chair and began moaning about the problems of life, while Kyla retraced our steps from the Cinnabon shop to the chair. There, on in the middle of the faded green carpet lay my retainer! As soon as it was in my possession, I shoved it back where it belonged. (Gross. I know. Let’s just say this wasn’t my day for higher reasoning.)

“What were you thinking?” Kyla scolded. “Did you just throw your retainer on the ground?”

I thought back to the Cinnabon escapade and realized I didn’t remember anything aside from the time I held that coveted box in my hand to the time the first caustic crumbs hit my tastebuds. However, it didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out I must have ripped the retainer from my mouth and thrown in on the ground while walking so I could satisfy those cravings. There was no time to unzip my purse.

—-To those of you who still have faith in my sanity, against all evidence to the contrary, I’m not sure whether to love you or think you’re crazy—

Anyways, the point of this post is NOT to unveil my inner glutton or admit to succumbing to cravings.

We all crave at times, people.

• Chocolate (I may be the only girl on the planet who doesn’t understand this one)
• Pickles
• Vinegar Chips (I am including a link so you too may be able to partake in perfect happiness)
• Physical touch (Kyla hates to be touched)
• Positive words
• A good night’s sleep (without waking up at 3 a.m. with ideas)
• Social Media

This list goes on. And on. And on.

It’s normal to have cravings but what we do with them is what matters. When you see your phone do you instantly crave checking Twitter? When you smell Cinnabon do you rip your retainer out and start salivating? (I hope not.)

Don’t give in. IT IS NOT WORTH IT.

What is one way YOU are going to stay in control this year?