What does "be healthy" mean to you?
Miriam Webster’s dictionary defines healthy as :
"free from disease or pain : enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit : Well"
How many of you consider your mind and spirit when determining if you are healthy?
There is a huge societal focus towards being athletically conditioned, or a specific size or body shape...look around and you will see many ads for weight loss, detoxification, fitness training, but how often do you see advertising for achieving balance in your life...for if everything else in your life is out of balance....then it really doesn’t matter how fit or thin you are...and there is no diet in the world that alone, will bring you to being “healthy”
Health involves mind, body and spirit.
While food is certainly very important, feeding your soul actually is of a higher importance… the food you put into your mouth is in fact, secondary.
Let us examine what feeds your soul?
As humans, we are social in nature...even if you are a bit of a loner, or introvert...you still need to connect with others, feel valued and loved. What are your personal relationships like? And I’m not just talking about romantic relationships....but also your family members, friendships, coworkers, neighbors....
Do you feel energized around these people, or exhausted?
Philosopher Jim Roan stated “we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with”
Is your circle of people uplifting, supportive, loving? Or are there people that drag you down, walk all over your hopes and dreams, be consistently negative … these energy vampires are soul sucking...and need to be avoided or at the very least limit the time you spend with them…they should not be in your 5
The state of our relationships directly feeds into our social life and joy. I used to think maybe my social life was lacking. I don’t go out much, I’m a home body… but then I realized my social life was good for me...I have social interaction in my profession and via social media and get together with friends and family just enough to feed my soul and meet my needs. For some, social life needs to include many activities, extroverts thrive on being around people more so than being alone. Have you considered what is your social type? Are you meeting your needs socially, with people that lift you up, support and love you? Is this an area that needs work in your life?
Joy isn’t just our relationships and social life, joy is attached to our mindset and creativity, our home environment and to our spirituality as well. Do you have a creative outlet? Now this doesn’t mean you need to be churning out Picasso quality paintings or intricate needle point....creativity can be using your problem solving skills in your work or play...it can be writing, cooking, playing with children, working on a DIY project....allowing yourself to tap into your inner creator and DO something that brings out your passion ....have you ever been involved in a task and in no time you realize hours have passed and you’ve skipped a meal but you’ve been so wrapped up in what you’re doing , food didn’t even matter? This is the creativity we need to involve ourselves in to feed our soul and nurture joy
Do you have a spiritual practice? This does not necessarily mean attending a church, bible study or prayer time…but spiritual can be as simple as daily deep breathing, meditation, a yoga practice, walking or just sitting in nature and being mindful and connected…grounded.
Is your home a safe place to land....is it free of clutter and negative energy...it doesn’t have to be a mansion...it just needs to be your cozy, inviting, loving environment...a place where you feel relaxed, comfortable, warm and embraced ...your safe place where the struggles outside can’t touch you...where you go to recharge.
Are you forever learning? This could be attending college or university to further your education, to taking a wine making class to reading books or watching YouTube videos to learn a new skill or subject. Our brains, like our bodies, crave and require exercise....
Are you working in a career that you enjoy, or are you simply bringing home a pay check to pay the bills? Does your work challenge you…are you working with great leaders, supportive coworkers? Think about how much time we spend at work....is it draining you? Can you consider changing careers? I did...in 2012 I left a corporate job to become a Paramedic, and while I earn far less money- I am much happier and fulfilled doing something I truly love.
If changing careers is not an option right now, consider what you can bring towards team building at your place of employment to improve the atmosphere
Maybe finances are a struggle for you...it is surprising the amount of money we spend on things we don’t actually NEED. Can you trim your finances and reduce your consumption of wants vs needs so that you are living more so within your means to bring more balance to your finances and less stress…or, alternatively Is there something you can do to bring in a higher income without risking your health by overworking?
And how are we ensuring our physical body is healthy? movement and proper nourishment are very important. Finding an activity you love to do, will help keep you motivated to keep moving. It doesn’t need to be an expensive sport requiring pricey equipment....it can be as simple as 20 minutes daily of dancing in your Livingroom to your favorite music...but the point is ...move!
Activity boosts mood by releasing endorphins - those feel good hormones -, it improves your sleep, assists in maintaining a healthier weight and your body is meant to move!
For you to move well, with adequate energy and devoid of stiffness and inflammation, it needs nourishing fuel. If you do anything at all with respect to your food, concentrate on just eating real, Whole Foods....because real food doesn’t have a label.
So to recap…I’ll ask this question again...what does “be healthy” mean to you? Are all areas of your life in balance? What is lacking? What needs attention? What can you do today, to take small steps towards being HEALTHY?
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