What is Health Anyway?
Welcome! To a new you. I’m very glad that you’ve decided to take action for the sake of your health. It is a thing commonly overlooked by humans… how much time we actually have left to live. However, this whole process isn’t about trying to remind yourself that we are all mortal and can die at any minute. Rather, it is about prolonging our time here on this earth so that we may do all of the things we’ve always wanted to. Every single action you take, every step forward, should be taken as a stepping stone that will avail you to new heights. One must not see accomplishments as minor or great, but instead, as a whole.
We operate on many levels, us humans. This is what separates us from the animals. Animals merely wish to survive with the essentials; food, water, and shelter. We though, have so much more to bring to the table. We can share our thoughts or feelings, express those things which inspire us. But unfortunately, we can also experience unparalleled grief that gnaws at the back of our conscious mind for decades. Though, we still need the essentials, don’t we? We need food, water, and shelter, that is certain. What about emotional stability? Many would argue, but yes, I believe we need that as well. How about love, compassion, or caring not just for ourselves, but for others who make a difference in our world. Yea, I can say we may need that as well. (I understand animals can feel all of these things as well, just on a different level).
So many health enthusiasts only look at certain factors of their health as a series of isolated objectives. But, being human isn’t about being isolated, is it? It’s about being social, as we are very social creatures. The same could be said then, about our entire genetic make up. Some enthusiasts believe that everything can be solved by eating healthy foods. Others, through exercising in those areas they find passionate, such as running, swimming, or fencing. Perhaps others feel that nostalgic ideology of, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Well, there are two types of people in this world. Those who are health mechanics, and those who are health gardeners. The health mechanics are the those from the previous paragraph, the ones who don’t care until it’s too late, the people who want to fix everything only after that thing has broken. The next, are health gardeners. These are the people who would like to maintain their health every step of the way, not just letting it fall until it needs to be reestablished. No. Gardeners love to grow and nurture their health, allowing it to permeate every fiber of their beings.
But health should only be based on how good we feel to an extent. Yes, being healthy does feel good, and you definitely know when you are feeling good. But, just because we feel good, doesn’t mean that we are healthy, right? I mean, if somebody feels completely awesome one day, yet they fall prey to a heart attack the next, then they weren’t really healthy after all, were they? We here of this all the time. “So and so was as healthy as an ox. One morning after his jog though, he collapsed dead from heart failure.” He wasn’t healthy to begin with.
So what is the point I am trying to make? Good question. Well, as you can tell, it’s certainly not pill pushing or the famous “food fixes all” philosophy. It is everything. It IS how we view the world, our perception. It IS the food we choose to consume. And it IS certain exercises we do. So, essentially what I’m saying, if I’m saying anything at all, is that health entails everything. It is balance, yin yang, negative and positive… Health is taking all of the elements of every day living, and combining them in such a way that your physical body benefits from food, your soul/energy radiates brightly, and your mindset is always set on perceiving the world through a positive point of view.
So ask yourself. What is it you actually plan to achieve in life? Do you want to be physically fit, mentally fit, spiritually attuned, or all three? Hopefully, you answered all three. Because, what I have discovered is that all three of them coalesce and feed off of one another. Other than those special cases where genetics take precedence, one can never become physically fit without having a bright outlook and strong mind. One may never achieve spiritual harmony without first possessing a healthy mind set. And lastly, it may be impossible for one to think optimistically if they are being dragged down and only view the world through their own concealed haze. Folks, health is everything. It is how you wake up in the morning, and how you perform at your job. It is what you choose to eat at the dinner table, and what you choose to dedicate your time to. All three of these things, mind, body, and soul, envelop all of us, even if and when we choose not to express certain attributes pertaining to each category. But still, they remain, waiting to be balanced and set into motion, projecting you toward your lifelong goals of happiness.