I was listening to a little Wayne Dyer in my car this morning, and on comes the story I've heard him tell before about the coughing man at the gym; Wayne says to him, "That sounds terrible, how long have you had that?", and the man replies, "In three weeks, it'll be a month!". Ha! I needed to hear this today. You see, we all have choices each day. This "man at the gym" appears to have forgotten this, forecasting a month long coughing bout! We always have choices as to how we respond to life's stressors; whether they be physical challenges, challenges at work, or stressors arising from anticipating the holiday season.
Today, I thought, I can choose to take responsibility for my health, listen to my body's messages, respond in kind. I can choose to be responsible for the thoughts I choose regarding what I tell myself about how I am feeling physically. I can choose whether or not to wallow in the negative projection that a lasting flu bug or bad cold is inevitable. I could choose to draw the curtains, prepare to call in sick on Monday, and hunker down for a week long "feel sorry for me, I'm ill" fest. I could do this. Basically, I could talk myself into feeling miserable. Or....
I can begin to gently pay attention to what the symptoms I'm experiencing are telling me, take good care today, and project a positive outcome. It sounds much "Ease" -ier to choose the better feeling, gentle, and optimistic approach, doesn't it? This idea of taking 100 percent responsibility for my life doesn't mean that I can control everything, but it does mean that I can choose my thoughts and behaviors. ( see Wayne's book, *Change your thoughts, Change your life). Taking responsibility for your life is really very simple. It's just not very easy sometimes for us, humans. We like to think we are "Human Doings" instead of "Human Beings". I'll try to explain a little bit more.
You see with us humans, our egos get in the way. We convince ourselves that with our increasing busy-ness, that this must mean that we are becoming more and more important. Yep, most of do this sometimes. I do this sometimes. I did it this past week to some degree. At different points, I felt that adrenaline rush of being busy.. My ego felt triumphant as I diligently crossed items off the "to-do" list. I even bravely told a couple people how I'm "fighting off a cold". Now, reflecting back, I'm laughing at my bravado in casting myself as the heroine in some self created battle. (This is similar to the man in Wayne's story who casts himself as the victim in his own psycho-somatic illness.)
Don't get me wrong, there are absolutely times when we need our valuable egos to "power through" certain circumstances, because it allows us to get things done. However, applying strength, (fighting or bound tension flow qualities), to every challenge or stressor that arises is not good for you. Trying to use sheer willpower, to "Create Your Health", will bring you to your knees. Why? Because there is a point when our bodies will break down, if we don't heed its messages. Creating Health, requires a different approach. Ideally, a person needs to have many different ways of coping with challenges. (In Dance/movement therapy, one definition of health is: having access to a broad movement repertoire (or having many different ways, i.e., movement preferences for coping with both internal and external stressors).
So, What can we do to Create our Health? 1. Your ego is required to take a back seat. This is one of the key tenets I've learned from my journey through illness in over the course of several years. This is because you need to first become conscious of the messages your body is sending you before you can make an informed healthy choice as to how to respond. The ego, wants to be in charge, and enjoys being right. The ego enjoys all or none thinking. It doesn't like listening, and interpreting messages from our bodies and spirits. So this is the "not so easy" part sometimes. One needs to gently nudge the ego and get it to move from the "driver's seat", so that we can begin to listen and learn from our bodies and spirits. 2. We need to become more conscious. Meditation is a great vehicle for helping you do this; for helping you begin to increase your awareness.
For example, once I was able to listen to my body, today, I learned exactly what I needed to do for myself in order to feel good. I learned this by removing distractions, and getting quiet. I didn't learn this from a book, a blog post, or googling cold remedies.
So how did I create my health today? Here's a few things: Warm water and lemon; *A great Nutrimeal Shake from USANA, with almond milk, berries; taking * "My Health-Pak" vitamins; going for a walk while the sun was out today (a great hit of vitamin D); making a big pot of vegetable soup, and *gluten-free biscuits; Lots of *reading, rest; A bath with epson salts, grape seed oil, and *eucalyptus.
Why go through this process? Because we are human beings, not human "doing's". Eventually, you won't be able to hear anything else, and your body will break down. This doesn't have to happen. But some people have to get pretty darn sick, in order for the ego to first take a back seat, in order to start to listen, become more conscious (aware) of your body and soul's messages. Once you become aware of what needs to be communicated, you can decide on a conscious choice of action, then call back up your ego, to assist you in making this happen. Make sense?
How are you creating your health this weekend?
To your health,
~Chris
Eucalyptus is used traditionally to promote healthy respiratory system, improve lung conditions, help clean bronchial passages; and time spent with family, pets, friends..*products, books are available in the Creating Your Health Bookstore, and The Creating Your Health with USANA link.
* The information contained on this Web site has not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease.
All material provided on this blog is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health program.
