Mind, Body and Spirit

“You are essentially who you create yourself to be and all that occurs in your life is the result of your own making.”

“Happy people produce. Bored people consume.”

Stephen Richards

“No beating yourself up. That’s not allowed. Be patient with yourself. It took you years to form the bad habits of thought that you no longer want. It will take a little time to form new and better ones. But I promise you this: Even a slight move in this direction will bring you some peace. The more effort you apply to it, the faster you’ll find your bliss, but you’ll experience rewards immediately.”

Holly Mosier

I’m not going to reach my goal of 60 blogs this month, but I’m okay with that.  I won’t be okay, however, if I don’t reach the other goal of writing 50 blogs to reach my goal of 365 by December 29, 2013.  So I’m going to sit here and write until I’m done.  I have some other tasks for the day and I want to stay focused.  Right now my mind is searching for a topic.  An idea may come and my mind will say, “No.  You’ve done that one.”  So I keep writing until my mind says, “There it is! Write about that!”

So that’s what I do.  A lot of this work is physical.  Not physical like weightlifting or construction, but it’s physical when my fingers hit the keyboard or my hand moves the pen.  It’s not all cerebral.  In fact, when I’m really in the right place, my mind is almost absent.  It just watches what happens.  It might add an idea or two, but most of the work comes from the body or the spirit. 

That’s why it’s important to sit her and keep working.   Every time I get up to do something I lose the flow.  The flow is also lost when I stop working and look at Facebook or check my e-mail.  So I keep working.  I once wrote that we are always and only spirit.  But that was wrong.  I am definitely my body (too).  It all works together.  Sometimes they help each other.  For example, when my mind has a hard time starting, it helps to exercise.  When my body is dragging, it helps to get motivation.  When my spirit is low, it helps to eat.  It all works together.  Sometimes it’s okay to deprive the body for the purpose of self-discipline.  And sometimes it’s okay to give the mind a rest for the same reason.  Sometimes I need to pay attention to what’s happening in my spirit so that I don’t miss an important lesson.  And sometimes I just need a quick nap.

Neglect of one area will lead to problems in all areas.  So, as with other things, like time, money, relationships and work for example, vigilance is required.  How am I doing?

·      Am I getting enough rest?

·      Am I eating well?

·      Am I exercising?

·      Am I having fun?

·      Am I feeding my mind with good things?

·      Is my spiritual life healthy?

·      Am I studying?

·      Am I praying?

·      Am I controlling my thought life?

·      Have I expressed gratitude to and for others?

·      Have I expressed gratitude for the circumstances of my life, good or bad?

The purpose of these questions is not to be self-absorbed, but to be healthy and free to enjoy life and love others.  The greatest commandment is this:

“Love the Lord your God with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind.  And love your neighbor as yourself.”

            I think many of us forget the last part.  We don’t love ourselves.  And therein lies one of our hugest obstacles to success.  Ultimately, my image of myself affects my fortunes, my work and my relationships.  But the love I have for myself should be no greater or less than the love I have for God or my children or anyone else.  This might require a change in behavior.  I may have to start taking better care of myself.  I don’t like it when my children go without breakfast, but I skip breakfast often.  I don’t like to see someone undervalue him or herself, but I often do this to myself.  If my girls are tired, I make put them to bed, but often I have stayed up far too late.  This is not love. 

In his book, The New IQ: How Integrity Intelligence
 Serves You, Your Relationships and 
Our World, Dr. David Gruder argues that lack of self-care is a lack of integrity.  I agree.  It is also a lack of foresight.  Eventually our bad choices catch up with us.  The best way to avoid those consequences is to start making good choices now.  Right now.  Right now it’s time to Get Started and Keep Going…in mind, body and spirit.