Prioritize health
When asked to prioritize their values, people often rank health in the top 3 and many times the top priority. A healthy mind, body, and spirit influence other areas of your life. When one or more of those are unhealthy, or worse, in a state of decline, the different areas of your life also suffer. Building healthy habits takes time and resources, but the benefits exponentially exceed the initial inputs. When you've optimized a holistic approach to your health, your mental, physical, and emotional well-being are prepared for whatever experiences come your way. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. We succumb to faulty thinking, fail at physical tasks, or can't seem to pull ourselves out of a funk when we neglect the habits of good health. Instilling systems for well-being requires short-term practices that build into long-term goals.
The what and why of well-being
Mental, physical, and emotional. Mind, body, and spirit. How you define the areas of health and well-being may vary, but they can usually be summarized in these areas. Mental health and talking about it has become more accepted. This is a significant step forward in expressing our feelings and emotions without stigma. Our physical body is the vehicle that carries us through life. When we're injured or unable to perform daily tasks without struggle, our bodies are usually the cause. Our spiritual health involves nurturing a feeling or belief of something beyond ourselves. Being comfortable and finding peace in the known and unknown. These three areas don't exist in a vacuum and work together to form our overall sense of health and vitality.
Once we've instilled the habits that optimize these areas or move us in a positive direction, the benefits are almost instantaneous. A healthy mindset allows us to maintain a sense of clarity when we're feeling challenged or learning something new. Instead of feelings of anger or frustration, we can rationalize and identity our core thoughts and respond effectively. When we improve our physical health, we're not only able to do more, but we also build protection from getting sick or injured in the first place. Your spiritual journey may differ from others, but they all share the same experiences of greater insight and calmness. Building a greater sense of self-awareness, both internal and external. When all three areas are working in sync, there's almost nothing the world can throw at you that will knock you off balance.
Resources, beliefs, and actions
The resources required for instilling better health habits are minimal. You don't need a gym membership to adopt a workout program. You need a pair of shoes and a place to walk. Instead of spending extra money on healthier options, eliminate unnecessary junk food from your diet. Rather than purchasing the latest best-seller, consider checking out a book from the local library. The primary resource that will require your attention and focus is time. You must control the time allotted to you each day to instill positive habits. Carving out a set time each day for physical activity, writing in a journal, or reading a book should be planned ahead of time. For example, set aside 5 minutes for a meditation practice or 30 minutes for a walk outside. Whatever system you put in place, identity and dedicate the resources you need to thrive.
Your life, in part, is comprised of thoughts, actions, and experiences. Time alone or with others. This reality confirms that when you care for and prioritize your well-being, it directly affects the other areas of your life. A strong body guards against and instills a greater sense of confidence, and we can take on more challenging tasks. Studies have shown that workplace fitness programs reduce the number of sick days used and create a greater sense of community. A healthy mind opens us up to new experiences and greater self-awareness. We recognize our strengths and weaknesses and seek to broaden our perspective. When we improve our spiritual health, a greater sense of purpose and connectedness are usually the result. We also experience more profound and meaningful relationships with our friends and loved ones.
The challenge with optimizing, or even improving health, is that it requires personal sacrifice. No one can do it for you. You may seek advice, hire a coach, or follow a doctor's recommendations, but ultimately, the responsibility is yours. As we age, a natural progression pulls us through development to our optimal physical condition, which slowly degrades over time. We can slow this process with regular exercise and healthy habits. However, our mental and spiritual health doesn't have to follow this same pattern. We can continually improve or maintain our mental acuity and spiritual depth when we make them higher priorities. Failing to take accountability nurtures the opposite; we grow old before our time and slowly lose our cognitive functions. When we lack an emotional connection to the world, it brings many problems we're likely ill-equipped to handle.
Start small and build
Building a lifestyle focused on health is an ideal way to practice and instill habits that lead to a specified goal. Starting with and building on small wins leads to more meaningful accomplishments later. It's vital to play the long game regarding your health and well-being. The term "lifestyle" implies that this isn't a short-term modification but rather a fundamental change in how you think and move forward starting now. New challenges provide opportunities for learning and growth; our most valuable asset is our health. Consider whatever incremental changes you can make that will drive it in a positive direction.
Improving your mind, body, and spirit is key to maximizing health and wellness. When we take responsibility and slowly leverage our actions in these areas, they complement and work together to build a healthy lifestyle rather than isolating or prioritizing one over another, and we exponentially elevate all three. As individuals, we’re responsible for maximizing our potential, and that begins and ends with our mental, physical, and spiritual habits.