Reaching for well-being, we add habits into our routine: more sleep, more nutritious diet, exercise and so on. Then we expect results.
The dominant culture pretends to be driven by reason and logic. If this, then that. Living organisms frustratingly and gloriously defy reason and logic. Our bodies do not respond in ways we might expect.
Though we may be tempted, it doesn’t serve us to throw our good habits aside.
Instead, we need to strike a delicate balance. We need to let good habits be their own reward and let go of expecting any results. At the same time, we need to open space for wonderful surprises.
Plant good seeds and let life do what it does. Even when our bodies fail us, our good habits will have contributed to our well-being. (That physical failure is when, not if – none of us will make it out of here alive.)
Step by step, we journey
avoiding rocks
noticing flowers
wearing good shoes.
(Photo credit: Max Pixel)
Sorry to turn political, but it makes me think of those congressmen in the health care debate saying that it’s our own fault for being ill and we should pay for it because if we had just taken better care of ourselves, we would be perfectly healthy. Ugh! A very blaming approach indeed, and so WRONG!!!
Jan, I think you know that immediately following my diagnosis I tried to do everything right, imagining that it would keep me well. It didn’t work and that made me aware of the delicacy of the balance and also increased my compassion for others with health challenges. Human beings sometimes get sick and part of being civilized is to care for those who do.