HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR 1 “WORLD-CLASS CAR”
HOW TO CARE FOR YOU 1 “WORLD-CLASS CAR”
So, imagine that when you turned 16 years old, you were given your dream car. However, it came with one major rule: You only get one of them and it needs to last your whole lifetime.
How would you treat that car?
You would likely put a lot of time and energy into making sure that it stayed functional for as long as possible. Maybe you would go in for monthly or yearly car checks, you’d get it fixed up at the shop right when the check engine light came on, you’d treat it with respect and not drive it like crazy, you’d use the highest quality oil to make sure it runs smoothly.
The above statement seems reasonable and well-understood by modern society. So why in the world do we treat our bodies with less respect and appreciation than material objects?
You have been given the finest piece of “machinery” ever created and yet so often, we choose to abuse it, let aches and pains develop into injuries, ignore how we fuel and take care of it, and completely take it for granted.
You will only get one body and one mind.
Every day we must consciously be thinking about how we are treating ourselves. Being healthy is not a selfish task, it is a necessary one if our goal is to better serve and care for others while expressing our highest potential.
7 KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF FOR A REALITY CHECK ON HOW YOU ARE TREATING YOUR 1 BODY
1. Is this food I am about to eat serving me or taking away from me?
2. Is my current activity level supporting my future goals of being able to play with my kids or care for my aging parents, or is it taking away my capacity for this?
3. Is my stress level conducive to longevity and presence in life, or is it damaging relationships and worsening my health?
4. Am I harming my current and future body by letting my aches and pains go untreated, or would it be wiser for me to seek professional help and get them addressed head-on?
5. Are my relationships meaningful, life-giving, and supportive of my goals, or are they draining and toxic, taking away from my potential?
6. Is this sedentary/nonactive lifestyle causing me to have frequent aches and pains, be more at risk for disease, and have a shorter lifespan?
7. Is my sleep schedule promoting increased energy levels throughout the day and leading to a healthier life, or is it sapping energy from me; leading to increased disease/injury risk, and decreased ability to express my best self?
CONCLUSION:
You do not have to be perfect in all these categories, and none of us ever will be.
However, we must get real with ourselves and call out these red flags.
Remember, we only get one body. Let’s treat it with the respect and appreciation it deserves so we can have a long healthy life that allows us to serve, adventure, and enjoy the time we have with those we love.
