Damn Scale!
Physical self-care can be very challenging. Most folks know that they should eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep. We know that if we drink to excess, smoke, or use drugs we will experience negative physical consequences. We all know of people who have suffered and died because they did not take care of their body. We know all of this. And yet, we remain overweight, out of shape, and sleep deprived.
We can be very creative with reasons to justify our inactions when we do not want to do something. This is particularly true when it comes to ignoring our need for self-care of our body. Among the many roadblocks, three have become very common.
“I am not my body!” Since the renaissance, Western Folks have become increasingly attached to our minds. We place a great deal of importance on reasoning and thought. Many of us have come to believe that we are not only a body, but a spirit. In the last 500 years, many religions have taught that the spirit is the true self that will survive the death of the body. This idea reinforces a belief that the body is just a temporary vessel that will be cast aside at death. Therefore, we have no real responsibility for taking care of it since it will wear out one day anyway. Unfortunately, many of us come to our senses far too late. This body must serve us well until we cast it aside. By the time many learn to eat well, exercise, and rest they have already done too much damage.
“It won’t make any difference!” The second roadblock to self-care of the body is related to the first. Even when we come to understand the importance of our body to our happiness, we may have done too much harm. We convince ourselves that exercise, proper diet, and avoiding tobacco etc. will not do any good. Also, folks who have genetic predispositions for high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, or stroke may believe that they cannot fight heredity. “It won’t make any difference!”
“It won’t happen to me!” A third roadblock denies that we will suffer the physical consequences of our actions. We want to believe that we are different, we are immortal. When we were young, many of us took chances with our health because death was too far away to be meaningful. We could live like we wanted for 50 years and then start worrying about dying. As long as we feel strong enough to do what we want, we feel immune to the consequences of our poor choices. This idea, like the previous two, can become deeply engrained in our beliefs. So that, even at 50, we continue to feel immortal until our health begins to suffer.
Each of these roadblocks can be overcome. By simply acknowledging them, we can begin to see the mythology they carry. We can begin to appreciate the importance of the body to our daily living. We can begin to accept the need for paying attention to our body’s need for proper nutrition, exercise, and rest.
We can be very creative with reasons to justify our inactions when we do not want to do something. This is particularly true when it comes to ignoring our need for self-care of our body. Among the many roadblocks, three have become very common.
“I am not my body!” Since the renaissance, Western Folks have become increasingly attached to our minds. We place a great deal of importance on reasoning and thought. Many of us have come to believe that we are not only a body, but a spirit. In the last 500 years, many religions have taught that the spirit is the true self that will survive the death of the body. This idea reinforces a belief that the body is just a temporary vessel that will be cast aside at death. Therefore, we have no real responsibility for taking care of it since it will wear out one day anyway. Unfortunately, many of us come to our senses far too late. This body must serve us well until we cast it aside. By the time many learn to eat well, exercise, and rest they have already done too much damage.
“It won’t make any difference!” The second roadblock to self-care of the body is related to the first. Even when we come to understand the importance of our body to our happiness, we may have done too much harm. We convince ourselves that exercise, proper diet, and avoiding tobacco etc. will not do any good. Also, folks who have genetic predispositions for high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, or stroke may believe that they cannot fight heredity. “It won’t make any difference!”
“It won’t happen to me!” A third roadblock denies that we will suffer the physical consequences of our actions. We want to believe that we are different, we are immortal. When we were young, many of us took chances with our health because death was too far away to be meaningful. We could live like we wanted for 50 years and then start worrying about dying. As long as we feel strong enough to do what we want, we feel immune to the consequences of our poor choices. This idea, like the previous two, can become deeply engrained in our beliefs. So that, even at 50, we continue to feel immortal until our health begins to suffer.
Each of these roadblocks can be overcome. By simply acknowledging them, we can begin to see the mythology they carry. We can begin to appreciate the importance of the body to our daily living. We can begin to accept the need for paying attention to our body’s need for proper nutrition, exercise, and rest.
Tip
I invite you to copy these words onto a small card and place them on your bathroom mirror. Each morning, after your shower, I encourage you to look at yourself in the mirror as you say these words to yourself.
A Morning Mantra for Body Self-Care
“I am a body designed to carry me through many years of life. If I take care of it, I will live a full and meaningful life.”
“I can always make a difference. Even though I may experience physical challenges, I can improve my health by eating well, getting enough exercise, and adequate rest.”
“I am not immune from life. I cannot disregard the risks without suffering the consequences.”
A Morning Mantra for Body Self-Care
“I am a body designed to carry me through many years of life. If I take care of it, I will live a full and meaningful life.”
“I can always make a difference. Even though I may experience physical challenges, I can improve my health by eating well, getting enough exercise, and adequate rest.”
“I am not immune from life. I cannot disregard the risks without suffering the consequences.”
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