By Susanna Starr


Although we recognize the merits of feeling good, balanced, open, light, and just plain healthy on all levels, we don’t always do for ourselves what we know to be best. So, up we come with excuses (just to name a few).

Some Common Excuses

  • I don’t have time to exercise.
  • It’s too much trouble to cook for just one or two people, so fast food is okay.
  • Even though I understand the benefits of buying organic produce, it’s more expensive.
  • My job or my family obligations are just too stressful, but I feel I have no choice.
  • The responsibilities I’ve had all my life still seem to go on, even though I know I should make more time for me.
  • This extra weight is taking a toll on my body, but I’m entitled to weigh more because that’s what happens when you get older.
  • I’d like to change careers, but at my age, isn’t that risky?
  • I really don’t want to continue some of my old patterns, but isn’t it too late to change?
  • If it weren’t for ——- (person) or ——(situation), I could have, would have… Or should have such and such and I’m not going to forget it!

Wellbeing: Dictionary Meaning

Just to save you the time of looking it up, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines this term as being happy, healthy or prosperous. It relates to “welfare.” and is located not very far away from “well-adjusted” and “well-balanced.” Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Wouldn’t we like to be there as much as possible? So, why don’t we do what’s necessary to promote that place within ourselves to the best of our ability?

Other meanings

To take the dictionary meaning another step, I would add my own definitions.

Peace of Mind –

When we’re in that place where we truly experience peace of mind, we’ve got to be doing something right. We’ve probably let go of things that were causing us stress, understanding that dwelling on certain things just deplete our precious energy and keep our minds churning.

Open Heart –

Giving and receiving do not originate in the wallet but in the heart. Without the heart connection, it is simply an exercise rather than an authentic exchange. We can give on a material level and have strings attached – no, thanks! We can give of our energy and then say “I’m drained,” instead of feeling enriched. We can give advice and when it’s not taken, feel miffed.

We can receive gratefully with an open heart or we can receive grudgingly.

Physical Balance –

How do our bodies feel? Do we feel energized most of the time? Are we suffering from minor ailments much of the time, like aches and pains, stomach distress, headaches, etc.? Or do we feel that our bodies are well-balanced and even if we can’t do everything we did a decade (or two or three) ago, we still can do lots of things we once did, maybe just a little slower or a little less.

Spiritual Connectedness –

Do we continue to operate as if we’re still #1 and the center of the Universe? Or, can we see that we’re part of a whole (fm. “holy”) and understand that we’re really connected to each other, to the earth and to something perhaps greater than that which we feel is under our direct control?

Time for introspection, for meditation, is time that enriches and enhances us. It puts us in touch, through a different perspective, of all that is given to us and provides a sense of appreciation. Often, it’s an appreciation of our selves and our place in the world. <<

 

 

Susanna Starr holds a degree in philosophy from Stony Brook University in New York. She is a speaker, artist, writer, entrepreneur and author of Fifty and Beyond: New Beginnings in Health and Well-Being. www.fiftyandbeyond.com. She can be reached at Susanna@LetLifeIn.com