Health, Wealth, Happiness?

Got a minute? Let’s figure out the Meaning of Life. After all, this topic has been discussed since the beginning of humankind, so all comments and opinions are probably in by now. Let’s recap:

What is the Meaning of Life?

Happiness. This one may be a by-product, not the whole meaning. Happiness, after all, is not only elusive, but fleeting. Buy a new car and you’ll see what I mean. You’ll be happy for a while, but soon you will become accustomed to that fancy new dashboard and the purr of the new engine, and you won’t feel that frisson of happiness when you pull out of the driveway; it will just be another commute to work.

Service to others. Maybe. Most of the Wisdom Traditions throughout history have held up service to your fellow man as the Gold Standard of a life well lived. Do unto others and all that. Helping each other does make life a lot more pleasant and is gratifying to both the giver and receiver. Hmmmm.

Joy. This is a biggie, and a top contender for the title. Joy is something felt deep within, a response to beauty and wonder. It suffuses one with elation. It can be expressed physically through joyful movement – dance! – or as a quiet appreciation. A joyful person tends to lift those around them to a higher level of joy as well.

Gratitude. The World turns on Gratitude. When one is thankful for food, possessions, friends and family, life, then that person is at peace. To live in the state of Gratitude is to live in a place of abundance and plenty. And I hear the taxes are low!

Love. No list on Life would be complete without Love! Love pulls us together as humans. Love pulls us together as stewards of the land. Love creates community among people and it leads us to protect and care for the creatures of the world. Love is a biggie.

Lessons learned. In the mystical community, life on Earth is seen as a place of learning, a place where the Spirit goes to discover how human qualities can teach generosity and kindness; to discover the adverse effects of cruelty and lack. Maybe Life on Earth is a Spiritual High School.

We desire each of these qualities in our lives. Each, including the fleeting Happiness, contributes to a life well lived. These, and much more, create a world of meaning, and each person has the ability to participate in this creation! And now that we’ve sorted this out, you can cancel your plans to sit cross-legged at the top of a mountain.

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Be happy today. Find joy in the little things. Help someone out. Say thank you continuously. Allow your heart to swell with love. Learn your life lessons. Eat plenty of fiber and take your vitamins. All is well.

What to do, how to choose?

If I still wrote longhand on paper instead of typing on a computer, my floor would be littered with crumpled pages, tossed away in frustration. I want to write about how each person can make the best choice in diet and exercise. How to find the way, at long last, to a sense of physical wellness, where food and exercise choices come naturally and our bodies respond with joy and vitality. How to come to the place where we no longer spend most of the day strategizing about how to attend that barbeque without sabotaging our meal plan. How to be that person who exercises regularly and naturally because it makes her feel good.

Here’s where I’m getting hung up:

·     *  The best diet and exercise plan is different for each person.

·     * The diet and exercise information we grew up with should be out the window by now, but we are clinging to it anyway.

·      * I haven’t found the perfect diet and exercise plan for myself yet, so how can I counsel you?

Here’s what I’m left with:

·      * You do need to be aware of what you eat and drink, and how each makes your body feel.

·      * Don’t dismiss new diet information because it doesn’t jibe with what your mother taught you. It’s a whole new world out there and what might seem like a fad may actually be good, sound, scientific advice. (Notice I said it may be.)

·      * I do plenty of yoga and avoid processed foods and even though I am not at the weight I’d like to be, I am fit and energetic.

Here’s my advice to you:

·      * Eat good food and exercise every day.

·      * Try something new and pay attention to how you feel. Experiment with gluten-free for a while, and notice how you feel after eating dairy. Do you enjoy meat or are you forcing yourself to eat it for the protein? Pay attention to the sugars that sneak into your diet. Lose your fear of fat. In fact, replace the sugars with good fats and see how that suits you. Drop the calories in, calories out model.

·      * When people ask you what diet and exercise regimen you follow, tell them, I follow my body’s lead.

I’m not crumpling this one up, even though the advice may not be perfect. I’m no diet and exercise guru, and this is the best you’ll get from me today!

So who wants to meet me for a garden-fresh salad and some yoga?

Keep having fun!