It’s a Luxury
There are people who look healthy. They’ve got the tan skin and white teeth, but if you spend a bit of time with them, you maybe realize they are not as healthy as you might have presumed. Then, there are people who are authentically healthy. They rarely get sick, have solid energy throughout the day, are mentally clear and feel good most of the time.
Some of the traits of the authentically healthy folks are well-known at this point. They are physically active. They eat a balanced diet. They have supportive social structures.The fascinating book, The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner, uncovers these traits. However, in my years in the fit biz, I’ve witnessed three other, and perhaps more subtle, traits of authentically healthy people. Here they are:
1. They’re organized. One thing that gets proven right to me again and again is the link between an organized life and health. I’ve never met a truly healthy person who was disorganized. They might not be “neat freaks” or have OCD when it comes to things, but they know where the majority of their stuff is, do a solid job of organizing their timelines and schedules, and have a system in place that works for them. Their car doesn’t run out of gas. They’re not perpetually late for appointments. They don’t lose their wallet.
2. Their nervous systems are regulated. Truly healthy people are not “stress out” for long, because they are able to monitor their own anxiety levels and recover asap. How do they do it? Maybe it’s with deep breathing, exposure to nature, movement, meditation, solitude, a self-induced time out, or sleep. I’ve come to realize the stereotypical “type-a” personality that’s always go-go-go, is actually an adrenaline junkie, and not authentically healthy.
3. They do not rush.
Probably thanks to traits #1 and #2, they not in the habit of feeling “behind the eight ball” very often. Their demeanor is not frantic, and by not rushing around, I think they’re more present in the moment, they breathe better, and their actions are more intentional.
What do these three traits promote? Peace. Can peace of mind, body and spirit be quantified? I don’t know, but it definitely can be felt.
In Sanskrit there’s a saying, shanti param vilaasita hai, “Peace is the ultimate luxury.” And it may just be a defining quality of authentic health too.
Previous Post
Next Post