Finessing Fitness

Here's the premise: the body and mind and spirit are all connected. Jog up a hill and miraculously, an upbeat mood blows in from the west. Similarly, in the dire state of blue shaded depression, the body responds, desirous of both sleep and chocolate, while the mind craves pity. There is no denying the connectedness between the triangular elements of humanness.

Just as one must exercise and diet in order to achieve the ideal body, musn't we also do the same with our minds and spirits? I often think when it comes to character improvement, we expect from ourselves immediate change. Yet, if it remains true that we must work with excruciating effort to make enhancements to our outer shell, I would strongly argue that the same must hold true for the inner workings of self. One must plan a daily "exercise" and "diet" for the mind and soul in order to see improvement in those areas.

Further pondering leads me to consider what forms of exercise and diet exist for these more abstract elements. The following are a few mere beginnings:

Exercise for the mind:
Read a good book
Dive into a deep conversation
Work: In the garden, the office, the kitchen, etc...
Music: listen, play, etc...
Pick up a random new hobby

Diet for the mind:
Restrain from the telly
Cut back on self-thoughts

Exercise for the soul:
Put others first and yourself last
Pause before speaking
Pick up the tab
Master your random new hobby

Diet for the Soul:
Refrain from self-deprecation
Erase the score
Give something away
Forgive


And just as burning calories makes one sore in the morrow, expect that this new exercise may do the same. And as you crave all of the delicacies that fattening food has to offer, so must you fight the craving for the dangerous temptations of self-destructive pursuits. Cheers, my Friends, to the ever vicious and always persisting "Battle of the Bulge." May we forge ahead with a strength that can withstand the strongest form of discouragement: failure. Finally, here's to the peace that comes from learning self-improvement requires time in the gym, rather than a magical "diet pill": you're not alone in your imperfect ability to attain betterness.