The Internet and television can be really great tools, or incredibly dangerous. They can be very informative. Indeed, the ability of people to fight back against mainstream "wisdom," to begin to have their voices heard again... It rests on the Internet. It keeps me in contact with people that live far away, and brings me new friends that I would not have met. It's beautiful.
But it also can be a gigantic tool of avoidance. Avoidance of life. Of living. Of doing the things you want to do, of being appreciative of every moment, of ensuring that each day, you sleep at night with no regrets. As my personal trainer said, actually, "One day you're going to go to wake up, and your body won't listen. So you might as well have as much fun as you can now!"
Finding the balance between the two can be difficult. They say that more Americans would give up sex for two weeks than the Internet. I wonder if we should all take some time to be unplugged. Or at the least, be more aware of the ways in which we use the Internet -- am I learning something? Am I talking to someone? Is there a purpose behind my actions? Or am I passing time, in boredom, in fear, in denial? Even if we are going on the Internet to distract ourselves, we should be aware that we are doing so.
I've written about these things when it comes to television, but when you think about it -- it could be anything. Prior to the internet, it was TV. And I'm sure there are other time-wasters that we do every day. I don't have a problem with these things. As long as we go to bed at night and don't feel as if we've wasted our time. I am on a mission to be grateful, excited, and appreciative of every day. Being aware of how I use my time is just one part of that.
20.2.09
Gratitude
Today I realized that I have something immensely amazing to be thankful for: my health. For much of my life, I've been sick with one thing after another, ranging from colds to pneumonia to mononucleosis... Then just a general malaise that I could not seem to shake or lift.
But for the past year, I have been healthy! I have not taken one sick day that was for the actual purpose of being sick. I've had 2 colds that were a doozy, but they did not knock me out of commission, and they were virtually gone in 3-4 days, rather than 2-3 weeks. Taking the time to take care of me, spiritually, mentally, and physically, has certainly paid off, and I'm sure it will continue to.
The things I've done that I credit for this sudden change:
1) Eating a minimum of five servings fruits & veggies per day. Often higher. A lot of it is raw, but not all of it. I still eat canned/frozen fruits & veggies. I make lots of fresh juices.
2) Losing 10% of my body weight. That 20lbs. has made a huge difference. I can't wait to see what the next 20lb. loss will bring.
3) Peace and relaxation. I've spent a lot of time in the past year increasing my time for me. This time has been spent reading, journaling, meditating, laughing, hanging out in parks. It's time that is not spend doing work, not spent sitting in front of the TV, not spent wasting time on the internet.
4) Movement. Get up and move! Last year it was running and yoga, now it's been the gym & strength training. Some Wii Fit. Whatever it is, get it in. My body aches to move now, and I miss it desperately enough to keep lazy streaks to a minimum!
So yeah, that's my four keys to health and happiness. I'm sure I'll add more eventually, but those things have really made a world of difference in my life this past year, and if you're thinking about just making one change -- one of those could make the world of difference to you too.
But for the past year, I have been healthy! I have not taken one sick day that was for the actual purpose of being sick. I've had 2 colds that were a doozy, but they did not knock me out of commission, and they were virtually gone in 3-4 days, rather than 2-3 weeks. Taking the time to take care of me, spiritually, mentally, and physically, has certainly paid off, and I'm sure it will continue to.
The things I've done that I credit for this sudden change:
1) Eating a minimum of five servings fruits & veggies per day. Often higher. A lot of it is raw, but not all of it. I still eat canned/frozen fruits & veggies. I make lots of fresh juices.
2) Losing 10% of my body weight. That 20lbs. has made a huge difference. I can't wait to see what the next 20lb. loss will bring.
3) Peace and relaxation. I've spent a lot of time in the past year increasing my time for me. This time has been spent reading, journaling, meditating, laughing, hanging out in parks. It's time that is not spend doing work, not spent sitting in front of the TV, not spent wasting time on the internet.
4) Movement. Get up and move! Last year it was running and yoga, now it's been the gym & strength training. Some Wii Fit. Whatever it is, get it in. My body aches to move now, and I miss it desperately enough to keep lazy streaks to a minimum!
So yeah, that's my four keys to health and happiness. I'm sure I'll add more eventually, but those things have really made a world of difference in my life this past year, and if you're thinking about just making one change -- one of those could make the world of difference to you too.
11.2.09
appreciating your body as a complete miracle
It's been a while since I've posted, and I have far too many things to say. One of the things that I've been contemplating is how much we take our bodies for granted. We feed them crap, we lay on our asses, and we never take time to appreciate the miracle that is our body. The miracle that we carry around with us every day.
I mean, stop, think about it. No one has been able to duplicate it. There is no computer that works like the human brain, with memories and desires, on top of logic and creativity. There is no robot that can completely regulate itself -- I need fuel, I will eat breakfast.
Our muscles are amazing. I've been working with the personal trainer to really work on my strength and balancing my muscles. It's truly phenomenal -- the way our muscles can move, the way our brain can direct them, the way our bodies let us push them further and further... They get stronger with exertion, rather than weaker. And that's only one system of all the systems in the body.
So I think when we wake up, when we take our first deep breath, we should stop and think. I'm alive. My lungs are breathing, my heart is pumping, my brain is dreaming. I am alive. I am a miracle in and of my own self. This also means treating our bodies like the miracles that they are -- worshiping them with good foods, active lives, and total appreciation. None of this "I'm not this," "I'm not that." You are a miracle! I am a miracle. We should be grateful.
I mean, stop, think about it. No one has been able to duplicate it. There is no computer that works like the human brain, with memories and desires, on top of logic and creativity. There is no robot that can completely regulate itself -- I need fuel, I will eat breakfast.
Our muscles are amazing. I've been working with the personal trainer to really work on my strength and balancing my muscles. It's truly phenomenal -- the way our muscles can move, the way our brain can direct them, the way our bodies let us push them further and further... They get stronger with exertion, rather than weaker. And that's only one system of all the systems in the body.
So I think when we wake up, when we take our first deep breath, we should stop and think. I'm alive. My lungs are breathing, my heart is pumping, my brain is dreaming. I am alive. I am a miracle in and of my own self. This also means treating our bodies like the miracles that they are -- worshiping them with good foods, active lives, and total appreciation. None of this "I'm not this," "I'm not that." You are a miracle! I am a miracle. We should be grateful.
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