Dear Dad,
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but…” Can you finish the sentence?
The speaker made the general point to His ancient audience that there is more needed in life than bread—the heartiest food of that time. When it comes to sustaining health, I believe that food must be a top priority. Food is eaten consistently, easily modifiable, and quickly impacts how we feel; BUT, food alone will not do the trick. More is required.
As you continue along your food and health journey keep these mindfulness-non-food related tips in mind.
Have Purpose: Having purpose greatly impacts your overall well-being—the why behind your daily activities. What are you trying to accomplish? Who’s counting on you and for what? What projects make you lose track of time? Purpose may evolve over a lifetime and life-cycles. It might be focused on a passionate career for a season, rearing kids, grandkids, or any other various hobbies. Regardless, having a clear purpose buffers daily anxieties and trades stress in the details for contentment in the big picture. If you want to attach more meaning to your health goals, write a personal mission statement applicable to the next month, 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years.
Practice Solitude: You would never believe what you believe, until you spend time alone with your thoughts. Think of solitude as the complete absence of input from other people. We have lost the discipline of earnestly sifting through our own thoughts and it’s creating a confused population that lacks nuanced discourse. For the first time ever we can completely opt out of solitude. Remember way back in the year 2000, when you had to wait at a long grocery store checkout line and the only thing you could do was stand there and let your mind wonder? Not anymore. Today, how quickly are you urged to pull out your phone and scroll when waiting for anything? As soon as you get in the car the only question in your mind is what podcast to listen to, radio station to sing along with, or phone call can you make? We’re constantly told what to think, how to feel, and what we need; yet rarely take the time to think of these answers ourselves. Take ten minutes and sit with nothing but your own thoughts. If this idea scares you, try for twenty minutes because you might need it more than you think.
Find Fellowship: In some ways this seems like the opposite of solitude, but it’s really not. While, solitude creates a deeper understanding of oneself, fellowship cultivates deeper relationships with others. Studies suggest1 that we are lonelier now as a society then before, even with unlimited opportunities for connection. However, it’s also clear that vital connection happens in-person and not through a screen. We need human contact through loving families, true friendships, and wise mentors. For this point, I’m largely writing to myself, as you and Mom have led by example and charted an admirable course in this arena, keeping our family close and maintaining a consistent group of deep friendships. Share a meal with friends and go deep, maybe start with last weeks question: How’s your heart?
Healthy eating will take you far in the journey to become a healthier version of yourself, but as a wise man once said, we can’t rely on bread alone…
“Change is inevitable, but growth is optional.”2
With Love,
JSR