he calls it being 'appropriately selfish'

Eiko says...

Oooh, la la! It's been quite a while since I've posted anything on this blog! Lif has been keeping me quite occupied recently, and blogging is probably in the bottom 5 of my to-do list along side flossing and eating fruit, both of which are healthy and which some poeple swear by, but also is something I couldn't care less for. Yup. Blogging is definitely in the bottom 5 of my to-do list.

I've recently been trying to put a greater emphasis on exercising. I've been reading a few articles by Tom Venuto about health and fitness, and he said something quite interesting on the lines of making your health a priority in life. It's good to keep things in the right perspective and really knowing waht your priorities are. I think Tom got it right.

"There are fires burning all around you. I know. Kids are screaming, other kids need a ride to school. Spouses need attention. Bills must be paid. You're late on your tax return. Clients need service. Your boss needs you there now. There are phone calls to return. Information overload is driving you insane-there are books to read, TV shows to watch, news to keep up on. And E-mail! You're drowning it! Life is moving faster than ever before. How will we eer get it all done? Where will you find the time?

I know, I know. Almost everyone is feeling the same way too!

Here's what to do.

STOP!

In the middle of all the chaos! With fires burning all around you! Just STOP! Stop moving. Stop thinking. Take a deep breath. Take two more deep breaths. Center yourself. Now shift focus to what's most important in life.

Then tell yourself, "None of this stuff that's stressing me out matters-not one bit of it-if I'm sick, immobilized or dead. I want to look good. I want to feel good. I come first. I can only take care of my family and my business, and I can only feel good and look good if I've taken care of myself first.

Then calmly and quietly go take care of yourself. Go take a work out. Go take a stress relief break. Go calmly int o the kitchen to eat a healthy meal or prepare your meals for the entiere day, neatly pre-packaged if necessary, in anticipation of the hectic, fast paced day ahead. Go shopping and stock your kitchen with healthy foods.

Person life values are important. They are precious. They include things like your family, humanitarian endeavers and even your spiritual beliefs. So I'm not going to tell you what your values should be. That's your personal business. But I will tell you what ORDER yoru values should be in- your health goes first. Above all esle.

Is that selfish?

Yes.

But it's appropriately selfish. Being appropriately selfish is not about bucking your responsibilities. It's not about ONLY taking care of yourself. It's about putting your priorities in the right order. And it's one of the keys to great health, happiness and personal success. "

Now, I don't have any kids, and I'm not married, and I don't have any clients or important phone calls to return. I'm young and have my whole life ahead of me, and therefore, the time factor isn't really a huge issue as opposed to the "lethargic-human-nature" issue. But if I start letting my health slide now, and take my young energy for granted, and if I don't make health a priority and a habit while I'm generally free from any major pressing emergencies to attend to that life tends t toss in our path on a fairly unexpected, regular basis, it'll only be a matter of time before my un-checked lazy nature will have it's way with my life. My future will suffer, and I will suffer if I don't form the good habit of putting first things first, and health is definitely something I consider a priority in my life.

An interesting thought.