By Ricky Roberts III
Often times when we think of the well-being, we only think of the fitness of our bodies. Although the body is vital to the physical existence that defines who we are, it is not the only aspect of ourselves that needs care. To experience total health, along with the body our mind and spirit must carry equal weight in the equation for well-being. As human beings, we can eat the best foods and exercise faithfully attempting to maintain good health; however, no matter how good our body looks or feels, it means very little if our mind and spirit are not given the same attention on this journey we call life. In other words, if the body is in optimal shape but the mind and spirit are sick, or neglected, then we are never truly healthy.
Our spiritual and mental “bodies” need nourishment just as our material body does.
We must not only be mindful of what we put into our physical vessel, but also what we feed our mind and spirit.
Every conversation you choose to have, movie you see, song you listen to, T.V. show you watch, and news report you read, hear or see, is what you are putting into your mind and, on many levels, your spirit. Imagine the many stories you read, or have heard about, and think of the analogy of poor health being related to bad foods.
Like a body that thrives on a diet of clean, nutrient-rich food, the mind and spirit are of greatest service to the world when they are fed “healthy” matter.
If you are continuously exposed to negativity, engaged in fearful and anxious conversations, locked in to every tragic story on the news, the mind and spirit can and likely will become sick. They are not getting the nourishment they need. Additionally, illness in the mind and spirit can make the body sick and vice versa. Think of positive conversations, uplifting movies, inspiring books, loving relationships and heartfelt music being for your mind and spirit what organic, GMO-free, wholesome and healthy food is to your body.
Visualize how your body feels when you give it fresh, healthy vegetables and fruits versus a value meal from a fast-food restaurant. (My guess is it feels great with the healthy food and not so great after eating the fast food.) Now think about how you feel after you watch a violent movie or have a conversation riddled with fear and/or negativity. What type of dreams do you have? Does your mood change at all? Do you seem less patient? Do you get mad at your spouse? Do you feel tired? Now compare that to how you feel after watching an uplifting movie—one with hope, inspiration and love woven into it. Do you feel uplifted? Positive? Do you become more creative or motivated in the days that follow? Are your conversations more loving?
This is not to suggest you will never watch a violent movie again, or have a negative conversation, but it’s time to honestly evaluate the impact these activities have on your “health” as whole. Then take that conclusion and consider it with regard to everything that you put into your mind and spirit. Furthermore, if you are passionate about feeding your children the best foods and taking care of their health, also consider nurturing their mind and spirit just the same. Are they spending hours playing violent video games? Watching negative programming? Listening to vulgar music? Surrounded by negative influences? The list can go on.
I am not suggesting we isolate ourselves from every single violent show or movie, negative conversation, etc., but we must be mindful of the impact they have on us, our life and those in it—as whole—when we choose to feed ourselves with them. We are beings made up of mind, body and spirit and, to experience the ultimate essence of this life, we must be healthy in each segment of this triad. May you feel the joy in taking care of all parts of who you are: mind, body and spirit.
Blessings – Ricky Roberts III
Ricky Roberts III is the creator of YOU ARE VALUED, an organization devoted to creating positive change by embracing the value of every man, women, boy and girl through community outreach, involvement, discussion and inspiration. Ricky inspires through his books, articles, speaking engagements, workshops, youth outreach, volunteer work, and his interaction with others in his daily living. He is dedicated to reaching people in a positive way wherever he may be. Visit www.youarevalued.org and www.rickyrobertsiii.com