I’ve been struck of late by how busy everyone is. Just busy, busy, busy. It seems like our practice members are always on the go, always running this way or that. I have friends who are working a numbing amount of hours. People are overcommitted, overworked, overspending, and just completely overstretched. I don’t know about you, but I am over feeling like that. I have been all of the above from time to time, as I’m sure most of you have been. The thing is: living like this doesn’t make you any happier or healthier. We try as much as we can into a day, even complaining that there aren’t enough hours in the day. Why do we do this? What if the answer was to do less, stress less, own less, and then by the magic of “addition by subtraction” we may find things we are searching for by needlessly running in circles. I think their is truth in this: the most simple, elegant solution is often the best. So instead of continuing down this rabbit hole to modern zombiehood (work, eat, sleep…..repeat), why don’t we step off and create a new way.
Here are the three steps I propose: do less, own less, and trust your body more. I will attempt to do these too.
Step One: Do Less: I promise you that the world will not fall apart if you cease to do everything you are committed to. I also can promise you that you may fall apart though. We all need to learn to say “no”. If something is not a requirement, look long and hard if you want to use your time on it. Time is the ultimate commodity in this world. You can make more money or win the lotto. You can buy another car. However, when you are old you cannot get more time. Another promise: you will not find yourself dying and regret not having a bigger house or a fancier car, but you may regret not using your time differently. Cut anything that stresses you or overstretches you (that isn’t required). Delegate! Choose the tasks that make you happy. This sounds hokey and of course sometimes you have to do unpleasant things. But seriously life is too short to remain in a job you hate or to commit your precious time to activities that don’t fit. If you don’t like your situation then change it. Remember your time is so important use it to make the world better, to spend time with loved ones, or chase your passion. These you won’t regret.
Step Two: Own Less: This is simple. Don’t complicate your life by having to work more to earn more, to have more. Because the things you buy cost you more than money, they cost you time. Obviously, you have to work for the basics: food, home, etc. Don’t get locked into owning so much, though, that you have to work and earn a lot to just keep up all you own. That makes you time poor and payment poor. Solution: downsize! Having less frees you to do more. You aren’t sacrifice stuff; you’re buying time and peace….a great investment. As Brad Pitt says in “Fight Club” (my wife will be like did you seriously quote “Fight Club”? Yes, I did.), ” the things you own, end up owning you…” That’s a pretty good summary.
Step Three: Trust Your Body More: As far as health goes, we spend a lot of time worry about it and not doing much about it. Then when a crisis comes we go crazy trying everything under the sun trying for a “fix”. Listen in the name of simplicity, health is not really complicated. It’s actually pretty simple: the power that made the body heals the body. Meaning: God made your body to work. All of us have within us an Innate Intelligence that runs, governs, and maintains all of our functions (ie: you don’t tell your heart to beat, it’s done for you). This Intelligence is in your nervous system. Chiropractic is beautiful in its simplicity. We don’t treat pain, disease, or any condition. That’s medical speak. Frankly, if that worked well then we’d be a much healthier nation, because we use plenty of meds. Chiropractic is simple: remove the interference from the nervous system and let the body heals itself. How beautiful is that? Trust your body instead of stifling or controlling your body with meds and it rewards you by working. Get your nervous system right, drink water, eat real whole food (fruits, veggies, nuts, lean meat – check out the Paleo diet or Dr. Stephanie’s Eat Innately workshop), exercise, and keep a positive mindset…..easy, simple steps that will keep the body work to the best of its ability. Time to trust your Innate!
Ultimately, you get one life. My hope for you is that you live it in the manner you want. If you aren’t, it’s never too late. Create the life you want, live as healthy as possible, and be the person you were meant to be….because the world needs you!
In Health, Dr. Graham, chiropractor