What is Health?

Health. It’s a tricky little concept that is overlooked while the term is overused in today’s society.  Many people associate “health” with their medical history or physical appearance. What is the first thing that pops into your head when you hear the word “health”? For me, it is the interconnection of the mind, body, and soul in a sustainable and well-kept manner. If one part of your interconnection is off, then you become out of balance.

Mind

First, let’s look at the mind. What are your thoughts throughout the day? Are you actively reading and learning daily to keep your mental capacity up to speed? What about your emotional state of mind: happy, sad, mad, or blank? Your thoughts and emotional state of mind can make or break who you are; and if you are not putting your mental health in check, how can you become a healthy individual. You may have 6-pack abs, but if you’re not truly experiencing joy or mental clarity, your abs mean absolutely nothing. I want you to focus on your thoughts and feelings and write them down!  Did you feel depressed today? Why? Write it down and understand where this feeling came from. Thinking about a trip to Mexico or Thailand? Write it down! What sparked your interest in this trip and what are your steps to make it happen? Once you become aware of your mental and emotional state of mind, your health will be on the right track.

Body

This is one of the most overused terms for “health”. Society relies on physical appearance to define the overall health of an individual. While we can’t carry around our medical history file to show people how healthy we are, how we present ourselves and our bodies can! What I mean by this is that if you are taking care of your physical body, it will be reflected in the body’s appearance. When is the last time you thanked your body for being able to move the way it does? When was the last time you looked in the mirror and told your body how amazing it is? When was the last time you fed your body nutrient dense food to keep it going? These small little things add up quickly! Look at a puppy; it needs food, nurturing, and exercise to grow into a healthy, happy dog...THE SAME THING GOES FOR YOU! When you start moving your body through physical activity, loving the skin you’re in, and feeding your body the nutrition it needs, you will be on track towards becoming a healthier you.

Soul

We have all heard someone say, “I’m am doing some soul searching to figure out who I am.” If you are here at the Spiritual Closet, it is safe to say you are doing a little soul searching yourself. What I found is that my soul is nurtured through meditation which helps connect me with my higher purpose. What makes your soul feel whole? For many people, discovering their life purpose is one of the most difficult things to do. Something in their life feels “off” and they become lost at times trying to figure out why life is not turning out as expected. The trick here is to EMBRACE those feelings and then dig deeper as to why you’re feeling them. This is where you can assess and choose how can you make the change on your life path to get to  where you want to be. Sit down, relax and meditate on what feeds your soul. During meditation you want to experience peace, balance and joy. Meditation is quite liberating in that you can step away from the chaotic energy around you to immerse yourself in pure, calm, high-vibrational energy. Integrating the soul with the mind and body allows you to experience life in a holistic way. You will begin to feel more energized, optimistic and peaceful. To sustain your holistic health, I recommend daily meditation. It’s the best prescription for balanced health.

Most of us are working on at least one part of the health puzzle, and continuing to do so will only propel us towards our better, healthier selves. There is always room for improvement, but be kind to yourself. Self-criticism is self-cruelty. Never settle for less than you deserve, and you absolutely deserve peace, joy, and balance when it comes to your overall health.