If you agree with that, or even if you do not I suppose, the question I'd like you to consider is this; If you believe that being/staying healthy is really important, do you also believe being/staying healthy is worth earning?
Oh I certainly do believe it must be earned. Healthy is not anything we are given, gifted, or get unless we earn it. Many if not most things in life are this way too; e.g. money, property, trust, love, etc... and let us be honest, we put a good deal of effort into earning and maintaining many of those things don't we? I know I do!
Hmmm, before you can answer the earlier question above perhaps it would help if you first pondered this one; Why? Why is being healthy important & worthy of being earned?
Well, I could go into a long list of reasons why and validate each point with why being healthy is needed; but let me keep this to a simple-straight-forward answer, "I WANT IT"
Come on now... think again to our examples of money, property, trust, love... why do we endeavor so in attaining these? Because we WANT them. Money, I want it so I have positioned myself to be able to earn a good living so I go after it hard... Property, e.g. toys, gadgets, stuff of all sorts are what I want around me so I go after them when the want for them strikes... Trust & Love, big time wants of mine as when these have been absent in my life I have felt miserable, utterly miserable!
Being healthy, yes; I want it. But I won't come to attain it if I do not get busy earning it. But, BUT, coming to realize that getting healthy has to be earned is not the main point I waish to make here. Rather it is this, I feel GREAT when I have something I know that I have earned.
I treasure that which I have accomplished via earning it. The things I am most proud of in life are those I have earned; e.g. when I earned my bachelors in 2007 (see pic above). That which I have earned I put the greatest continuing effort into in order to preserve and keep.
We Should Earn being/staying healthy because we WANT all the GREATNESS that comes from doing so!
That is my opinion, what is yours?
Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!
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I agree with you Patrick, but some days I want it more than others....
ReplyDeleteHealth should be earned - But as with so many things in life some are genetically advantaged and requires less dedication and desire. It all boils down each individual deciding what is important to them. All the rest is just smoke...
ReplyDeleteI agree. and it can be so so so easy to fall into the WHY IS IT HARDER FOR ME TO EARN THAN ____ at times too huh?
ReplyDeleteIve been there.
especially with a husband who thinks about workingout and sheds body fat.
Oh - thought provoking! What about what we deserve? We deserve to be healthy? Doesn't mean we don't still need to earn it. I know when I have floundered I have sometimes had people suggest I don't "want" it enough. Certainly something to think about.
ReplyDeleteLove this post Patrick & more honesty from you! ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt is so intersting that people will work hard for so many things but when it comes to their health, they want the easy way out or it is just too hard. Your health is the most important thing. Without it, you will not be enjoying everything else.
You ARE earning it Patrick & doing GREAT!
Amen! We can want to be healthy in the worst way, but until we do the work to earn it then it just isn't happening. And really doesn't that say how little we truly want it?
ReplyDeleteFor me, I want this more than anything. It is my number one focus.
Great reminder, especially this time of year when folks are feeling bound to do something about their health that it does take work and not just a middling desire.
I agree it must be earned, but it's crucial to point out that first and foremost, health is deserved. We all deserve it, and only once we fully embrace that can we do the work necessary to earn it. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteI love it Patrick. I'm working hard for my health, and hoping that my son will accept the gift I'm giving him. So far, so good.
ReplyDeleteWOW! That is great. And I am glad I found your blog today. I know I need to work harder for my health, but its always good to read something like your post. Thanks. =)
ReplyDeleteI love this post. I always thought that weight loss would happen if I was on a program, but it's about the WORK. It does take work and prioritizing and commitment just like everything else good about my life. This is great!
ReplyDeleteForgive me for poaching a link, but though this was relative parallel to answer your question at the bottom.
ReplyDeletehttp://contemplativefitness.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/the-body-as-our-paycheck/
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more Patrick....but, what with the silly-season getting in the way, i had forgotten just how much i wanted it too. Well said, sir.
ReplyDeleteWhen we earn something, especially after putting in great effort, we tend to appreciate it more, and take better care not to let it slip away.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and I love this post by the way.
ReplyDeleteYou now though, if you really think of each individual act, each individual choice....they're easy. We just don't WANT to always.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, we treasure things we earn so much more. Great post Patrick.
I'm on the agreeing train too, Patrick. Most things worth having need to be earned. As I was reading your post I was thinking about Trust and Respect and Love. Also, I earned my grades getting educated. I earned my job. I guess while earning all these things the most important thing of all - my health - took a back seat. Losing weight and being healthy seemed like a great idea, but I wasn't willing to put in the work it takes. As with earning all things, it gets easier over time. Great post.
ReplyDeleteYep! Health isn't something we can luck into, we have to work for it!
ReplyDeleteThought-provoking as always, Patrick. The best things in life are worth working for.
ReplyDelete