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For
many people the global events of recent years have triggered a new appreciation
of how precious life is, and yet how uncertain. 
More and more people are talking about wanting quality of life; and
somehow making the changes that will allow them to experience this. 

We all know the general health problems that come about due
to stress, sleep deprivation and constant strain.  Most of us have been through times where a
period of stress has affected our bodies in some way.  We may well want something so much that we’re
willing to take a chance on pushing ourselves quite hard in order to achieve
it.  

What happens though, when this becomes a way of life, a way
of being, for us? When we consistently allocate our time in a manner that
doesn’t reflect our real priorities? 
When we disregard (or medicate away) our symptoms – the only way our
bodies have of attracting our attention to the fact that something is wrong in
our lives?

 What
Do You Want?

We now know that thoughts and emotions communicate directly
with our immune, nervous and endocrine systems, and through them, with every
part of our bodies.  The mind can no
longer be thought of as being confined to the brain or the intellect – it
exists in every cell of our bodies.  And
just as the mind/body connection helps explain how our emotional and
psychological wounds become physical, it also supports our ability to heal, or
to maintain a state of health and well-being. 

Creating healthy physical, emotional, mental and spiritual
lives for ourselves requires that we actively take responsibility for shaping
our lives.   One of the most effective
ways of doing this is to become aware of what it is that you want to experience
in different aspects of your life. 

It’s easy enough to know what we don’t want, but exactly
what would your life be like when you’ve attained what it is that you do
want?  No matter whether what you want to
achieve is learning a new skill; changing careers or re-evaluating your health,
the principal is the same:  what would
that look like?  How would that feel?  How would your life be different?  What’s important to you about achieving that? 

Do
What You Love

Our bodies are designed to function best when we’re living
purposefully, and with passion; when we’re engaged in work and activities that
feel right for us.  When we live our
lives in such a way that truly satisfies us (rather our boss, our parents or
partner), we stimulate all of the chemicals and hormones within our body to
support that happy, vital state.

Get into the habit of noticing what you enjoy; what makes
you feel good.  Perhaps you need to watch
the sun rise more often, to play with your children, to plant more flowers in
your garden?  To do less of what you
“should”, and more of what you want to. 
Life is not urgent, but it may be brief. 
What do you need to do in order to live more fully right now?