Mastering Your Rhythm
By LeAnna J. Carey | Dec 03, 2010
Galen wrote 'the physician is only nature’s assistant'; I'm confident that your personal experience or last colonoscopy tells you something differently about the immeasurable value of physicians. But, let's consider the point he or she was actually trying to make. I suspect that Galen was driving home two points: one, consider the influence of nature on your daily health and two, the concept of mastery - that each of us can master most aspects of our own health and wellness. Sounds simple enough, right? Not so easy to execute.
Are you energized with what you have yet to master, or are you content to stay where you are? Consider Daniel Pink's comments in his book, Drive, when he states that researchers have found that the best predictor of success was 'grit' defined as "perseverance and passion for long-term goals." Pink goes on to say that "mastery hurts" and that if the path were lined with daisies more of us would make the trip.
Point taken, so where to begin? Mastering your health begins with understanding and getting in sync with your bodyclock - your daily rhythm, the basics of living in time with your nature. Learn when you need the biggest dose of sun, how to sleep better, and what you need to do to achieve the vitality and performance for optimal wellness...then make it a habit! Remember, habits are your friend or your heaviest burden - if you are committed to mastering your health, you'll need some expertise along the way and we are here for the long haul!
To paraphrase Socrates, “The truly free individual is free only to the extent of his own self-mastery. While those who will not govern themselves are condemned to find masters to govern over them." That's a downer!
Angela L. Duckworth, Christopher Peterson, Michael D. Matthews, and Dennis R. Kelly, "Grit: Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term Goals, 'Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 92 (January 2007): 1087
Daniel Pink, Drive (New York:Penguin, 2009)