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The Weakest Link

I was thinking about being well. What are the signs of wellness?
I was thinking about where did I feel “off”? What was out of harmony with being totally well?
I remembered the saying that a chain is as weak as it’s weakest link.
What were my weakest links?

I’ve been struggling with energy lately.
I’ve been tired in the morning.
I’ve been waking up with thick saliva in my mouth.
All signs of toxicity and things being out of balance.

The first thing I know is I don’t get enough sleep.
Like most of my fellow Americans, I’m sleep deprived...

I remembered a good list of domains that need to be included in one’s life for true health to be present in the book 80-10-10, by Dr. Doug Graham.

I wanted to look at the list to see where my Weakest Links are...

• Clean, fresh air
• Pure Water
• Foods for which we are biologically designed
• Sufficient sleep
• Rest and relaxation
• Vigorous activity (exercise)
• Emotional poise and stability
• Sunshine and natural light
• Comfortable temperature
• Peace, harmony, serenity, and tranquility
• Human touch
• Thought, cogitation, and meditation
• Friendships and companionship
• Gregariousness (social relationships, community)
• Love and appreciation
• Play and recreation
• Pleasant environment
• Amusement and entertainment
• Sense of humor, mirth, and merriment
• Security of life and its means
• Inspiration, motivation, purpose and commitment
• Self-control and self-mastery
• Individual sovereignty
• Expression of reproductive instincts
• Satisfaction of the aesthetic senses
• Self-confidence
• Positive self-image and sense of self-worth
• Internal and external cleanliness
• Smiles
• Music and the other arts
• Biophilia (love of Nature)

(Doug says that the first 10 are critical. The rest are important.)

So what are my weakest three links?

1) Sleep
2) Exercise
3) Sunshine

And what is it that keeps me from these? What’s my excuse?

TIME

I have an ongoing story that I don’t have enough time.
It’s not just a story, it’s my experience!
It’s TRUE! I don’t have enough time!

Well, I know enough about how these things work to know that my certainty about not having enough time is creating a world that I’m living into where I don’t have enough time. Welcome to my hamster wheel!

What else am I putting in the way of these manifesting?

STARTING

I have it that if I can’t do it exactly the way I have it envisioned then it’s not worth doing...
It’s not worth even starting. So how can I do it in a way that works? In a way that is a beginning?

Exercise. I want to be riding my bike about 5 miles a day on a specific route that goes up a steep grade, across a fire road with some good hills, down the other side and back home. I used to ride this exact route about 10 years ago and I felt great! It was all the exercise I needed to feel strong, invigorated, heart and mind healthy!

Sunshine. Duh! No reason I can think of not to get sunshine at the same time. Can you?

Sleep. This is the big one. I get up early to meditate and get ready for work. I have my own business where I’m required a few evenings a week. I have many other things I’m committed to, or required by promises I’ve made to do. And then there’s relaxing, spending time with my wife, etc.

As I said, this is THE BIG ONE. I am certain that if I don’t get done what I think I need to get done I’ll be in trouble. I’m certain that there’s not enough time to do everything I’m committed to... eating well, exercise, work, relationships — and get enough sleep.

So, here’s another one of those worlds I’m creating. Not enough time. Not enough rest.

Do you hear the theme? It’s all about my belief that there’s NOT ENOUGH. It’s my belief in lack, or scarcity. In not being enough, not having enough, not doing enough.

So how to start? First I’m not in great shape aerobically. There’s no way I can ride my bike on that 5 mile route today. I can go outside in the a.m. and run around the park behind my house to increase endurance. Then I can move to the bike.

I know that I’m tuned to the solar light cycles. I get tired when the sun goes down. I trick myself into being up later with electric lights. If I don’t use lights much, I’ll go to bed earlier. The other thing I know is the power of short naps. But I have been thinking I don’t have time for a nap. Change that thought. I do have time for that 15-20 minute power nap. They’re even more powerful if I drink a glass of water before the nap.

So, there are my starts. My baby steps.

What are yours?