The Four Components

I have always believed that being healthy as a person, overall, requires the harmony and balance of four essential aspects of oneself. These concepts are nothing new, and in fact I have learned about them through many of the self discovery types of workshops I have attended, but I believe they are fundamental aspects of a human being, and if they are not in balance, it can compromise a persons overall well being, which is the core of fitness. These concepts include Mental, Physical, Spiritual and Emotional. I discuss the concept of the spirit often, but also would like to reiterate that this can be whatever this means to the individual, whether some physical place of worship and an organized religion, or a more organic setting without dogma or restrictions. I favor the latter myself, but it is nonetheless a critical aspect of our makeup as human beings, to be in touch with something outside of us, that makes us connected with the greater good and other beings around us.

Recently, I made a list of each element of the Four Components and how each one was or was not in balance in my own life. I simply wrote down all the things in my life that I participate in, such as my work outs, dance classes, social activities, etc and fit them into one of the four categories. I then evaluated what was important and what may not be something to focus on, at least for now. This visual diagram, so to speak, is like a spring cleaning for your mind, body and spirit. It is a good exercise to do if you are feeling that something is missing or out of sync and your body feels compromised in any way. For example, if you feel like you spend too much time working, that could be overload of the mental aspect and perhaps it is good to take some time off and engage in a physical activity that is fun a helps distract you for a while. Or relax and meditate, go to your place of worship or whatever makes you fully present in your life so that you can be refreshed and continue at your job more focused. And it can certainly work the other way as well. I am in the process of seeking new employment, but when I take visual stock of my current choices, I am noticing that perhaps I have too many personal and social obligations and need to become more serious about my career direction. By taking an inventory of all the different things I am doing, I can see what I want to continue and what I can eliminate to take my life in the direction I really want to go.

My original intent was for this to be a blog about all components of health and fitness. Today's posting is about addressing the fact that there are several elements. The beauty of doing the exercise is that none of the compnenets are set in stone. A good work out contains a variety of exercises, at a variety of intenisty levels and a variety of frequency (times you actually do the activity). Similarly a good nutrition program addresses many components of proper diet. All of these are dynamic. My hope is to convey that it is essential to translate this variety, this balance to all aspects of life. When that is all working, an individual is healthy.