Can I have 5 Minutes of Your Mind?

Episode 4: Being The Best You Naturally Influences Others
By: Yenifer De Lara

We owe our best possible health to our loved ones. Our precious family members, friends, and kids deserve a physically fit “role model” with a vibrant mind and soul. We cannot positively affect others without positively affecting ourselves first. We cannot move others without moving ourselves first. We cannot tell others to take a step we haven’t taken ourselves. By being of service to yourself, you are also naturally of service to others.

We may think that the habit of smoking only affects the smoker, but that is not true at all. It may start with one cigar that one time, it may spiral into 2-3 cigars per day, it may turn into 2 packs of cigars in one week… The slope keeps getting steeper and steeper. The smoker cannot quit. The smoker doesn’t feel “normal” without cigars. The smoker is compounding daily damage onto themselves. The health markers worsen over the months, years, and especially decades. The smoker is weakening their immune system, along with just about every other bodily system. The smoker is shortening their lifetime. With this habit alone, the smoker is indirectly screaming “I don’t care about me or you.” Smoking is quite a drastic example, however, there are many other little habits that are robbing you of greater health, and robbing you of being an example of health.

If the parents of a child are both highly active people, that will more than likely also translate into the child’s current and future physical activity habits. If the parents of a child are consistently choosing healthy food and exercise, so will the child. You don’t have to be a parent for your nephews/nieces to be interested in how you maintain your amazing biceps and legs. You have the power to start a conversation about general health, eating and exercise habits with a young cousin. If you don’t ever drink soda at parties, I guarantee someone will notice and ask you about it. Here, you would have a chance to briefly explain the benefits of avoiding excess sugar. You unknowingly (might) make them more aware of their sugar consumption. You don’t know how much good can be spread just by being a very consistent gym goer and eating right 90% of the time. Even seeing a jacked stranger at Walmart tells you it is possible to look something like them, or encourages you to keep up your healthy habits. YOU could be the jacked stranger someone sees at a Walmart!

Your body is a temple. Most of the time, if the body is clean, so is the mind. By eating nutritiously, you keep the mind properly nourished too, helping it function better. Therefore, healthy eating gives you mental clarity, and more organized ways of thinking. Physical activity (and eating good food) enhances memory-recall, problem-solving, decision-making, boosts focus, attention, and creativity. Loved ones can appreciate you for your mindfulness, the well thought out things you say, and the way you came up with a creative solution to their problem. When you prioritize your health, it shows. Taking control of your health is not only for you. If you show your child an orange is as sweet as candy, your child will show their child too. Nothing can be enjoyed without abundant health, for it is all we have.