Awareness: A Gift and a Curse By Stephanie Walsh, MNT, CEPC, CPT The ultimate value of life
depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation
rather than upon mere survival. – Aristotle
A
re You Awake? It is morning; the alarm goes off, you roll out of bed and shuffle along to start your day.
But are you really awake? If you are like most of us, you resume autopilot mode as soon as your feet hit the floor. Following your routine; for meals, exercise, work, sleep and even how you deal with stress; is easy because you don’t have to think about it. But is this mechanical, conveyor belt survival mode really a good thing?
treatment of mild depression and anxiety may lead to more severe mental disorders as well as all the health conditions that arise from a prolonged stress state. Eating mindlessly decreases nutrient absorption and increases inflammation in the body, both of which lead to compromised health in many ways. It’s time to wake up!
Awareness removes those blind-
If you practice anger, you perfect being angry all the time. If you
Living life on autopilot is like living with blinders on. You only see what is right in front of you, your ingrained hab- its, without any awareness of your surroundings. This mindless way of life invites unhealthy habits mentally, physically and nutrition- ally, setting a course toward compromised health. A sedentary, minimal movement life increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Avoiding
practice worry, you perfect being a habitual worrier. But if you practice optimism, you perfect being a happier person. Your brain learns from your experiences and emotions.
ers and gives you the gift of sight. You are able to open your eyes, check your surroundings and actually choose which path to take. Ironically, awareness can also be a curse, and an overwhelming one at that. Vision does not mean insight. Many times this new sense of your envi- ronment can also bring confusion, fear, anxiety and hopelessness. You finally see which habits are sabotaging your efforts, but you have no idea why you do them or how to change.
Awakening Your Brain Thankfully, you can change your habits for good. The human
brain is very pliable and will rewire itself when you change your feelings, thoughts and experiences. Whether positive or negative, you perfect what you practice. If you practice anger, you perfect
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