We hear it all the time nowadays, the word “lifestyle”. Lifestyle brands, lifestyle books, this person or that person’s lifestyle. Lifestyle is a very popular term, but what is it? Is it the car you drive? The places where you are seen? A custom suit or flashy pocketbook? Well, these may be the framework around the picture, but they are not your true lifestyle. Lifestyle is a lot more about what you do and how you do it, not just about what you have. It is about making a conscious effort to make the right choices and being mindful about how we interact with both ourselves and the world at large. When we take the time to consider how our lifestyle affects us and the people around us, we can begin to shape our lifestyle to be proud of who we are, not just what we have.
What lifestyles is, in reality, is your daily choices. It is the way you think, the values that you hold dear, and the habits that you create. It is the very essence of who you are as a human being. Lifestyle is also about the food you eat, the way you move your body, the meaningful connections and relationships you have with others, including the quality of sleep and relaxation you provide yourself. These are the most important things that all add up to your true lifestyle. These are the foundational elements that will define your existence as you move through the years and ultimately the decades.
When you put this all together you begin to see the whole picture. You see that lifestyle is about how you treat your body. What you put into it nutritionally, how you move it through the exercise you do and how you take care of it with holistic and natural methods. And, while it starts with how you treat yourself and your body, lifestyle is also very much about how you treat others as well. It is about creating and maintaining healthy and positive relationships. It is also about being a part of a community and impacting that community in a constructive way.
So, how do we create a healthy and positive lifestyle for ourselves? We can start by considering on what basis we make our choices in life. Are the choices based on mindless habit or a simple matter of convenience? Do you make your life choices based on what you consider to be the social norm? Or, do you evaluate the quality of what you consume and the environment where you spend the majority of your time? Do you actively make a commitment to living consciously?
These are just some of the important questions to ask yourself as you start evaluating and, ultimately, changing your lifestyle if needed. These are all obviously questions we not only want to consider but that we need to look at and find a way to answer in a way that will contribute to a better lifestyle for ourselves and the people around us. It is these choices that define our lifestyle and set us on the right path. Choose well and live your best life!