I used to think I pretty much treated my body like a temple, until I (intentionally) strove to treat my body more like a temple.
I soon realized I had been pretty much treating my body like a tent.
I would justify eating like crap.
I would justify eating like crap late.
I would shrug off going to bed on a stomach full of crap.
I would leave clothes strewn across the house and dishes unrinsed.
I would drink a lot of delicious Dr Peppers. (Dr Peppers do have water in them, after all).
I would watch and listen to things that made me dumber and duller.
I would surround myself with people who didn’t do anything for my personal growth.
I would put off learning new things until I had more time to do them.
I would dismiss constructive feedback and blow off different opinions that were counter to mine.
I would make excuses for this, that or whatever.
Reading books was a laughable suggestion.
I would accept credit and distribute blame.
I wasn’t able to laugh or see the good in unfortunate happenings.
I would resort to prayer as a last resort.
And so on and so on.
The irony of the whole thing is I still felt pretty good physically and felt that I was still making meaningful strides towards self-improvement.
Well, since, I have come to realize my “body” isn’t just a big bag that lugs my bones around. My body also consists of many other things.
How I treat my body is, yes, how I exercise it and put it through strenuous tests often. But how I treat my body also reflects in what I ingest through my mouth, through my eyes and through my ears. Additionally, a level of orderly discipline needs to show up in my life, as that too plays a big part in how I treat my body.
I now strive not to eat crap. I also strive not to watch crap and I strive not to listen to crap. I now routinely make up my bed, journal, read, learn new skills…
I’ve learned its sure harder than I originally thought to avoid ingesting a bunch of crap, especially since all kinds of crap including lazy alternatives, are so readily available. I’ve learned that because so much crappy crap-crap is so prevalent and easy, that alone is a strong enough motivator for me to run from the wide, easy paths and stay on the (harder, but fulfilling) narrow paths.
I realized how undisciplined and how much under the radar of potential-reaching I was cruising. I’ve learned complacency is a slow death and that credibility in other different arenas is worth the pursuit.
So, if you take anything away from this blog, take a daily inventory of what you consume through your mouth, your eyes and your ears and make a note of how much of a love affair you have with them. If you have a “love affair” towards easy, low-hanging fruit, I’d argue you are flying under the radar of your potential and probably living more complacently than you know (or want to admit). And the word “discipline” may very well be a four-letter word in your life.
I’m happy to report I now actually do feel great after adding and adopting different tweaks towards a better overall lifestyle.
If you need further encouragement and even better presentations of the perspectives above, check out Matthew 6:22; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 9:27.
Need a jump start towards a disciplined, orderly way of life? Join The Arena Disciplina NOW!
