The Sustainability of Self

In understanding the sustainability of self, I believe that no one individual can be by himself or herself entirely self-sustainable because good health; physical, mental, and social; comes from God.

Surely, any person on this green earth can look backwards and realise that not everyone they started the journey through life with is still here. Some are but have challenges that they struggle with, which may be in form of social or financial constraints, ailments, or disabilities, and these could have come from situations like accidents or genetic predisposition, which are not their fault or in their power to control.

My ability or capacity to live a life of wellness comes from God’s grace, and I take a lot of inspiration from the story of Moses in the Bible where it is reported that at 120 years, his eyes were not dim. It is not to say that it does not require human effort through lifestyle and behavioural modification.

One key thing that has helped me is moderation. The fact that a person has the freedom and resources to do something doesn’t mean that they must. It is possible for an opportunity to be available but not expedient. Learning to exercise caution in these grey areas has helped me a lot.

I believe that there are four areas that help with suitable lifestyle decisions that invariably lead to sustaining all round wellness, health, and wealth. They are:

1. Rest – The body knows when it is overworked and often gives hints and signals. Rest can come in form of sleep or small naps. A small nap during the day can help your mind become very productive and remove frustrations that would otherwise have occurred when you try to force your brain to innovate when it is tired. Even physical tiredness or aches can be corrected by simply powering down when you feel tired.

2. Nutrition – It is important to have a good and balanced diet especially as one grows older. The body can easily adjust to many things when you’re young, but as one grows older, the body processes also slow down. The fact that you can afford to eat this and drink that doesn’t mean you should. It is important to consider the long-term effects of what you put into your body. It is also important to be aware of hereditary traits early and make adequate compensation for them.

There are two ways to look at it. You can either practice moderation now so you can enjoy your body through till old age or enjoy everything you desire now and give them up along with your health in old age. I have tried very much to limit junk food and sugars in my diet and that has served my health very well.

3. Exercise – For me, it’s not so much about building muscles as it is about promoting mobility and body functions by simply taking a walk at least four times a week, especially nowadays when work can easily become sedentary. A suitable analogy is that of a car that is parked for a long period; the engine and parts would find it hard to start or function well after some time. Also, exercising when you’re young helps muscles keep their strength when you’re old.

4. Peace of Mind – Rest, good nutrition and exercise can help with peace of mind. If you’re able to combine the three well, it’ll give good health and that’s one less thing to worry about. Another thing that helps me achieve peace of mind is forgiveness. It’s very useful to learn how to let things go no matter how hurtful. Holding on to them will not change the situation but only keep hurting you.

Ultimately, true peace comes from understanding your purpose by connecting to God who is the creator of all things. We won’t all be ministers or priests, but it is essential that everyone finds a place of devotion to God, even through our jobs, families, etc.

Life itself is not void of challenges, but a few things that help me destress and stay centred are; worship, football, and spending quality time with family. I have a lot of passion for the work of God in the form of evangelical missions. I often go back to my previous passion projects that I have started because my goal is to close out on any project I start and leave none abandoned.

Unfortunately, one major source of distraction from wellness that most people face nowadays is the idea of limitless freedom. You can’t do everything, be everything, have everything or be everywhere. The fear of missing out that social media creates brings about anxiety, comparison, jealousy, and envy, all of which are detrimental to the sustainability of self.

In conclusion, we should all try as much as possible to keep it simple – work as hard as you can, not harder than your body can take; make the right lifestyle choices, embrace peace and don’t disconnect from your maker.