Mad Energy
Words By Jasson Salisbury
Nobody needs a calendar to create change in their life, but if it helps you to muster that inner strength… roll with it! If you missed the start of your resolutions with the Western calendar, fear not, there are many other calendars from around the World that signify the beginning of a new year at different times in their own unique way. Find one that works for you and get on the program.
When we are indifferent to our own health, disharmony and discontent creeps into our lives. You may feel the desire to get back into shape and form a brilliant plan of attack but somehow never quite implement any real life action. This is the internal battle between the ‘true’ you and your conditioned mind. If we constantly pick fights within ourselves which we are not prepared to win, it can gradually affect our entire being, because losing sucks… period. To throw in the towel on fight night is to surrender self-respect and the respect we evoke from others.
The desire to improve our health is a need to change, upgrade or evolve so that we may enjoy greater experiences in life. The self-saboteur of this desire is laziness, ignorance or fear, and when they interfere with our endeavours to evolve, everything can turn bad rather quickly.
A great way to tune into ourselves is to ask, ‘how does this make me feel?’ Conduct experiments with your health and solve the problems. ‘What happens if I don’t drink coffee for a month? How do I feel? Do I have more energy or less? How is my gut feeling?’ Once you’ve reached the goal set for yourself, the answers should become clear. If not, reassess the results, and try adjusting the experiment in some way, perhaps the amount of time lapsed, or frequency?
This process will give you a true understanding of why you choose to eat or drink the things you do. You’ve conducted the research and experienced the results first hand. This is far more powerful than blindly agreeing with someone else’s opinion. We each have individual constitutions that require specific conditions to be in a state of balance and harmony for us to function at optimal levels. Only you can solve the problem. Experimenting is key.
Imagine if food was not the pretty façade of skin and seeds. If food were visible as a form of energy, you wouldn’t sit down and order the ‘fuck-all energy with a side of gut pain’ from the menu, would you? You’d more likely order the premium option for yourself every time. It’s amazing how much better life is when you’re full of real, sustaining energy.
Food are the tools of a better reality we can create for ourselves. The process of learning the trade of health is a lifelong study, so don’t overwhelm yourself with the big tools when you’re not ready to swing a hammer just yet. One little dietary change after another is the best way to go. Extreme diets are not sustainable and more often than not create a strain in our lives which result in a return to old ways. But when we makes these careful changes in moderation, food is our medicine.
Take your will to the gym and make the decisions that develop your health as feelings of happiness. Tell the voice that says “ahh fuck it, I’m getting a Big Mac” to go suck a lemon. To get in the ring with these out-dated and unsustainable habits and come out on top is the best feeling ever. Some circumstances require more work and possibly outside help, but most things that bind us and prevent growth can be taken on solo. The more battles you win, the stronger your will becomes. The feelings of satisfaction and joy that come with these victories will give you that extra fuel you need to keep punching on.
*Checkout Salsa’s meditation and nutrition workshops at The SW Camp – The Farm! September 29 – October 2nd
