Many of us have heard the saying “Health is Wealth.” But have you ever been guilty of putting aside the things that you know are good for your health because of not enough time and money?
In an online article entitled “Five of the Worst Ways to Save Money” on Moneyning.com, the number 1 worst way to save money is Neglecting Your Health.
Obviously, most of the time we don’t think about it as ‘neglecting our health.’ We often say… “I’ll do it when I have more time,” or “I want to take care of myself but I have bills to pay,” or ”My condition is not THAT bad, I’ll be ok.”
In a sense, all of these are true. We are often limited in terms of time and money, and it may seem that doing something to ‘feel better’ is a luxury rather than a necessity.
But the above article points out that discounting the value of our health in the long run can cost a great deal more time and money than what it takes to stay healthy through good diet and exercise. Lower working productivity, increased pain, fatigue or depression are just some of the possible long-term effects that come from ‘putting off’ doing something to feel better. And the longer these symptoms persist, the harder they may be to correct.
When someone decides to try a class at the Dahn Yoga center, they often come after some signal or event in their life. It can be as dramatic as being fired from a job, ending a relationship or losing a loved one, or as mundane as noticing a few more aches and pains in the body. Whatever the reason, the impulse to do something to feel better is an important one, and it’s worth listening to that voice in your head that says “I should really do something about this.”
If your time or your money are limited, try to find the way to balance your ‘outside’ responsibilities with your ‘inside’ ones- specifically your health and peace of mind. Treating health and happiness as responsibilities rather than luxuries is an important part of moving in a positive direction, and ultimately, maintaining your quality and length of life.
So the next time you’re faced with the decision of whether or not to spend time and money for your health, make your condition a priority. Find a way to take at least a small step forward, even while you manage the other responsibilities in your life. The choice between a small step and no step can make all the difference in the world!
