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Your Most Valuable Natural Resource

There are very few natural resources on the planet that are considered inexhaustible. Our need to be mindful and respectful of the long-term implications of how we treat the Earth is undeniable, and thankfully, there are signs that we're finally (or rather, once again) becoming more conscious of it. The bottom line is that if we want to keep living here, we've got to manage the Earth's natural resources in a way that does not exceed Mother Nature's capacity to replenish them.

The same can be said of you.

It's vitally important to your well-being that you construct your life in such a way that you don't exceed your capacity to replenish yourself. Life strives to live, even under the harshest of circumstances, and this includes your body, mind, heart and spirit.  As such, you will find a way to keep going - for a period of time - even if you constantly fill yourself with unhealthy foods and substances, keep company with draining or superficial people, ignore your true needs and desires, or keep working day after day at a soul-sucking job. But living this way is like letting the needle on your car's gas tank dip dangerously low: you'll survive, but you won't thrive…and eventually you'll run out of fuel. Or worse.

The warning signs

Most cars have a warning light to alert us when it's time to refuel, but when we don't pay heed to the 'warning lights' that show up in our life - things like an unshakeable lack of energy, an inner sense of dissatisfaction, or the strain in certain relationships - we'll either cruise along in a half-hearted life indefinitely, or be jolted out of our complacency with some kind of major wake-up call: an illness, a breakup, or a major emotional meltdown. As with natural resources, if we wait for the time when physically, emotionally, spiritually or otherwise we're completely out of 'gas', the return to wellness can be like a long and arduous walk to the nearest gas station (…in middle of the night…in the dead of winter…on a deserted country road…you get the picture).

There's a better way.

Taking preventative action in favour of your well-being is a much more effective and far less painful way of taking care of your most valuable natural resource: you. Eating nutrient-rich food, moving your body to keep it healthy and strong, and getting adequate rest and relaxation are all ways to fuel your physical, mental and emotional self. Nurturing important relationships and nurturing yourself are key ingredients for creating fulfilling connections in your life. Connecting with your inner essence and the greater spirit that guides and sustains you, and spending your time doing things that light you up and contribute to the world are surefire ways of keeping your spirit ignited.

The start of a new year is a popular time to assess where you stand and make plans to ensure you're living a life that not only meets your current needs and desires, but that supports the long-term future you want as well. (Birthdays are another popular time for this kind of self-assessment.) You can create your own categories so that your personal priorities are covered, but here are the categories that I currently use to evaluate how I'm doing, and to help me set goals for what I want to achieve next:

1. Health & Wellness: of my body, mind, emotions, spirit and environment 2. Relationships: with family, friends, colleagues and community 3. Lifestyle & Learning: what I do for fun, fulfillment and personal growth 4. Vocation: according to the Oxford Dictionary, vocation is 'a person’s employment or main occupation, especially regarded as worthy and requiring dedication' 5. Service: what I do or give, via time and/or money, in contribution to the world around me locally, nationally, and globally 6. Financial: income, savings, spending and giving

There is often overlap from one category to another, though that isn't always necessarily the case. For instance, the things you do for health and wellness may also be things you do for fun or that nurture your relationships (like when you work out with a friend). On the other hand, your main occupation or vocation may be raising your children, which doesn't earn income at all. Your service to the world, especially at the national or global levels, may be in the form of financial giving rather than the giving of your time.

Set it up, then break it down

Setting your overarching goals in each category, and then breaking them down into the day-to-day and week-to-week actions you must take in order to make them happen is the way to see your dreams come to life. When your goals in each category are consciously aligned with your personal beliefs and values, the greater the feeling of health and happiness you'll experience in life. By taking a holistic perspective in life planning and design, you'll create a powerhouse plan for fulfillment and well-being. When you live your life in full alignment with your deepest dreams and desires, you'll find yourself engaged in activities that sustain and fuel, rather than deplete, the natural resource of you.

What will you do this year to take care of your most valuable natural resource?

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©2023 by Kelly Wagner

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