Living ‘Well-being’

 

These days everybody is throwing around words like well-being, wellness, holistic health, meditation, balance, spirituality and conscious awareness.  Maybe we don’t have the time, resources or desire to run off to mountaintop retreats to meditate in isolation, but it has certainly become trendy to do so.  It’s definitely ‘cool’ to be healthy, and our definition of health increasingly includes not only physical, but also emotional and spiritual fitness. As a global community, we seem to focus less and less on living in the ‘rat race,’ and more and more on slowing down, finding our passions, and creating meaning and fulfillment in our lives by contributing outside of ourselves. As I edited the articles for this month’s Chonnam Tribune, the effects of this shift in mentality became even more clear in my mind… we have entered a new age in human evolution…the ‘spiritual revolution.’

 

  If we take a good look at Korea, we can see that as the country has developed industrially and economically, people have gained more leisure time and the privilege of being able to concentrate less on the demands of daily survival and more on the quality of their living. This is especially true for young people, who are learning that they have a variety of choices in how they will structure their lives.  They no longer need to live the kind of lives their parents had.  In fact, that kind of life is becoming an impossible model to follow because of increasing competition and economic changes in society.  Jobs are not guaranteed for life anymore.  Stability is more difficult to find.  The old rules no longer apply.  This ‘new age’, with its relative unpredictability, offers young people great opportunities which can seem both exciting and scary at the same time. 

 

  We are spawning a new generation of individuals who see themselves as inseparable from the global community…a generation of ‘global leaders’ who are adaptable, tolerant, creative, flexible.  We have constructed the ideal conditions in which to ‘think globally and act locally,” if we choose to take up the challenge. Old, comfortable methods are no longer effective, and new modes of behavior must be developed.  We live in a time that demands innovation at a constant rate. Acceptance of change is crucial, but more importantly an understanding of ourselves is the key to keeping it together in an ever-shifting environment.  Unless we have a well-defined sense of self-identity, we may risk being swept away on the waves of change.

 

  Essentially, as one of the authors of this magazine suggests, what we are presented with today is the choice to live ‘the road less traveled’.  We can continue to run around in circles, just surviving, or we can break free from this cycle and seek our true selves. I believe that choosing the latter is the only way to experience fulfillment and lasting happiness in this life.  I also believe that no matter which road we choose now, eventually we come to the same place where we have to make that choice again.  We know that money doesn’t bring happiness…just look at the people from countries we judge as ‘developing.’  I would bet that many of them are happier and more spiritually fulfilled than most people living in the Gangnam area of Seoul. We can keep running toward materialistic goals, but we will never find happiness that way.  The spiritual revolution is inevitable and unavoidable…it’s just a question of whether it comes now or later…

 

  So, what does this all really mean, and how can we put these lofty ideas into practice in our daily lives?  One thing I’m wary of is our tendency as humans to commercialize, capitalize, and contaminate beautiful, pure notions on the road to popularization.  We must remember that we don’t need to wear expensive brand-names to have healthy bodies.  We don’t need to spend thousands on luxurious spa retreats to achieve balance and peace of mind.  We don’t even need to leave our homes or our desks to have silent minds or a sense of true and enduring happiness.  These all reside patiently within each individual, waiting to be stimulated into action.  Change begins in our own minds, with the simplest of admissions.  What do I really want?  Why do I want it?  What is standing in my way of getting it?  What action can I take to create changes without blaming others or complaining? We keep searching outside of ourselves in vain.  The answers are within.

 

  I’m not saying anything earth-shattering here.  I’m sure you’ve heard all this before.  So why aren’t we happy with what we’ve created in our lives?  Why do we still let little things disturb our peace of mind?  Why do negativity and fear creep into our speech, thoughts and actions?  Why do we forget about what truly matters in the big picture?  The challenge is not to hear or even to understand the message.  The true challenge is to live what we believe. Stop living for tomorrow and the “I’ll be happy when…” dreams, and start appreciating the present moment in all its perfection. There is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

 

  I’m not an expert, but I am quite imperfect.  I’ve come to identify some of the things in my life that block my ability to feel happiness and calm…fear, laziness, cynicism, arrogance and bad habits.  I’ve also come to realize that there are easy ways to simplify my life in order to increase my sense of happiness and cope with daily annoyances.  Life’s too short to wake up angry.  Maybe this can help you too….

 

¨Start and end your day with five deep breaths, a genuine smile and five minutes (at least) of silence for yourself.  Think of nothing at all, or reflect on something specific.  You deserve it. 

 

¨Always remember the law of return: what you give out comes back …good and bad.

 

¨Balance and unify opposites. Everything in moderation…no extremes.

 

¨Forgive yourself for not being perfect and just keep trying.

 

¨You have 2 ears and one mouth, so listen more than you speak.

 

¨Less is more, in almost every aspect of life:

 

Less salt, more vinegar

Less sugar, more fruit

Less eating, more chewing

Less meat, more vegetables

Less riding, more walking

Less thinking, more practice

Less worry, more sleep

Less greed, more charity

Less blame, more praise

Less anger, more compassion

Less speaking, more listening

Less frown, more smile.

 

저작권자 © Chonnam Tribune 무단전재 및 재배포 금지