Five choices for health, happiness and vitality in life

The gift of human life is God’s greatest blessing conferred upon us. The dawn of each new day endorses this gift in our favour. I often say that a new day is God’s vote of confidence in us – it is His indication to us that He still trusts us to fulfil the purpose for which He has sent us down to this earth.

As each new day dawns, we must make choices: we can choose to be happy, healthy, helpful and positive that day. Or, we can choose to be dull, depressed, miserable, selfish and negative. As the day advances, we have to make a number of choices.

We can choose what we like! If we make the right choice, we will grow in health, happiness and vitality. If we make the wrong choice, we suffer from disease, loss of energy, loss of vitality, loss of creativity and loss of enthusiasm.

So what will you choose? If you make the right choice, the gift of a long, happy, healthy life is yours to enjoy.

The five choices that will lead you towards a fulfilling life

1. Choose Health

Good health is not something you take for granted. It is a choice you make! Robert Schuller calls good health a journey – rather than a destination. Health is a journey which begins and continues successfully when we travel on the right road, and choose those aspects that will ensure our well-being and enhance our vitality.

2. Choose the Right Foods

We should choose to eat right – and also for all the right reasons. We must choose food not for its texture or taste or its appeal to the palate. We must choose food for its nutritive value and the benefits it will confer on us.

Food should be tasty and pleasant, of course. But that is not its primary purpose. We eat to live – we don’t live to eat. Therefore, we must choose foods that enhance life and vitality.

An ancient story tells us that the God of Food came before the Divine Presence, battered, exhausted, and severely downcast.

“I can’t take it anymore,” he complained. “People abuse me, exploit me. There is no respect for me – no piety or the realisation that I am your prasadam (grace) to men! Everyone indulges in excess. Never has there been such ill-treatment meted out to one of your gifts!”

The Lord smiled and said to him: “Those who abuse you and indulge in excess are destroying themselves.”

All diet-choices have their consequences. Fast foods fill you up – but they will not sustain your health and vitality. Quick-fix food that comes in packets will give you chemicals and additives – but not much by way of nutrition or good taste.

‘Live’ foods – fresh, natural fruits and vegetables – add joy and zest to our lives. ‘Dead’ foods only make your stomach a graveyard for diseased carcasses.

When you choose the right food, you also save yourself a lot of money. Ask yourself what is more expensive – a banana or a packet of fried snacks? A bundle of tomatoes or a bar of chocolate? A meal of salad and soup – or a pizza?

3. Choose a Healthy Environment

It is in our hands to create a healthy mental and physical environment around us.

Let fresh air and light stream into your homes. Do not shut yourself into air-conditioned or centrally heated cages. If you are forced to work in such an environment, take in as much fresh air and sunlight as you can, through daily walks in the open.

Choose a healthy mental environment by dismissing worry, anxiety and negative thoughts out of your life. Choose optimism, positive thoughts, peace and joy.

4. Choose the Right Friends

We all know the old saying: Tell me who your friends are – and I shall tell you what kind of a person you are.

The right people are not the ones who always agree with us; they are not the ones who lead us into bad habits; they are not just people who are ‘fun’ to be with.

The right people are free and frank and are not afraid to pull you up when you go wrong. They are loyal, courageous people who will stand by you even when things go wrong. They are people who give you moral support and instill self-confidence in you! We can and we must make the right choices. God has given us the power and the wisdom to do so. We also have the choice to react positively or negatively to everything that happens to us.

5. Choose God’s Love

Choose to accept God’s love for you. He wants you to live life to the fullest – not merely exist! Accept His infinite love and you will find that power and vitality and positive vibrations flow into you. Begin the day with God. And a good way to begin the day is to affirm several times: I love You, God! I love You, God! I love You, God!

It was an inspired poet who said, “We receive but what we give.” When we offer our love to God, we receive His infinite love in return. When we offer ourselves and our life to Him, He makes our life blessed and beautiful!