by Kevin Donka
Several of my friends had just returned from a five-day cruise in the Bahamas. As I was talking with them at a seminar last weekend, I asked how their trip was. One of them said, “Well, we didn’t get enough sleep, we drank too much and ate WAY too much! But, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, it was great!
Have you ever spoken that phrase all things considered? Have you ever really thought about what it means to consider ALL things?! The reason I ask is that many people SAY they are considering all things, when in reality they aren’t doing that at all. What they really mean when they say all things considered is that things didn’t turn out too badly…as far as they can tell with their limited view of things. Let’s look at your lifestyle as an example of how considering all things might apply to your life.
How important is your health to the other areas of your life? Do you think the way you feel and function affects your ability to perform at work? Do the things you focus on throughout the morning and the emotions you feel because of this affect your ability to digest your lunch optimally? Does your energy level affect how you communicate and interact with your spouse and kids? How about your financial well being? Does your health affect this – and visa versa? Considering all things means asking yourself these questions.
When deciding whether to have that Snicker’s bar or an apple, a bottle of soda pop, beer, wine, juice or some spring water, a salad or a mega-burger, do you really think about how your relationships, career, wealth, leisure activities and even your ability to connect on a spiritual level will be affected by your choices?
When you know you should go to sleep but you stay up late watching one more episode of Dog the Bounty Hunter or Star Trek, or you get caught up in a great book instead, do you really think about how every other area of your life will be affected by that lack of sleep? When you decide to do something other than exercise are you considering all things? Or, are you simply thinking about what’s the easiest and most comfortable thing to do at that moment?
I remember not too long ago, a practice member said he hadn’t been going to his bowling league on Monday nights for the past few weeks. He said that all things considered, he thought it best for his back. But if he had really considered ALL things, he might have realized that the benefits from the stress release and the fun he has with his buddies FAR outweighs any stress the bowling might put on his spine.
When you discipline and talk to your kids, when you vaccinate them or put medicines into their beautiful and perfect little bodies, when you decide how much TV they can watch or how long they can play their video games, when you choose what to feed them and which friends it’s OK to hang out with, or even when you try to protect them and control them too much, are you really considering all things?
Have you ever really thought about how crucial it is to have a healthy neural connection and how it affects EVERY OTHER ASPECT of your life – ALL THINGS CONSIDERED? The Power that made your body still flows through every single one of your cells and keeps you functioning, adapting, healing and growing physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually – as long as there is no interference! Change your focus…live in gratitude…create a lifestyle that allows your body to be the incredible vehicle it was meant to be…see your chiropractor regularly…and last, make sure you stay connected to your Source. Stay acutely aware of how each and every one of your thoughts, words and actions affects every other area of your life, and how YOU and YOUR choices affect the lives of those you love as well as the rest of the WORLD, because…
That’s what ALL THINGS CONSIDERED really means!