(ThyBlackMan.com) From time immemorial, the question of what constitutes a good or well-lived life has been debated, analyzed and scrutinized by seers, sages and spiritualists. There has never been universal agreement on the answers to this question, but there is one thing most agree on: we are how we live, how we move, what we think and what we eat.
In other words, we have the means to secure an empowered life – which is really the good or well-lived life.
To be empowered is to be strong and confident, especially to the degree that we feel in control of our lives.
There are four components to an empowered life. I call it L.E.A.N.: Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude Nutrition. The L.E.A.N Principle moves from the physical to the mental to the spiritual plane. It governs how we respond to the daily demands of our physical environment.
Here are four dimensions of the L.E.A.N Principle and the recommended adjustments to get the most out of your life!
One:
Lifestyle
Lifestyle is how we LIVE. It’s a way of living; “the habits, attitudes, tastes, moral standards that together constitute the mode of living of an individual”. Each lifestyle is a unique imprimatur.
Lifestyle is comprised of habits. It’s what we do over and over, whether positive or negative, good or bad. Change a habit, and you will change a life.
Adjustment:
Incorporate good, wholesome habits into your lifestyle and it will show up in other areas of your life. For example, a slight change in your sleeping habits can lead to greater production in your work life.
Two:
Exercise
Exercise is how we MOVE. It’s actively engaging in physical effort with the express purpose of sustaining or improving one’s health and fitness.
The beautiful thing is exercise requires minimum effort; you only have to move at intervals. If you are seated all day, stand up and sit down repeatedly. The rule of thumb for movement is to keep your heart rate up.
Adjustment:
Are you active or sedentary? How often do you move? Get ten minutes of exercise per day.
Three:
Attitude
Attitude is how we THINK. Attitude determines one’s altitude. The L.E.A.N. Principle has a mental component. We spend ninety-percent of our time in the subconscious. The quality of that time emerges in the waking hours of our conscious life. We are what we think.
Think like a conqueror. The single most effective tool we have in our arsenal of success is our attitude, good or bad.
Adjustment:
Sit in silence. Meditate more often. Do a television fast. Power down the phone. Do something to elevate your spiritual perspective.
Four:
Nutrition
Nutrition is how we EAT. We are what we eat. Nutrition is the fuel of the L.E.A.N Principle. Eat bad stuff all day and it shows up in our body, mind and spirit. Food can literally change our perspective on an event, experience or day.
It’s amazing how what we put in our bodies makes such a lasting impression on every other phase of our lives. Food can literally make or break you.
Adjustment:
For starters, get to know what you are eating. A lot of stuff we’re ingesting these days is just that – stuff! Genetically modified foods are the major culprit behind the increase in obesity in America. Read labels. Research trends. Stay away from packaged stuff!
Follow the L.E.A.N. Principle for an empowered life!
Staff Writer; W. Eric Croomes
This talented brother is a holistic lifestyle exercise expert and founder and executive coach of Infinite Strategies LLC, a multi-level coaching firm that develops and executes strategies for fitness training, youth achievement and lifestyle management. Eric is an author, fitness professional, holistic life coach and motivational speaker.
In October 2015, Eric released Life’s A Gym: Seven Fitness Principles to Get the Best of Both, which shows readers how to use exercise to attract a feeling of wellness, success and freedom (Infinite Strategies Coaching LLC, 2015) – http://www.infinitestrategiescoaching.com.
