Love Me, Love My Car
There are always suspicions of a kind of shallowness that run through most New Year’s resolutions. This is particularly true with those promises that revolve around the physical appearance only; getting in shape in order to look good for the next swimsuit season, or becoming trim enough to fit into some old clothes. Truly, there’s nothing wrong with a focus on health, but in terms of motivation, it’s much more likely to be successful if there is a deeper reward.
Having a terrific exterior is always a positive, and can do wonders for a mood, but it’s much more profound when it matches the interior. That is to say, the vehicle might have brand new cooper tires, but if the engine isn’t running right, it’s not going to be a good ride. The car analogy is not a bad way to consider it. When looking at one’s decisions to take care of their physical appearance in the New Year, matching the internal world with the external is a worthy challenge, and its rewards are immense.
It is, in many respects, a self-correcting mechanism. A healthy body is a reflection of a healthy life, one where instinct and reason are not at odds, but in a constantly shifting state of balance. Becoming tuned in to one’s own deeper processes is rewarding for its own sake, because it means a certain peace and serenity that are very pleasurable. It also means being tuned into the smaller and subtler changes in the body, and constantly shifting and accommodating can lead to an inner stability that is visible from the surface. When it comes to a healthy exterior, it’s more a matter of projecting out than reflecting in.
An internal engine that is running well will show on the outside. In terms of the human body, this means healthy looking skin, clear eyes, and a kind of radiance that comes from deep within. Clear eyes are the whitewalls of the body.
This doesn’t mean that it’s pointless to try to make cosmetic changes. One can certainly help to enhance what’s already there. Just like with a vehicle, the main components have to be in place, and well-maintained, to make a solid announcement of presence in the world. Keeping one’s own internal equilibrium is the most important step, then, and every attempt to help maintain that state will only work toward creating a healthy inner image, that really does shine in the world.
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