Most people are familiar with the regular cycle that occurs each day mouth to anus. It's a type of hunger. When people wake up in the morning, they instinctively want something liquid or solid to stimulate the flow of saliva in the mouth, gastric secretions in the stomach, absorption in the small intestine, and excretion from the large intestine. Everything has to happen just right between mind and gastrointestinal system or it just might ruin their day. An everyday problem might even ruin their life. A solid back and forth communication between body, mind, and gastrointestinal system is required for a solid outcome.
Yes, the gut sends a variety of hunger signals to your brain so that your brain will signal your musculoskeletal system to move itself to the kitchen and get something to put in your mouth. This starts the cycle that moves everything else. The problem is your mood alters communication. Your mood alters not only your gut signals, but also your interpretation of the signals you receive. Instead of putting the type of liquid or solid in your mouth that your gut needs to complete a normal cycle, your mood convinces you to put something in your mouth that you think might taste good. Your mind cannot ignore the gut.
No, when your mind ignores the gut, good communication between the mind and body stops. The mind wants to ease tension by activating its satiety center with something fatty, sugary, salty, or all three. The mind convinces itselt that a blast of fat, sugar and salt is all it needs. The gut gets ignored and the gut gets upset. The gut gets upset and paybacks are hell.
The mouth might dry up. The stomach may churn out double the acid and project it up into your mouth. The stomach may hurl--more than once. The gut might go into overdrive and shove acidic bits out the anus several times during the day. Then again, the large intestine might hold everything solid inside until it has dried into rock-like formations, all the while blasting the rocks repeatedly with high pressure air flow. The gut knows this is the only way to get the mind off center enough to listen. The gut plays dirty, so it's best you listen up.
Why are you hungry? Do you want the comfort from food you recieved as a baby? Do you want to settle your mind with a percieved need for fat, sugar, or salt? Are you trying feed the thoughts that affect your gut that you misinterpret as a real need for food? Or are you hungry for a smooth cycling gut? Are you hungry for solid communication between your brain and your gastrointestinal system?
We are designed to cycle our gastrointestinal system with signals from both the mind and the gut. The signals must work in harmony to enjoy the synchrony. The mind can upset the gut and the gut can upset the mind. We can't change mother nature, so what do we do? We listen to the signals from our mind and we listen to the signals from our gut. Then we react based on need.
First you determine why your gut is sending the signals. How long has it been since you've eaten? How many calories do you need? Is your stomach empty? Are you thirsty or hungry? Are you truly hungry or do you have fat stores you can use? If your stomach is churning from being empty but you don't need the calories, all it needs is to cycle. Water and a piece of fruit is enough. But if you have eaten and you still feel hungry, the signals are from your mind, not your gut. Your gut doesn't need anything, but your mind needs a distraction. Please your mind by pleasing your gut. Don't go to the kitchen. Take your gut out for a walk instead.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Why Are You Happy?
People don't get what they want. They don't get the food they want, the drink they want, the love they want, the car they want, the house they want, the job they want, the boss they want, the spouse they want, the kids they want. They just can't be happy. They keep anticipating a better life that never comes. They live on a spectrum of misery.
Yes, there is a spectrum of misery. This spectrum is based on what your body needs to exist, what your mind needs, and what your spirit needs. You are miserable without water. If you get water you are miserable without food. If you get enough food, you are miserable without a place to live. If you have a place to live, you are miserable without family and friends. If you have family and friends, you are miserable because you look for something more. You look for something more, and you're miserable about it, but your sense of exactly what you are looking for is muddled.
The further along the spectrum of misery, the more complex the misery becomes and the more difficult it is to know what you really want. Therein lies the quandary of why people who seemingly have everything can be the most miserable. They are on the far end of the spectrum of misery that is the most complex and most difficult to placate. The complexity of the misery leads to confusion. They think, "If only we had a shinier car," or "chandeliers on the ceiling would make all the difference."
No, the person does not understand the misery, because they have somehow been conditioned to believe that there is a way to be happy about everything all the time. If you're not happy all the time, then you must need more food, more alcohol, or more pills, right? If one doesn't do it, then how about two? How about all three all the time? How about shooting up every two hours? Surely you'll be happy all the time then, right? No, you will die. There might be happiness after death, but no one living can be sure.
We are designed by nature to feel bad and to feel good. There's sadness, depression, anger, and anxiety. Then there's joy, glee,contentment, and satisfaction. There are a wide range of bad and good feelings within our body and mind always waiting to come out. The irony is that we struggle harder to feel good and we feel worse in the process. When we don't recognize what's happening, we continue down the path of deepening misery and we disconnect from our spirit. We can't change mother nature, so what do we do? We strive for happiness by recognizing our personal source of misery and using it to stay connected with our spirit.
Why are you happy? Does your car have a fantastic shine? Do chandeliers hang from your ceiling? Do you eat constantly? Do you numb your feelings with drugs or alcohol? If you are self aware, you know that your innermost happiness does not come from the outside. The headrush of happiness surges naturally through your body and mind. It's not constant, because that's not natural. It fleets in and out as good and bad feelings intermingle. It comes from your spirit when it has overcome your misery.
It comes when you have taken action to reconnect with your spirit in spite of your misery. It comes when you avoid numbing your miserable feelings and take action on them instead. It comes when you mend broken relationships. It comes when you find common ground between two extremes. It comes when you see the fantastic shine of someone else's happiness because of your own actions. It comes when you see the light without chandeliers. It comes when you see someone else's spirit. You know it because you see your own.
Yes, there is a spectrum of misery. This spectrum is based on what your body needs to exist, what your mind needs, and what your spirit needs. You are miserable without water. If you get water you are miserable without food. If you get enough food, you are miserable without a place to live. If you have a place to live, you are miserable without family and friends. If you have family and friends, you are miserable because you look for something more. You look for something more, and you're miserable about it, but your sense of exactly what you are looking for is muddled.
The further along the spectrum of misery, the more complex the misery becomes and the more difficult it is to know what you really want. Therein lies the quandary of why people who seemingly have everything can be the most miserable. They are on the far end of the spectrum of misery that is the most complex and most difficult to placate. The complexity of the misery leads to confusion. They think, "If only we had a shinier car," or "chandeliers on the ceiling would make all the difference."
No, the person does not understand the misery, because they have somehow been conditioned to believe that there is a way to be happy about everything all the time. If you're not happy all the time, then you must need more food, more alcohol, or more pills, right? If one doesn't do it, then how about two? How about all three all the time? How about shooting up every two hours? Surely you'll be happy all the time then, right? No, you will die. There might be happiness after death, but no one living can be sure.
We are designed by nature to feel bad and to feel good. There's sadness, depression, anger, and anxiety. Then there's joy, glee,contentment, and satisfaction. There are a wide range of bad and good feelings within our body and mind always waiting to come out. The irony is that we struggle harder to feel good and we feel worse in the process. When we don't recognize what's happening, we continue down the path of deepening misery and we disconnect from our spirit. We can't change mother nature, so what do we do? We strive for happiness by recognizing our personal source of misery and using it to stay connected with our spirit.
Why are you happy? Does your car have a fantastic shine? Do chandeliers hang from your ceiling? Do you eat constantly? Do you numb your feelings with drugs or alcohol? If you are self aware, you know that your innermost happiness does not come from the outside. The headrush of happiness surges naturally through your body and mind. It's not constant, because that's not natural. It fleets in and out as good and bad feelings intermingle. It comes from your spirit when it has overcome your misery.
It comes when you have taken action to reconnect with your spirit in spite of your misery. It comes when you avoid numbing your miserable feelings and take action on them instead. It comes when you mend broken relationships. It comes when you find common ground between two extremes. It comes when you see the fantastic shine of someone else's happiness because of your own actions. It comes when you see the light without chandeliers. It comes when you see someone else's spirit. You know it because you see your own.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Why Are You An Ass?
Anyone who has worked on a farm with an ass knows what one is like. An ass is intelligent, efficient, has a good memory, is physically strong, has a slow steady gait, and is dependable. The ass is commonly referred to as a beast of burden, because for thousands of years it has provided a mode of transportation for people and their belongings. My how times have changed.
The modern day perception of the ass generally refers to either the human anatomy or mental disposition. Although the dictionary clearly states that this type of depiction of the ass is in no way the true definition, it is in fact the most commonly used definition in everyday speech at home, in the media, and in commerce. When the term ass is used in association with a human, it's usually not a good thing.
No, if people are talking about your buttocks and say it is an ass, it's best you don't hear the particulars. If your ass is huge, you might be able to transport a sack of meal on it, but it won't give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside. If your ass is say within 36 inches and shaped like a peach, it might turn on the animal drives of every other human around you, but that might make them act like an ass.
Yes, the animal instinct can make you act like an ass. And people will talk. If you avoid your higher intellect and act like an animal, you are an ass. You're acting like an ass when you make unwanted advances toward another person. You're an ass when you raise your voice to someone who just did what you asked them to. You're showing your ass when you're irritable and berating someone as they try to clean up your mess. You're a pain in the ass when you demand someone keep your coffee at a certain temperature.
Why are you an ass? Are you the ass in the truest sense of the word? Can you reason through inference? Do you remember where you parked the car? Are you physically strong, with a good sense of balance? Do you follow through with your word? Do you show up for work every day? Then again, what part of you is the modern day version of the ass? What is your beast of burden that makes people talk?
You are designed as both the ass of yore and the ass of today. You have intelligence and useful abilities. But people are talking about the size of your buttocks and the level of your self-absorption. You can't change mother nature. So what do you do?
Decide why you are the ass of yore and let that part of you shine. Decide why you are the ass of today and talk to people about your burdens before they talk about you. Just don't burden anyone with it. Figure out a way you and your cohorts can deal with it and then move on. Sometimes just letting the people around you know you are aware of your own flaws is enough. And on the days people talk about your ass, help clean up the mess.
The modern day perception of the ass generally refers to either the human anatomy or mental disposition. Although the dictionary clearly states that this type of depiction of the ass is in no way the true definition, it is in fact the most commonly used definition in everyday speech at home, in the media, and in commerce. When the term ass is used in association with a human, it's usually not a good thing.
No, if people are talking about your buttocks and say it is an ass, it's best you don't hear the particulars. If your ass is huge, you might be able to transport a sack of meal on it, but it won't give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside. If your ass is say within 36 inches and shaped like a peach, it might turn on the animal drives of every other human around you, but that might make them act like an ass.
Yes, the animal instinct can make you act like an ass. And people will talk. If you avoid your higher intellect and act like an animal, you are an ass. You're acting like an ass when you make unwanted advances toward another person. You're an ass when you raise your voice to someone who just did what you asked them to. You're showing your ass when you're irritable and berating someone as they try to clean up your mess. You're a pain in the ass when you demand someone keep your coffee at a certain temperature.
Why are you an ass? Are you the ass in the truest sense of the word? Can you reason through inference? Do you remember where you parked the car? Are you physically strong, with a good sense of balance? Do you follow through with your word? Do you show up for work every day? Then again, what part of you is the modern day version of the ass? What is your beast of burden that makes people talk?
You are designed as both the ass of yore and the ass of today. You have intelligence and useful abilities. But people are talking about the size of your buttocks and the level of your self-absorption. You can't change mother nature. So what do you do?
Decide why you are the ass of yore and let that part of you shine. Decide why you are the ass of today and talk to people about your burdens before they talk about you. Just don't burden anyone with it. Figure out a way you and your cohorts can deal with it and then move on. Sometimes just letting the people around you know you are aware of your own flaws is enough. And on the days people talk about your ass, help clean up the mess.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Why Are You Attractive?
What exactly happens when a bomb blows? I think everyone imagines some of the same things... It's sudden. It's explosive. A lot of bits and pieces tend to fly up and hit whatever happens to be there. People are hurt. There may be fire. There is destruction. There is usually long lasting damage. In sum, it's never pretty. You might say it's very unattractive.
This past Saturday, a middle-aged woman had an emotional blow. It was like a bomb had gone off, and it was very unattractive. She was putting dishes in the washer. She blew, and it was sudden. It caught the dinner guests off guard. One guest pointed out decidedly that the party must be over.
Yes, the party was over, but the guests were trapped in the rubble. Her tirade continued on for over thirty minutes. Nothing could be done to stop the destruction. Two of the guests were burned repeatedly. Like a computer left sitting on a loop of track media, the woman touted over and over that she was so nice. That was the problem--the guests just couldn't see that.
No, when a bomb goes off, people do not tend to see the beauty in it. Just like the woman, a bomb may be nicely polished and painted on the outside before it goes off. Before an explosion, the bomb might even be in some ways attractive.
Why are you attractive? Do you keep your face nicely polished and painted? Does this outer attraction lead to false hopes and eventual destruction? So what is your inner attraction? What part of you makes another person want to be near you or even bond for life? Is it your compassion? Is it your ability to make someone laugh? Is it your personal talent? Then again, what comes from the inside that makes you unattractive? What makes you blow?
We are designed as both attractive and unattractive beings on the outside and on the inside. For many, that is the difficulty of coping. With everything you like about a person or situation, something you don't like will come with the package. Recognizing this in yourself is the first step to healthy coping. You are attractive in some ways. In some ways you are also unattractive. You can't change mother nature. So what do you do?
Decide why you are attractive and let that part of you shine. Decide why you are unattractive and talk with people about it. Figure out a way you and your cohorts can deal with it and then move on. Sometimes just letting the people around you know you are aware of your own flaws is enough. And on the days an unexpected bomb blows, help clean it up.
This past Saturday, a middle-aged woman had an emotional blow. It was like a bomb had gone off, and it was very unattractive. She was putting dishes in the washer. She blew, and it was sudden. It caught the dinner guests off guard. One guest pointed out decidedly that the party must be over.
Yes, the party was over, but the guests were trapped in the rubble. Her tirade continued on for over thirty minutes. Nothing could be done to stop the destruction. Two of the guests were burned repeatedly. Like a computer left sitting on a loop of track media, the woman touted over and over that she was so nice. That was the problem--the guests just couldn't see that.
No, when a bomb goes off, people do not tend to see the beauty in it. Just like the woman, a bomb may be nicely polished and painted on the outside before it goes off. Before an explosion, the bomb might even be in some ways attractive.
Why are you attractive? Do you keep your face nicely polished and painted? Does this outer attraction lead to false hopes and eventual destruction? So what is your inner attraction? What part of you makes another person want to be near you or even bond for life? Is it your compassion? Is it your ability to make someone laugh? Is it your personal talent? Then again, what comes from the inside that makes you unattractive? What makes you blow?
We are designed as both attractive and unattractive beings on the outside and on the inside. For many, that is the difficulty of coping. With everything you like about a person or situation, something you don't like will come with the package. Recognizing this in yourself is the first step to healthy coping. You are attractive in some ways. In some ways you are also unattractive. You can't change mother nature. So what do you do?
Decide why you are attractive and let that part of you shine. Decide why you are unattractive and talk with people about it. Figure out a way you and your cohorts can deal with it and then move on. Sometimes just letting the people around you know you are aware of your own flaws is enough. And on the days an unexpected bomb blows, help clean it up.
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