I just finished reading the book How to Become a Stoic by Massimo Pigliucci. A very interesting book that I recommend to anyone who is interested in exploring stoic philosophy and what questions you can be asking yourself everyday to get a little more out of life.
One quote that really stood out to me during my reading was:
“Better to endure pain in an honorable manner than to seek joy in a shameful one.”
This quote really jumped off the page because I feel like it has a lot of meaning that can be applied to our health journeys.
This is not to say that improving your health requires you to endure a lot of pain. Nor is it meant to compare your health journey to the purpose of the origin of the quote. Rather I think this quote highlights something that we all face when we are in the business of taking control of our health. Resistance.
Whether you are looking to lose weight, put on muscle, eat a little healthier, or exercise a little more, you are going to face resistance. It is going to be hard. Often times, your body and brain will tell you to take a day off. Cut your workout short. Have a cheat day.
While I think that having a little balance while navigating your health journey is beneficial, we have to stay strong due to the frequency at which this resistance will tempt us. We must be prepared to “endure pain in an honorable manner.” We must be ready to stay strong with our intent to get healthier or stay healthy. Say no the junk food that is glaring you in the face. Get our butts into the gym when we can think of a hundred excuses not to. Let’s be honest, when we do the right thing with our health, it feels good. Even if we must face resistance in the process.
Let’s briefly look at the other side of the quote: “…than to seek joy in a shameful one.” I don’t think this part of the quote requires much explanation because we have all been there before. Instead of going to the gym we “seek joy” in sitting on the couch watching Netflix. Instead of sticking to our diet, we “seek joy” in junk food designed to engage the reward centers of our brain. Instead of going to bed early, we “seek joy” in staying up late scrolling social media channels on our devices. There is nothing inherently wrong with these actions in moderation, but if we do an honest assessment, very rarely do we feel better about ourselves from making these decisions. More often than not, we feel shameful in hindsight. We regret not sticking to the plan and enduring our “pain” or resistance in an honorable manner.
Today, this weekend, and moving forward I challenge you to look at your health with nobility. Understand that whenever you are fighting the good fight and battling resistance, you are making an investment in your health that you will reap rewards for down the road. Whether it’s playing with your kids, looking good at the beach, or feeling confident and proud, you will not regret enduring a little pain in an honorable manner as opposed to seeking joy in a shameful one.
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