Physiological Health: Why It's the "Thumb" of Long-Term Happiness

When even sitting at a desk requires too much energy…

My daughter Pumpkin has essentially been sick since the start of the school year. I have been lucky enough to avoid catching her myriad illnesses… until last week. The symptoms were mostly mild, so mild that for the first few days I was in denial that I was sick: low-grade fever, a minor tickle of the throat, a little achiness. What hit me hard was the fatigue, which was exacerbated by a wracking cough that only took hold when I'd try to lie down. This meant sleepless nights.

I spent the week trying to push through but barely operating. Mr. Transportation returned from a work trip mid-week, and I nearly cried in relief when he jumped in to take over pumpkin-carving duties as we prepared to celebrate Halloween. I did not expect this of him as he'd had a long day of work and then a 4 hr trafficky drive to cap it off. He was probably as exhausted as I was. However, at the time he volunteered his strength, I was contemplating whether I had the energy to make myself dinner after feeding the dogs and child, let alone muscle through the carving of a large pumpkin.

The entire week was a stern reminder of why I consider our physiological needs the thumb of the Right Hand of Long Term Happiness. We can and often do push through physical trials, but just as having a thumb to give us a firm grip on objects makes so many tasks easier, so does being in optimal physical condition make filling our Six Needs easier. Here's the crux of the problem: pushing through pain, discomfort, and fatigue takes effort, sometimes loads of effort and sometimes without us even noticing it. But then when we need the energy for something else (like making oneself dinner), we no longer have the energy to put towards it.

So last week I was basically in survival mode. I'd been making progress towards getting fit and starting to feel healthy again, but I could not talk myself into doing any workouts and preparing my "veggies most" meals took too much effort. Rather than chop up some lettuce for a salad, I found myself reaching for the low-effort processed, packaged junk food on our pantry shelves (physiological). With great disappointment I had to cancel plans to support our favorite neighbors in a marching band performance (social). Finally, I had no energy for my growth activities (which center largely around my overall mission to change how the world thinks and talks about happiness).

Thankfully I knew the illness would pass and that it was a temporary condition. I dread the thought of having to persevere with a long-term condition. However, I know so many people who are doing the best they can with everyday sub-optimal health. We all have our values and priorities, and I understand why people choose to focus on other commitments, but I will continue to advocate for self-care and prioritization of health. We gain so much for the investment, not only in terms of the short-term benefits (feeling better and having more to give to those other 5 Needs) but also with long-term robustness. It's worth the extra time and effort to eat those veggies, get more rest, seek medical help where needed, and so on. Do you have any chronic health issues that could use more attention? How can I help?