Losing Our Soul Grasping For The World

I thought I was free of modern celebrity culture. I have no envy for celebrities and they themselves don’t particularly impress me. I have no need for for the glitz and the glamour…or so I thought.

I recently came to the realization that I was greatly influenced by our celebrity culture. I would wager that we all are. For some, it is the gossip, talking about what someone did or said or wore. For others, though, it is about the need for attention and validation of others. I looked at myself and realized I had lost the very soul of what I was trying to do by seeking that validation.

Anytime we begin an endeavor of any sort, loosing weight for example, we want validation quickly to tell us that we are doing the right thing and that we should keep going. Anyone who has lost weight and kept it off knows that it takes a month for you to see it, two months for your close circle to see it, and three months for anyone else to notice a difference. In this example, there is a soul that is lost in the pursuit to loose weight. Health. Being healthy is what matters to your life, to your loved ones, to your sustained weight loss. We instantly toss the soul aside for the quick results.

It is difficult to pursue anything and keep the soul in tact the entire time. Results are alluring. We reach for them and glory in the dopamine spike and we want more.

The only way that I have found to pursue something without losing the soul, either my own or the soul of what I am pursuing, is to make the soul the actual pursuit. I think of it as the difference between treating the symptoms vs treating the problem. Being overweight is a symptom of being unhealthy. If we focus only on the symptom, then we will make bad decisions. Many people are hospitalized from taking weight loss pills. They wanted the result quickly and without the hard work. If we change our approach and focus on health, then we can see that it is more wholistic. It includes what we eat, how we move, and even what we think. By focusing on the soul, it addresses the whole person. Rather than being hospitalized, we gain confidence, discipline, and that weird content feeling after you did something really hard.

No matter what you are working towards, remember to keep your eyes focused on the soul of what you are pursuing. If we remain focused on the soul, we will address the pursuit as a whole without sacrificing critical elements. It will be slow. It will be difficult. It will be worth it.