“The first wealth is health.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ask yourself this question… Would you rather be rich and have poor health, or poor and have great health? The answer will certainly tell you were your priorities are.
The status of your health certainly affects the quality of your life. The stronger and leaner you are the easier all of life’s tasks will be for you.
The stronger your immune system the less you will catch a cold, and all the other various nasty bugs out there.
The leaner you are the more you can enjoy playing a pick up game of soccer with your kids. Not to mention being less susceptible to the so called diseases of modern civilization… Heart attack, stroke, diabetes, etc.
And don’t underestimate the body-mind connection. The healthier your body is the stronger your mind will be. Since more and more of us work in jobs that require mental labor instead of physical labor, this can’t be underestimated.
Simply put. The better in shape you are in, the better you will perform in life. At work, at home, at play, and everything in between.
You will make more money and receive more promotions…
People will be more attracted to you, in more ways then one…
Having just a little bit of the energy of youth could potentially change your life…
So how do you invest in health?
Mostly you just need to commit some time to it. Our fast food society really doesn’t seem to prioritize health where it needs to be.
You will need time to go grocery shopping. Time to meal plan. Time to figure out what is best for you to eat (you might already know and just don’t do it.) Time to exercise, and find some great leisure activities. Time to de-stress from work and life in general. Time with your friends and family. Time well spent in your community. And time just to enjoy life.
Time spent on things that increase your health, and time not spent on things that detract from your health will give you are great return on your investment.
Just like time, health is one of our greatest assets, and it is a shame to lose it. Think about where you are investing your time and money. If you aren’t prioritizing the things that lead to great health, then what are you prioritizing?
This is our 49th challenge in The Personal Finance Challenge Series…