85 Posts1,799,598 followersFollow Deepak Chopra MD (official) Founder, Chopra Foundation One Need No One Can Afford to Ignore February 18, 2014 15,871 442 Likers88 Comments inShare 1,523 What do you really need if you want to lead a successful life? It seems odd in hindsight, but for a very long time no one seriously asked this question. Life was divided into traditional compartments - work, family, religion - that hadnt changed for centuries. A breakthrough came when the psychologist Abraham Maslow offered a new model that put basic needs first and worked up the ladder toward higher needs. Thus feeling safe and secure was a basic need, while art, imagination, and God came later. This hierarchy of needs” has had a huge impact, and it suits common sense. A successful life requires a solid foundation to be secure. Yet life keeps changing, and I think there is now one need that supersedes all others. Without it, money and family wont make up for the lack. A prominent career and professional status will be undermined. The very possibility of leading a happy life is jeopardized. This one need is the need for self-care. The accumulated knowledge of medicine, psychology, and longevity studies agree about this. Each of us has the potential to avoid disease, retard aging, and achieve a higher state of well-being if we pay attention to self-care. A new horizon has opened that millions of people arent fully aware of. They continue to hold on to old worn out notions that deprive them of power over their futures. These notions include the following: 1. Doctors exist to keep you well. 2. Old age is a state of decline. 3. Money solves most problems, and the more, the better. 4. Everyone has inner demons. Its better to keep quiet about them. 5. What you dont know wont hurt you. 6. Life is unfair and bad things happen randomly. 7. Genes cause everything, and theres nothing you can do about your genes. Without examining these notions in detail, they are all contradicted by self-care. 1. Wellness is each persons responsibility. 2. Old age reflects your beliefs about it. Positive beliefs lead to a positive old age. 3. Money provides for basic needs. After that, theres no correlation between more money and happiness. 4. Facing your personal issues has a huge impact on how healthy you will be in the future. 5. What you dont know gets repressed and creates emotional and physical difficulties. Your cells metabolize everything that happens to you. 6. Life matches your conception of it. The mind shapes how events turn out, not vice versa. 7. Genes are fluid and dynamic, responding at every moment to your inner and outer world. The import of this list is that you have the power to create your personal reality, which is what self-care is ultimately about. We are badly in need of a new model for well-being. Decades of public information about prevention has made headway, but the whole subject feels less than urgent to most people. Whatever they think is good for them, most people segment their lives into work, leisure, and family. Little time is left for self-care. Yet caring for yourself today is exactly what determines your life for decades to come. A new model of self-care would include the following: - Making happiness a high priority. - Making sure your life has purpose and meaning. - Living according to a higher vision. - Expanding your awareness in every decade of life. - Devoting time and attention to personal growth. - Paying attention to the fate of the planet. - Following at least the minimal regimen of good diet and physical activity. - Allowing the brain to reset by introducing down time several times a day. - Getting to know your inner world through meditation, contemplation, and self-reflection. - Practicing gratitude and appreciation. - Learning how to love and be loved. As you can see, self-care goes far beyond eating our vegetables and signing up for the gym. It amounts to a new model for success and happiness, a model that abundant evidence supports. Right now, the existing models feel very dead end. Consumerism is a ticking time bomb; work hard and play hard leads to exhaustion and eventual physical debility. Postponing happiness until you retire wastes decades of life. Looking out for number one deadens the soul. Courtesy of YouTube/ChopraWell The Meaning of Happiness | Spiritual Solutions So give a thought to self-care as the one need you cant afford to ignore. Its a simple concept that can change how you live tomorrow and every day after that. Deepak Chopra, MD, Founder of The Chopra Foundation, Co-Founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, coauthor of Super Brain with Rudolph Tanzi and for more information visit The Universe Within. 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Like+ 437 NewestOldestPopularAdd a comment88 comments Wajiha S. El-Halawani Professor,Royalty Interest US Patents/Technologies, National Research Awards/Honors,Scientific Publications,CLS. I was thinking today driving home after some random acts of kindness that what actually matters and makes a person truly happy is when you do something nice for someone and bring a Smile. Some people out there have all kinds of stress, help alleviate some. I was thinking today that some people in this world are busy saving tooo much money, whereas you dont need tooo much to live, everything will stay here and some day well be gone. The only thing that we will take with us and will be remembered by are the good deeds that we do in our each living day. So, while we have each day of life as a Gift of God to us, why not make a difference in doing good to His humanity, trust me as we take care of others, God somehow takes care of us, regardless of what religion a person believes in. Generally, its all good and all positive to do the positive through love, care, kindness towards specially the ones who are hurting one way or the other. Atleast thats where I find my peace, my joy, try it, so true!!! Thanks Dr. Chopra, your Articles always make so much sense, absolute brilliant, close the reality, an inspiration that touches the heart and broadens mind. Like(10)Reply(1)7 hours ago Tariqullah Khan - tariqullahkhan.me Professor of Islamic Finance at Hamad bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation I would add, self-care should be selfless not selfish. Like(7)Reply(1)7 hours ago Kyle Haran Director of Sales and Pyramid Leader - Information Technology Practice at CEB Worth reading...a lot of truth to this and pursuing whats described takes an incredible discipline. Happiness and success are learned, not earned. Like(5)Reply8 hours ago Richard Walwasa Head Of Operations, NSN Uganda, Airtel project Managed Services Can see the reason why some people look much older than other of the same age. Lack of self care! Like(4)Reply8 hours ago Viviana Miniti Teacher & Tutor at Florida Day School/ Business English in-company training Ybrant Digital Be happy..make happy. Self care does make a difference...certainly worth reading! Like(2)Reply10 hours ago Ravi Duvvuri, PMP Partner Enablement Manager/Program Manager Great article !! Like(1)Reply10 hours ago Rajesh Arya MBA, CAT, CFAP Financial, Operational and HR management expert for Start-Ups, INGOs and SMEs Thanks Deepak, for sharing this great piece from your excellent work! I think if we can succeed (somewhat) in sacrificing greed, a lot can be achieved if not everything. I strongly feel that greed crosscuts each and every transaction in of our daily life, at work, family or even religion. It can be a want to have money, power, title, attention, or anything else in some form. So, we can consider working on this part as well for individual success. Like(1)Reply6 hours ago LinkedIn MemberExcellent article. Self-care is so important and often the one area that we tend to neglect in challenging times. It must be top priority! Not only for our own benefit but for those we love and share our lives. Like(1)Reply9 hours ago Peter Jenkins Business Owner at Black Label Transfers this article was an eye opener Like(1)Reply9 hours ago LinkedIn MemberThis is indeed a very much-needed article to be read, followed and practiced! Thanks to Dr. Chopra for a new insight to self-care benefits! Like(1)Reply5 hours ago Loretta Manuel PA at Southern Sun Love - selflessly. For God is Love. Thank you for an awesome reminder of what is important to live a simple, happy and fulfilled life. Like(1)Reply5 hours ago Nathan Chetty Lecturer at KZN College Of Emergency Care Food for thought.Self-care is missing in most of our lives. Like(1)Reply6 hours ago Radhika Chadha Talent Acquisition - across NA Worth a read! Like(1)Reply6 hours ago Winston Cruz Business Leads Generation, Email Marketing, Company Database Pool Good read Like(1)Reply6 hours ago Angela Deh Fashion, Beauty & Media Project Support -Motivation Talks, Casting,Makeup,Hair Styling,Wardrobe Styling, Art Direction I felt compelled to share this article with friends and family. Thank you for sharing. Like(1)Reply6 hours ago William J. Benz, Esquire Attorney at Benz Law Firm The secret to life. We write our own narrative. Like(1)Reply7 hours ago Simona Tofan, CGA Not only a number cruncher, but a trusted advisor As with all good things, balance is the key: too much self care can lead to selfishness and self indulgence (same thing? :) while ignoring taking care of ones self can lead to bitterness and paralizing self doubts. Like(1)Reply9 hours ago Melodie Huckaby Extra none union at Central Casting Sir Deepak Chopra Amazing :,) Thank you Peace Like(1)Reply10 hours ago LinkedIn MemberYES! LikeReply9 hours ago Tayyaba Mateen Student at Kagoshima Univ. Lovely! LikeReply9 hours ago Show More Deepaks Recent Posts Have You Mastered This Key to Great Leadership? 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Posted on: Tue, 18 Feb 2014 12:20:49 +0000