Roaring Wisdom: Dr. Michael Murphy's Insight into the Lion's Den

Welcome to the Lion’s Den, where we focus on lessons to empower you on your wellness journey. Engagement begins with understanding a few basic concepts:

1. Wellness consists of four areas: mental, physical, spiritual, and financial health.

2. Achieving and maintaining wellness is a dynamic process requiring frequent reassessments and adjustments.

3. Empowerment is demonstrated by taking authority over your choices.

These principles can help achieve wellness which is necessary for you to live out your purpose.

Mental, physical, spiritual and financial health are the four pillars of wellness. Mental health is an investment in emotional stability. Physical health is an investment in longevity combined with good quality of life. Spiritual health encompasses an investment in your relationship with God and God’s creations. Financial health is the investment in and obtainment of financial security. These elements have significant overlap as it pertains to both wellness and illness. Illness in one can aspect can contribute to illness in all. In the same vein, excelling at one can sometimes bring about positive change in others.

Achieving and maintaining a sense of wellness is a goal, one that shifts with respect to our priorities and life’s demands. If only life could occur as we planned it: error-free success. However, you are more likely to have to overcome disappointments, setbacks, and frustrations to achieve your goals. Wellness is no different, except it occurs in four different spheres, all interconnected. Hence the need for frequent reassessment and adjustments.

The goal is to empower yourself with the ability to navigate your life. As a Christian, I believe that God is ultimately in control. I also believe that He gave us autonomy, which is the ability to make our own decisions whether good or bad. Therefore, it is my responsibility to educate myself about the consequences of my actions.  In this way I am empowered to make the best choices for me in all aspects of wellness. Empowerment requires an investment in time and energy, self-discipline, and accountability. There’s a price to pay, but you will find it as well worth it as you become more aware of your true power and authority.

I believe that we are all called to a purpose and provided with gifts by our Creator. We then face challenges that allow us to identify and begin mastering our gifts. Focusing on wellness, especially your Spiritual health, will help you discover that purpose, and emphasizing wellness will help you see it to completion.

Once again, welcome to the Lion’s Den.

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It requires an honest self-assessment, the ability to identify strengths as well as areas of improvement, the setting and readjusting goals, implementing self-discipline, executing plans, and being willing to make change. Faith and belief play a critical role as well. it is nearly impossible to achieve something you have truly determined you cannot and very seldom is success achieved without belief and work. 

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The goal to seek simple solutions, and its important to If it were easy, everybody would do it. 

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Balance must be maintained despite life’s circumstances 

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There is a lot of misinformation to navigate,

Here I hope to 

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Modish Muse Magazine is a celebration on modeling is a celebration of beauty with a combination of style, grace, and presence allowing one to showcase and transform themselves into a piece of art.  While the clothes demand attention, it’s the body on which they are displayed that provides motion and brings the outfit to life.  The models within these pages have invested in the care and maintenance of their bodies such that they tell the story of triumph exuding a sense of confidence with every step, putting their best foot forward, and holding their head on high.  This is independent of the body type, whether runway, fitness, plus sized, or any other genre, as beauty is not defined by a specific body type.

Having the right attitude about your body and confidence in one’s beauty is not easy and does not always come naturally. It requires an appreciation for one’s uniqueness and inner beauty. An appreciation that God made use all unique, and the body while important, is not the sole means by which we define ouridentity. The saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” , and this is more applicable today than ever, as one’s sense of beauty can persistently be under attack by institutions such as racism, colorism,  and ageism , which have been mainstays in society now further fueled by social referential comparison by means of social media.

Dependency on validation of one’s beauty from society can lead to self -hate and self-destructive practices. We have seen a rapid rise in cosmetic procedures, such as the Brazilian Butt Lifts and other augmentations, which have shifted natural beauty to a very unnatural state.  We also see the increasing use of surgeries, hormones, and other agents for mostly cosmetic purposes and short cuts to provide a look of well-being. Even more concerning is the number of individuals seeking discounted and unsafe procedures both domestically as well as overseas with unsatisfactory results and occasionally deadly consequences. Those who change the outside, but fail to make healthy choices regarding diet, exercise, rest, and stress management, will find their results fleeting at best.  

Body insecurity has been exploited throughout the ages giving birth to diet, fitness, and yes surgical industries which are overrun with false information, unsound advice, and unsafe practices. Social media has become a breeding ground for exploitation due the number of unvetted individuals seeking financial gain by unethical means. We see this in false advertisements with people having surgically or hormonally enhanced results, while lying about the means used to achieve the results. Supplements, which tout unrealistic results, and diets that go against scientific knowledge. Trying to achieve unnatural results with natural means leaves many people frustrated and can contribute to Depression.  

These practices also exploit the youth, who are more prone to believe these advertisements out of lack of experience. more easily influenced and, more prone to engage in risky behaviors, and impatient. As a teenager I brought into the fantasy that Weider shakes and vitamins along with a steady workout routine would have me looking like Lee Haney or Dorian Yates. I absorbed every magazine and if not for being broke, would have invested in any program to get there quickly.  I thank God for my mentors at Worlds Gym who taught me the truth about fitness.

Recognize that If I can instill discontent, feelings of inadequacy, and self-hate while offering you a fee for service treatment, knowing it will never provide a cure; I have a customer who can be exploited for life, until they become educated. Essentially it comes down to the basics. Educate yourself on appropriate eating habits and activity level needed to accomplish your physical health goals. Seek reliable counsel and guidance regarding these issues when needed. Set realistic goals regarding improvement and have patience with yourself throughout the journey.  In addition, emphasize wellness, consisting of physical, mental, spiritual, and financial health. My goal is to empower you along this journey, please join monthly as we explore wellness in Lessons from the Lions Den. 

For many, the problem lies in self-image. That is why some people will always struggle with being content and confident in their appearance. While others never seem at loss for confidence despite not having a traditional image of beauty. This is not a plug for body neutrality, which I see more as apathy. This ideal is generally touted by those who have decided to give into their desires and opted out of self-discipline. Discipline is not a bad word. I discipline my children not because I love them. I love them enough to want them to do the right things for their wellbeing. Therefore , I must practice self-discipline as a means of showing love to myself.  This includes attempts to eat healthy, exercise, and minimize detrimental practices. Self-discipline is not comfortable. The comfort comes in the form of the results. Love yourself enough to not want diabetes, high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar, or health consequences as a result of obesity, smoking, or excessive alcohol. 

Essentially it comes down to the basics. Educate yourself on appropriate eating habits and activity level needed to accomplish your physical health goals. Seek reliable counsel and guidance regarding these issues when needed. Set realistic goals regarding improvement and have patience with yourself throughout the journey.  This is where we will begin our journey.