The Essential You: A Philosophy of Health & Food
Welcome to 2025 - a year of new resolutions
Welcome to 2025, a new year and another opportunity to make New Year’s resolutions. This tradition dates back to the traditions of the Babylonians and Romans. These cultures were separated by centuries but shared a common practice: making promises to the gods and planning meaningful goals for the year ahead. They took their gods very seriously, so we can assume they worked hard on their annual promises to them.
Today we usually promise ourselves, not the gods. But that doesn’t mean we are any less sincere in our promises. They are designed to make our lives better, after all. Many resolutions focus on self-improvement—losing weight and exercising, getting more rest, and growing wealth to pursue lifelong dreams. But I’d like to make a suggestion that will bode well for any plans you might have for 2025: Cultivate “The Essential You " and as part of that, develop a personal food philosophy.
The Essential You
The Essential You examines your well-being, that is, how you feel physically, mentally, and socially. Reflecting on these areas can help you figure out how to improve your life.
What’s working for you? What’s not?
Do you feel good? Are you always tired?
Do you have to deal with people who don’t bring you joy?
How you answer these questions will help clarify your next steps. Creating space for the Essential You sometimes means cleaning your house of habits, relationships, or routines that no longer work for you.
If you don’t feel well, ask yourself, "Is this something I control, or is it out of my control?" If you eat a lot of junk food, it probably doesn’t contribute to your overall wellness. Perhaps you should let go of that. For more significant health issues, what small steps can I take myself and/or with the aid of others to feel just a little bit better? Where can I find answers? Who in my life truly loves me and is a source of support?
And socially, if you know people who are consistently negative, it’s probably time to focus your energy on uplifting people. Call an old friend. Meet up on Zoom. Go to dinner with a friend who makes you laugh. These moments matter—a lot.
Physical, mental, and social health
Dive into each area with me.
Physical health: A balanced diet, regular exercise, and sleep are the keys. I work hard on the first two.
My personal food philosophy is that I put no junk food in my body. What do I classify as junk? Sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods with chemicals are two things I don’t believe lend to long-term health. I like being hardcore about this general rule.
Same with exercise. I’m only limited by aches and pains in the ankles, knees, and lower back. To my detriment, on occasion, I will go exercise hurt, though I’m trying to be gentler on those three areas. Still, exercise is a hardcore spot in my world. I like it and do my best. No change there in 2025.
Bad foods and lack of exercise do not support the Essential You, or in this case, the Essential Me. I reject most of what is pushed on the American public with ultra-consumerism. Everyone can define their personal food philosophy, but this is mine, and nothing changes that in 2025!
Meanwhile, I fall short on the sleep recommendation. That’s a New Year’s resolution for me.
Mental health: Mindfulness and meditation, positive thinking, and finding support are good practices for most of us and good areas of promise. Life throws each of us curveballs. Finding a way to forge on is important, reminding ourselves that things can improve over time. We just have to march on through with the right thinking.
Social health: Relationships are a joy for me. I like people—everywhere. I like to learn about them, their cultures, how they live, and what they find interesting. Community involvement is a new New Year’s resolution. I found a food place to volunteer when I have time. I’m interested in learning more about what they do here in NYC. Finally, social health demands maintaining boundaries of respect.
Routines can help
Routines are very useful. Phil starts his day with a set of small exercises. This is new, and we plan to stick to it. I like getting up very early to write. The best is 5:20 a.m. I’m not sure how I figured out that precise time, but seeing that flashing in the clock spurs me to get up.
We have many things planned for the year, including traveling the globe, but we hope those routine resolutions stay with us as we navigate work-life balance wherever we are. Phil and I have decided to continue a mix of work and fun things. But everyone is different and will have their plans that work best for their lives.
For us what works is our version of just keeping going. We’ve learned many things, met fascinating people along the way, had some fun and hope we’re contributing positively to the world.
Wind down too!
Winding down and relaxing are not to be forgotten. Those are part of the Essential You, too. Reading more books is on my list, and not just travel memoirs and non-fiction, which I like, but fiction, especially well-written. The latest book on my nightstand is The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. It is haunting and lyrical, a gift of great writing to open nightly.
Wishes for you
However you approach 2025, I wish you the very best. Remember, the Essential You is what matters most. We all build it by making promises to ourselves one at a time, or at least one year at a time. I hope aligning your daily life with how you’d like to enhance your overall well-being leads to more good things for you in 2025!
Enjoy!