(BlackDoctor.org) -- Just yesterday, my wife and I were walking our dog in the park near our new home. Being new to the area, we’ve been engaging people that we meet in spontaneous conversation, and yesterday was no exception.

As we walked along, a man came running up the very steep hill where we were standing, jogged in place for a few moments, stretched his arms in the air and then relaxed as he gazed out towards the city below and the mountains beyond. Muscular, athletic and trim, he was the picture of health.

A conversation began at that moment, and we spent the better part of an hour discussing health, fitness, weight loss, nutrition, diet, and the myriad ways in which one can pursue optimal health. We all readily agreed that regular exercise, a healthy diet, proper hydration, high quality supplements, the avoidance of environmental pollutants, and adequate rest are some of the most essential building blocks of overall wellness. 

Bearing in mind the factors listed above, we also agreed that emotional health, a sense of spiritual connection, and a feeling of belonging are also just as important to health as the food that one buys at the grocery store.

Once we had all agreed on the makings of optimal health, our new acquaintance began to espouse his views on health, personal success and happiness, and the driving force behind his words reflected the one remaining factor that trumps all others: attitude.
Many books and articles have been written on the importance of keeping a positive outlook and using the power of the mind to move one’s life forward. And while some people seem to simply be wired for optimism, there are also those of us who seem to naturally gravitate towards the opposite.

“Every day when I get up, I give thanks for another day on this earth and I plan how to make the most of my day,” our new friend said. “I know that I can work out every morning, lift weights, eat good food and drink lots of high quality water, but if I fail to focus my mind and remain positive throughout the day, then none of that really even matters, does it?”

We all looked out over the city as the sun continued to go down, and contemplated the scene before us.

“You know,” he continued, “people spend so much money on weight loss programs, personal trainers, and even on gym memberships that they never use. But when their feet hit the floor in the morning, they’re instantly sabotaging their own health by the ways in which they use or don’t use their minds. Do they meditate? Do they pray? Do they thank whatever (or whoever) it is that they think is responsible for them being here in the first place? Do they get out of bed and simply dread what they have to do for the next eight or ten hours, or do they get out of bed just raring to go? That’s the ultimate question: do they love what they do, do they love their life, and do they give thanks for the life that they have?”

With that, he sped off down the hill, waving goodbye and saying that he hoped to run into us again and talk some more. The fact is, we basically listened for most of the hour that we spent with him, and his words resonated deeply. Is it really all about attitude? Is it really all about gratitude? Is it really more about how we think and feel than about what we eat and how often we exercise? Perhaps it’s not so cut and dry, but one thing is for certain – attitude is more than half of the battle, and if you can win the attitude game, everything else is like icing on the proverbial cake.

By Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, BDO Contributing Writer

BDO (http://BlackDoctor.org) is the World’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans.