Excess is an issue

Nature, plants or animals- do not take anything, more than their requirement. They do not store but live life freely, finding food and shelter as needed, depending on nature and themselves.

Human beings on the contrary do need to store some stuff for protection from any calamity and mostly to protect themselves from other human beings. However, currently this accumulation is growing much beyond need. 

Excess of food, dresses, furniture,  excess use of mobile, internet, machines of all kinds , excess entertainment, excess work etc. is a lifestyle of today.

This excess is not doing us any good rather it’s harmful in several ways. It leads to extra work on body and mind system.

Excess usage of our body or mind is causing sickness and diseases within. On one hand, body and mind get tired with overuse, moreover, they don’t get enough rest and relaxation for day-to-day healing as needed. Such health problems may collect and become bigger, creating diseases over time.

Excess usage of machines is making us dependent and thus preventing development of our own capabilities. Body needs certain minimum quantity of physical exercise to remain fit. We are more than 65% water, so our body needs movement for circulation of fluids, within our system. A sedentary lifestyle with very few movements of bones and muscles is causing metabolic disorders and several diseases, which is a known fact.

Excess entertainment is also harmful, yes. It drives one away from solving real life problems into a dream world. It is an escape into an illusion, a story, a song which may sooth the heart and mind , most importantly forget current issues. 

People who may tend to over-think, feel troubled, disturbed, emotionally & mentally, generally seek more entertainment. It may not be required daily, otherwise, but only once in a while, for a chosen change, for people who are well in all 3 dimensions of body, mind and spirit. 

Time lost watching others perform, cannot be regained and leaves us stressful and hurrying for one's own tasks. Personal and spiritual growth thus gets affected in the process of seeking excess pleasure, as these areas cannot not be given deserved time and priority.

Above discussion of doing more than needed in few areas of life, with examples showcases negative effect and harm attained. These are based on experiential learning of multiple people who have suffered due to the habit of excess. Thus, for a healthy, peaceful life, where simple joys of wonderful experiences can be noticed, it seems essential to avoid any excess, as one important, initial step.

What to do instead-

Human body & mind talk , so just listening to them with respect can do wonders. As a harmonious being, one can give rest, food and work as appropriate and natural, for good health of body and mind. 

For example : on many occasions we may discover that we may not feel hungry, but it is time for our meal. It is actually better not to eat, just because of snack or dinner schedule. 

When there is no hunger, not eating that time and skipping the meal, is a healthier option to choose. 

If we consume food without hunger, we may end up feeling gastric, lethargic or unable to work fast for sometime. Some of you may have noticed this for yourself.

If such habit is regular, multiple issues, such as weight gain, digestive problems and diseases may get created, over time.

For remaining physically fit, regular small movements work great.

Looking out for opportunities to do small work manually by hand or walk to a near by place, take the stairs instead of lift etc. are simple habits of keeping the body active. They go a long way in keeping the metabolism good and bringing fitness in a simplistic way. 

On one hand we must avoid overuse of electronic gadgets and relax our mind, as needed. However, it is equally important to allow healthy exercise of brain. For example: it might feel great to calculate, do an addition of a bill  mentally or remember few phone numbers and type them, rather than always use mobile and Google for every small work. 

Simple, regular exercise shall keep our brain functioning better, and remain useful instead of being  replaced with tools, most often. 

Excess processing for quick cooking of multiple dishes is not bringing health as possible, rather reducing it. Use of machinery for cooking, tampers with the nutritive value of food. Instead, using manual ways for example to chop veggies or steam cook rather than using microwave, can give more natural and healthier food. Not only do we obtain more satisfying food, but this slow, manual cooking food is also good for exercise of body and relaxation of mind. This is recommended as the option of wellness.

Have you ever wondered, why one may need to entertain oneself? If there was tension at work or lot of pending work at office or family is asking for more time, why some people run for entertainment, instead? It is generally, an escapism from the mental stress, to avoid an argument or an uncomfortable self-talk.

If one is overly tired, what they need is relaxation, which is not received by filling in more information in the form of entertainment. The mind actually needs a break. 

At this time, just sleeping off or doing some light yoga asana or pranayama, walking, spending time with nature or talking to family and kids, doing some group activity may be much more rewarding.

If there is some tension, it might be better to sit quietly, write down the issues or talk to someone and have an intention to work out the options when the mind is ready to think. These actions will help to lessen the problem in some way and with consistency can carve a path to the solution. 

Choosing to entertain oneself at this time, doesn’t help to progress on much needed aspects, it just avoids the issue for time being. Sometimes, such problems may grow and we may face more difficulties with procrastination. One must rather face them now, bravely in our internal world.

In general, being mindful and choosing "just enough", avoiding any excess, can be quite helpful in the long run. When we establish such practice in multiple areas, life is more likely to become healthier, happier and peaceful. Such thoughtful choosing regularly, has a potential to develop self belief and respect, which are most valuable and progressive for self-development.