One of my favorite movies is Caddy Shack. One of my favorite lines is when Chevy Chase tells Danny his philosophy on life and golf. He says, “Stop thinking. Let things happen and be, be the ball.” Chevy then goes on to hit a perfect golf shot blindfolded. Danny then tries after prodding from Chevy and sends the ball into the pond. Why am I discussing a comedy movie on today’s Change Well podcast? Like Chevy, I want to pass on some hard-learned lessons using a fitting metaphor. Hopefully, my metaphor will lead to a successful wellness journey without the need to fish your ball out of a pond. So, to all the Dannys and Danielles out there, if you want to Change Well, be, be the bamboo.
Why did I pick bamboo, of all things, for my words of wisdom? Bamboo has many characteristics and traits you should strive for to improve your health and wellness. Here are a few reasons to be like the bamboo when facing life’s challenges. You can listen to the podcast here
1. Bend, but don’t break.
Bamboo, when facing a stiff wind, bends but does not break. Likewise, when you face a challenge or stressor, you should adapt to the challenge, bending but not falling back to negative behavior such as stress eating. Practice the resilience of bamboo and be flexible. If things do not go your way immediately, adapt and go with the flow. The storm will pass, and you will be stronger when facing the challenge.
2. Build a robust root system.
Bamboo is slow-growing. You do not know the plant is taking root for the first five years. But during this time, bamboo grows in an extensive root system. Likewise, a person trying to grow healthy and mentally resilient must nurture a system of habits that will nourish them to become a new, better person. The first tendrils of wellness may not seem much. In my case, my first tentative steps to wellness were small. I started walking around the block and changing my late afternoon cupful of M&Ms for an apple. I started with only five minutes of meditating and listening to a poem to nourish my soul.
But this network of habits built upon each other over time and spread. I tracked the increasing support system of positive, nourishing habits with a phone application called Streaks, which showed growth and consistency. I went from 5 minutes of meditating to 30 minutes of prayer and 2,000 steps to 10,000. Like bamboo, the changes from this network of habits were not very noticeable at first but formed a robust root system that nourished explosive growth in wellness over time.
3. Build upon your foundation for explosive growth in wellness.
The five years bamboo spends building roots underground pays off in rapid development. Once the root system is set, bamboo explodes upward, growing up to thirty-five inches in a single day and thirty meters high overall. Once you build a network of reinforcing wellness habits, you should seize on it like bamboo and grow to even higher goals. Once you have your wellness habits set, it is important to keep pressing forward by redefining your goals and changing your why. Here is an example from my wellness journey. Once I hit my target weight, I pushed on to a new goal of walking fifty miles in one day to support Veterans. After that, I changed it up, became a certified cycling instructor, and participated in five hours straight in spin classes to raise money for St. Jude’s Hospital. Having spent all that time and effort building your foundation, be like the bamboo and explode upward, building on each goal using your root system for nourishment.
4. Adapt to the environment.
Another fantastic quality of bamboo is that it grows in many different climates. It is resistant to disease and pests and needs little water. In fact, during hot, dry periods, Bamboo leaves curl up to conserve water. In a drought, some of the leaves even fall off to self-mulch.
When you embark on your wellness journey, the adaptability of bamboo provides a powerful example. If the weather turns cold, like in Des Moines, Iowa, look for an indoor venue to keep your walking habit up. In my case, I walk around the Des Moines skywalk. If you are on a work trip out of town, look to the concierge lounge to load up on the vegetable plate instead of having a heavy dinner on an expense count. You can thrive like bamboo in any environment with some planning and forethought.
5. Strength through simplicity.
Bamboo’s strength comes from its simplicity. Unbelievably, bamboo has more compressive strength than concrete and has a comparable strength-to-weight ratio as steel. This strength is due to its uncomplicated design, a hollow fibrous tube with few leaves or branches. Likewise, when structuring a strong wellness practice, you should avoid the clutter of fad diets and the latest trends and exercises. Instead, focus on simple and effective walking practices, sufficient sleep, a well-balanced diet, and quiet time away from stress. Focusing on the simple and decluttering your life from stressors will strengthen you against life’s challenges.
