Think about Christmas or Thanksgiving with all that turkey. We can end up eating turkey for days, in curry, salad, pie and often would be happy to never see turkey again after having gorged on a surfeit of it. Or growing our own apples can mean that in season we have apple with everything, from breakfast to dinner as well as in-between. It is often more productive to freeze some of the apples or make pies, strudels and sauces that will be enjoyed throughout the year rather than feel the need to eat them all at once. Pacing ourselves and having less but over a longer period makes it more enjoyable and appreciated.
Exercise. noleggio auto bassano del grappa We can keep on doing what we have always done, increasing the weights, attending more classes, setting ourselves tougher challenges. The problem is that the thought of exercise can become unpleasant and something that we dread or don’t enjoy. Instead of doing a ten-mile walk why not go for half the distance and enjoy having a pub lunch en route sometimes. Challenges are important to have as goals, but enjoying what we do is more important.
Socializing. Some people are out every night. They have a busy social life, dining out, partying and generally being seen around. It is often great fun, but over time all the nights can begin to blur into each other and become less enjoyable. Boredom and nonchalance can set in. Theatre and concert visits can be a pleasant commitment but some people attend that many shows that they can’t remember what they have seen. They miss out on recalling with affection the different nights. Sometimes taking time to dress up for an occasional evening out can be far more enjoyable. It becomes more of a special event and can be treasured as a result.
Networking is often done with enthusiasm, especially by people new in business. They want to meet everyone, introduce themselves everywhere. It is often more effective to take it at a slightly slower pace, and take the time to cultivate proper relationships with the relevant people met at each event. Following up from meetings by having coffees and regular catch-ups is more effective that rushing from one network meeting to the next. Proper relationships are more likely to be developed by taking the time to get to know, like and trust people. Nurturing good relationships is the key to success in business.
Treats are great fun. But a treat is only a treat when it is an occasional indulgence. Chocolate is the classic treat. Good quality chocolate savoured and enjoyed is a lovely pleasure at times. Eat too much and it is bad for us. Having less chocolate can mean that when we do indulge we enjoy it all the more.
And that is the key to satisfaction and enjoyment. Pacing ourselves, giving ourselves challenges at times, but being aware of doing things at a comfortable pace enables us to commit to what we do, enjoy it and get the most out of each experience. It is a most positive way to live, doing less but enjoying it more.
Someone may wonder how each of the members of some couples stay attracted to each other member after many years of marriage. Perhaps the answer lies in response to the following question: “Whey would a man steal a Volkswagen if he has a Cadillac in his garage? ” While we smile at that statement, when it comes to marriage, physical intimacy is one of the greatest needs of most men. When they have “a Cadillac in the garage, ” they are much less likely to be tempted because one of their greatest needs is being met.
Average men often don’t want to be considered “average, ” but there are characteristics that men seem to share in general. Several years ago, Dr. Willard F. Harley, Jr. began to study what made marriages work. One of the things he found was that the partners in successful marriages were aware of, and tried to meet, the needs of their partners. Dr. Harley began to ask each member in the marital relationship what was important to him or her. After asking the questions over and over again, he came up with a list of ten basic needs. Then he asked the husbands to list them in the order of importance. Likewise, he asked the wives to list them in the order of importance. He found that many times, the top five needs of the wife were the lower five needs of the husband. Likewise often the top five needs of the husband were the lower five needs of the wife.
“Wow! ” exclaimed Adam. I’m told that is what the Hebrew word meant that described what Adam said when God brought Eve to him. I’m not really sure if that holds up completely linguistically, but I think it does describe the God-given attraction that a man has for a woman. In the lists that Dr. Harley had men and women make, most men listed sexual fulfillment-physical intimacy-in their list of top five needs. In fact, most of them listed it as their number one need. (Now, that doesn’t mean there is something wrong with a man who listed that need in his lower five prioritized needs, but it does point out how many men are “wired. “) Why is this physical intimacy such a great need for men? One reason is the amount of testosterone that flows through the male body. This chemical does enhance the need for physical intimacy.
When God created all the rest of Creation, he said it was good, but when He created male and female human beings, he described that creative result as being very good. One of the purposes of physical intimacy is to bring children into the world, but we also learn from the Bible that husbands and wives are to enjoy each other. In Genesis 2: 24, we read: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. ” After Adam said, “Wow! ” God told them to cleave unto each other and to become one flesh. They were to enjoy physical intimacy. The Bible describes this physical intimacy as a man “knowing” his wife (and a wife “knowing” her husband). In the New Testament, Paul, the apostle, wrote in Ephesians 5: 31, 32: “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. ” Paul said that the very act of enjoying physical intimacy depicts a much greater truth that describes the relationship between Christ and the church. Proverbs 5: 18, 19 speaks of a man enjoying physical intimacy with his wife: “Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. ” That word, “ravished is rendered in various ways in different translations. Some of the descriptions are: enraptured, exhilarated, and intoxicated.
Though part of the words in the book may be metaphorical, The Song of Solomon, in the Bible is filled with the imagery of a husband and wife enjoying each other. The simple fact of the matter is that the Bible indicates that physical intimacy is intended for pleasure as well as for bringing children into the world.
Men and women think in different ways. The way women think is described as generally viewing all of life as being interrelated. If that is true, we can see why spiritual intimacy also contributes to physical intimacy in the case of many women, but other things cause spiritual intimacy to contribute to physical intimacy in both men and women. One of those has to do with the amount of trust we put in our partner. If we trust him or her completely, we are more relaxed and able to enjoy other aspects of our marriages. Physical intimacy also describes, very much, a “giving” of ourselves to each other. Therefore, spiritual intimacy does indeed contribute to physical intimacy.