Why and How
Constitution – the aggregate of a person’s physical and psychological characteristics.
Growing up, now and then I heard references made to a person’s constitution. Having a “strong constitution” was considered praise amongst the sturdy, Midwestern farm stock from which we had descended. It meant that someone was physically strong and emotionally resilient.
With that point of reference, I came to believe that a person’s constitution was mostly driven by their physiology and most certainly determined at birth. Not unlike a litter of puppies, there were alphas and runts among us.
As time passed, my perception changed. While we certainly have some predetermined physical characteristics, there is much over which we have influence. Food, water, and rest are fuel to our bodies just as surely as sunlight, soil, and rain are to plants. And so it follows, the more nutrient rich the fuel, the healthier the crop.
What I have been surprised to learn is that our choices affect the strength of our psychological constitution as well. In the same way that doing esteemable things supports our self-esteem, being willing to live authentically strengthens our authentic core.
The paradox of our psychological constitution is that the more risk we are willing to take on our own behalf, the more psychologically resilient we become. The more true to our natures, honest, and willing to advocate for ourselves we are, the more we find we have the strength to do so.
The reverse is also true. The more we subjugate our needs or marginalize ourselves, the weaker we become. The fewer decisions we make, the less sure of our decisions we are. Being less true to ourselves inherently diminishes authenticity.
It can’t not.
It is for this reason that when facing compromise or considering sacrifice, asking ourselves why and how we are to do something is equally important as what we choose to do.
