The Roots First Model
Much like a Tree, we must have a strong foundation in a network of Roots if we are to grow a strong trunk and branches, and then produce bountiful leaves and fruit. If we cultivate these Roots through simple, daily practices, we build and strengthen our foundation. Our strong foundation will build strength, balance, and flexibility in our bodies, brains, and spirits. We can then Rise Up into endless possibility, developing the ability to enjoy health, happiness, and wellbeing in all aspects of our lives.
How It Works
Our Roots are various aspects our our selves that are important for our wellbeing. We often overlook the importance of one more of our roots and/or neglect some of them completely. That is, we do not nurture ourselves with consistent self-care practices. When we do this, it is much akin to finding ourselves in an airplane emergency and trying to help someone else with his/her oxygen mask before putting on our own—we are very much neglecting our own survival needs and risking our own health in the process. Over time this depletes us, and we suffer.
Our Roots First Model emphasizes the cultivation and nurturing of our own roots first, so that we can Rise Up in our own lives and be of service to others with strength, flexibility, and balance, thus leading to far greater joy, wellbeing, and success.
Our Roots include:
Physical/Body: nutrition, rest, movement, vices, and screen time
Spiritual & Soul: connection with something/someone meaningful, greater than ourselves
Environmental: our immediate surroundings, our schedules, technology
Mental: thoughts and perceptions, focus and awareness
Emotional: our experience of our emotions and emotion regulation
Attitude: our general outlook and expectation, negativity or positivity bias
Sense of Worth & Value: how much worth and value we place on ourselves
The Trunk of the tree represents our Brain, Body, and Spirit/Soul. When we cultivate our roots, we actually build strength, balance, and flexibility in our brains, our bodies, and our spirits. We integrate these aspects of ourselves so that we experience ourselves as more whole and complete. As more integrated, whole and complete beings, we can Rise Up into the external areas of our lives with greater ease, skill, and success.
The Branches of the tree represent the skills we learn and the benefits we achieve through practice. They include greater self-awareness, presence, focus, regulation, integration, perspective, connection, and health. This is not a complete list, however. Other branches that will grow from our consistent practice include stronger impulse control, better decision-making, stronger concentration, and better regulation of emotion, affect, and behavior.
The Leaves & Fruit of the tree are the benefits we experience in ourselves and in our lives. We feel more peaceful and calm, we have a greater sense of wellbeing, we experience greater joy and more happiness, we have healthier and more connected relationships, we are more compassionate and less judgmental, we have a more positive outlook and attitude, and we experience greater self-love. These benefits lead us to become the people, parents, and/or professionals we want to be, and we experience greater success. Furthermore, as a tree drops its fruit so that its seeds will grow more similar trees, we also pass the benefits we have gained on to others. Our model not only benefits our selves, but also others and the world.