Why I cannot lose weight?
Why I cannot quit drinking?
Why I cannot quit smoking?
Why I cannot save money?
Why I cannot build a long lasting relationship?
Why I cannot “yada…yada…yada”?
Because many of you have been conditioned into the narrow range of biological tolerance – slowly and surely everyone will become the victim of his/her own biology.
What is the biological tolerance?
Biological tolerance is the capability of a living organism to take on and thrive with the fluctuation or change of the external environment.
All living things including the human species are created within the naturally determined range of biology that promotes the complexity of movements and behaviors – termed as Life. Collectively, it is so rare such that the best of humanity has yet located the resemblance beyond the earth boundary.
The biological tolerance is defined by two extremes endpoints with the mixture amalgamated in between –
- Pleasure
- Suffering
As of the first quarter of the 21st century, the world population is living the much higher standard of living comparing to their ancestors just a little two to three hundred centuries ago.
The side effect of the higher standard of living is smaller range of biological tolerance – the population is biologically weaker and less hardy in comparison to the older generations.
The similar reality is observed when compare the wealthy families whose children are pampered in pleasure and comfort verses the kids from the less fortunate families.
With the exception of extreme poverty, children from the less affluent families have a higher tolerance in the fluctuation of the external environment.
They are more capable of enduring varieties of stresses through life – as inevitably the external environment will drastically change for every 10 years of a life span.
What is the relationship between biological tolerance and the ability to handle stress?
As defined above, biological tolerance is the ability of an organism to take on and thrive in a wide range of situations.
For example, a mere fluctuation in a few degrees in temperature will bring on the stress that prevent the majority of population from making sound decision – especially the ones who have been pampered in extreme comfort for most of their lives.
Another example, hunger or a tiny deprivation of ten percents – 200 calories deficit of an average of 2000 calories per day, will induce so much stress for so many people such that it a barrier preventing them of moving to a healthier life style.
The smaller the range of the biological tolerance of a person in relative to the change in the environment the greater the stress the person will experience.
When the critical level of stress is reached – the primordial survival instinct takes over and the rationality that defined the pinnacle of human species ceased to exist.
When the survival of the fittest mode is turned on, the subsequent action and behavior is dictated by the animalistic instinct not much different than a chimpanzee – the closest relative to the human.
All logic and rationality gained through ten thousand years of civilization is severely blocked by the primordial foundation that all living animals are rooted.
The best game plan for a person to expand the size of his/her biological tolerance is the openness to the new and wider range of experiences.
The experiences can be categorized in two areas –
- Physical exposures
- Psychological enlightenment
The key thing to remember in the physical exposures area is the avoidance of the participation in the extreme pleasure and comfort activities.
Many things and activities that reward extreme personal pleasure and comfort will eventually led to addictions.
Your brain cannot tell the difference between a useful activity that gives a person a sense of accomplishment and the drug that brought on the hallucination – the brain will produce a set of feel good hormones as feedback to the person without much prejudice of the external stimulations.
As a matter of reality, drugs are more effective in fooling the brain because of the instant gratification. Whereas, a useful activity will require much more time and effort to bring about the proficiency – the level at which the brain can translate to the feeling of self-efficacy.
Once the critical exposure time is reached and the million of neurons have rooted in the brain in response to the regularity in the frequency of the activity – addiction is inevitable and brain is trapped by the enslavement of the external activity.
In addition to drugs, food addiction and many general consumerism activities are potentially the Achilles-heel to the indiscriminate brain.
The litmus test for the things and activities in the area of physical exposures to be avoided are those that give instant biological gratification – they will curtail the biological tolerance.
Whereas, exposure or experience that may initially introduce discomfort, but the distress gradually dissipates overtime – in replacement is acclimation, self-efficacy, sense of accomplishment and pride. Biological tolerance will expand with the repeated exposure to the experience in time.
Examples of excellent physical exposures are sports, exercises, hiking, camping – any activity that enables the participation with nature and the great outdoor lifestyle.
Psychological enlightenment is another area of experiences which will expand the range of the biological tolerance.
Examples of excellent enlightenment are higher learning, travel and immerse in different cultures in foods and activities, purposeful entrepreneurship that make the world a little better before the person comes into existence.
Life is in full bloom once the range of biological tolerance is grown to tolerate the stress that resulted from the Self climbs the ladder of relationships toward the pinnacle of belonging – humanity.
The simple reason most people cannot –
- Lose weight
- Quit drinking
- Quit smoking
- Save money
- Build a long lasting relationship
Simply, many of them have not matured beyond their very own and limited biological tolerance – inside the Self container.
As a result, they are unable to endure a little hunger, overcome self afflicted addiction and tolerate any perspective that is slightly different from their tunnel vision.
The ones who have broadened their biological tolerance through physical exposure and psychological enlightenment will gain additional capability in the management of their own biology – a giant step beyond the Self circle of entrapment.
The better life is around the corner waiting for those who are willing to take tiny steps toward discomfort and incremental delays in instant gratification.
Let’s play the Game of Life!
