What has eyes, fins, is squared, and bright yellow with dark polka dots?  It’s the boxfish!  The boxfish can swim a distance of six times its body length each second.  But its unsuspecting feat is more about aerodynamic qualities than strength.  Interestingly, its cube like shape turns out to be a greater help, rather than a hindrance.  The secret is its bony outer skin which gives it maximum strength with minimal weight.  It’s unique appearance and construction enables it to maneuver outstandingly to protect itself from injury.  In fact, that attribute is modeled for us in the auto industry in the way of safer, more fuel efficient, yet lightweight vehicles.  When tested in a wind tunnel, the boxfish “model” slipped through the air far more efficiently than a compact car.

Although the boxfish may at first be clumsy looking, it is on the cutting edge of aerodynamic design for the most fuel efficient car ever.

Since nature is a most wonderful teacher, how does this almost comical little fish influence our lives, especially as we continue to our desired outcome of Optimal Health?

Well, I’m sure you’ll agree with me when I say that the boxfish is surely unique by virtue of its size, shape & color!  Then there’s that ability to swim almost uncannily fast for its size – a special ability which is only shared by few creatures in the animal kingdom.   Readily, we all must admit, we are all just as unique in size, shape & color, as well.  We might not have fins, but we have arms and legs and fingers and toes…we have our fingerprints that tell each of our unique stories.

So what unique abilities do we have?  Some of us know what our skills are.   Perhaps we’re a woodworker, jewelry designer, a knitter of sweaters, a baker, a soccer mom or baseball dad, or perhaps we paint or write or teach others how to do these things.  Even the smallest thing that is special about us makes us stand out, like the boxfish.

But the lesson here for us is how our unique characteristics, like those of the boxfish, qualify us for the task at hand.  We are strong, but without being too tough.  We are fast, but without rushing.  We may even be curious to the casual onlooker, but we are not odd, or anti-social.

We may have developed a kind of strategy to out-maneuver our critics to keep ourselves from sustaining injury, like perhaps hurt feelings or a broken heart.  But just like the boxfish, if we take inventory of all of our defining qualities, we find that we have in fact, become fairly skilled at slipping through our lives.  Our own personal efficiency rating relies heavily on why we choose to use our carefully honed skills in such a manner.

Perhaps it’s time for us to turn those skills inward…to use all of that energy and competence to design a new life for ourselves.  One where we are strong and proud….fast and efficient and accomplished…..happy and comfortable in our own skin and able to rise above the spontaneous critic.   Perhaps it’s time for us to stroke the cutting edge of a new design for the most resourceful and efficient ‘us’ ever!

Succeeding at creating health can bring the kind of transformation which can produce the most unanticipated results.  What was once only a passing thought or dream can become reality.  It’s all right there for us…this incredible opportunity to walk, run, live and breathe where before there were aches and pains and sore knees and throbbing shoulders.   Appropriate weight loss accomplished in a common sense and yet timely fashion will saturate us in self-confidence, where whatever our unique abilities are, we are fully able to express them, enjoy them and use them to benefit ourselves, those we love and perhaps the world that we swim in, just like the boxfish.  Hang in there, and just keep swimming!  We may be on the cusp of identifying our unique abilities.