Thoughts from an anthropologist

Sometimes people ask what a biological anthropologist does. First off, the field of anthropology is a bridge to greater understanding of the wondrous diversity of humankind. Specific to biological anthropology is the study of human evolution through time, what defines us as a species, how we were shaped by natural selection and the varying environments we settled as we expanded across the globe.

• It’s fascinating to tease out how people lived their daily lives in the past, what they had to do to survive, how much they may have struggled.
• To bring them into the world of the living again is a responsibility?—?as we learn more of their story. As we seek to give them voice.
• The big question then becomes how does the past inform us today? It takes a broad understanding of the human condition, over time, to where we are now.

You see, we are not meant to live fragmented and disconnected lives. The way we are living today is often counter to our deepest needs as human beings. We are born wired for connection and meaning.

And as reasoning creatures, we yearn to make meaning out of our lived experiences. In applying an anthropological lens to help people nurture well-being, our eyes are open to a whole new way of being human.

Life seems to move at an unrelenting pace these days. There’s hardly time to adjust to one crisis before another challenge, to which we must adapt, presents itself. Ongoing changes that seem thrust on us create issues that affect not only our quality of life, but deeply impact our sense of well-being.

We store a lot in these human bodies of ours. We forget that we need to slow down and care for ourselves. We forget to breathe and exhale. We forget that?—?we’re only?human.

Everyone struggles in one way or another and most of us do our best just to keep up. So don’t be so hard on yourself or others. Too often we magnify our differences over focusing on what unites us as fallible beings.

In our search for meaning, let’s turn our focus to what really matters. That focus may be different for everyone, but I’m certain that every one of us has something to contribute to the ongoing story of human-kind.

Whatever that might be for you, let it add purpose and meaning to your life. The benefit is that you never know?—?what you do today can contribute to a better tomorrow. For someone or for everyone.

Living in a way that contributes to something that matters to you, brings a greatly enhanced sense of well-being and increased health overall.

As a fellow human and an anthropologist, I believe in people. The power of Us to bring change, to adapt, to ultimately thrive.

It’s what we need to keep going in this world and to keep this world going.?

More of Us harnessing the power to be better, to live better, to do better.