By Tricia Greaves Nelson

I have had the honor of knowing Roy Nelson for over 25 years now. As a spiritual healer and mentor, Roy has been responsible for changing my life by helping me maintain a 50 lb. weight loss, live free from alcohol, avoid destructive relationships, and obtain a level of self-esteem I could never have known otherwise.

Perhaps more important than all of these gifts, however, is the fact that for 25 Years Roy has shown me an example of what living by spiritual principles really means, up close and personal. I have also observed, that by living this way one can experience real happiness and joy.

I would be remiss if I kept these lessons on how to be happy to myself, so I thought I would share here what I’ve been blessed to learn from seeing Roy Nelson in daily action.

1. Care about things of the heart

Anyone who’s been around Roy for any length of time will soon observe that Roy focuses on the most important things of life. He can’t get very excited about superficial things…how he looks, the clothes he wears (it’s hard to get him out of sweatpants or jeans) or the status of people he knows. Roy cares about things of the heart: how he treats others, how he cares for himself, having love in his Heart, and seeking a connection with Spirit.

2. Treat yourself with respect

 
You can generally determine a person’s level of self-esteem by observing how they treat themselves. Do they take care of their needs? Do they put their foot down when treatment from others is not acceptable? Are they clear and direct in their communication? Do they give to others from the overflow in their hearts, rather than from a need to please? These are all signs of a healthy sense of self-respect that I have learned by observing Roy in his everyday life.

3. Treat your body with respect

Roy didn’t always treat his Body with respect (he was 120 lbs. overweight, alcoholic, and smoked cigarettes.) But for the past 35 years Roy has understood that his body is a temple of Divine Spirit, and for that reason, he is very deliberate and painstaking about caring for it.

Roy doesn’t cut corners when it comes to his health. He drinks plenty of water, takes vitamin supplements, meditates and walks, and does many other things to stay healthy. Roy also remains alert to possible symptoms in his body and immediately searches for the root cause and seeks appropriate measures to heal. Roy also doesn’t hesitate to seek help, both medical and holistic, when the need arises. Roy is extremely teachable and integrates into his daily health regimen every bit of new health information he learns. Roy is passionate about helping others and in order to do so he knows he needs to be as healthy as possible.

4. Treat others with respect

I think the most remarkable trait Roy displays, without waiver, is a deep respect for people. Whether it’s a homeless person on the street, a person of wealth and prestige, or a client that is perpetually negative, Roy is attentive and cares about how they feel. Roy is incredibly principled and for this reason he tries hard to treat all people equally.

And Roy really does care; he will put aside whatever he is doing to make sure someone is heard, and is taken care of. The gift Roy gave to me and that he gives to every person he interacts with is to let us know that we matter. He always circles back to amend any situation in which he feels he may have offended someone and to ensure that the other person is ok.

In addition, Roy expresses appreciation and gratitude for people he encounters. You cannot be around Roy without hearing him tell someone how much he appreciates him or her. This often takes people by surprise, but it always seems to touch their heart. Roy’s favorite saying, which aptly describes how he shows up in the world is, “they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Next week I will share more of the lessons I have learned from watching Roy apply spiritual principles to his daily life. Taking his lead and demonstrating these qualities in your own life can make the difference between being unhappy and living in joy.