Here is Why We Love the Amazing Sloth, And You Should Too
Before we dive too deeply into today’s topic (the incredible sloth and why it’s the perfect role model), we invite you to join us in this brief, adorable interlude. Behold: a very sleepy baby sloth with the biggest yawns ever.
Okay, now let’s get down to business. You might be wondering why on earth Myrth chose the sloth as a role model. After all, we’re working hard here to build better selves, better support systems, and better habits, right? And aren’t sloths lazy?
Hey, wait a minute, isn’t sloth one of the seven deadly sins?
Sloths, it turns out, aren’t lazy at all. They are doing exactly what they need to do, when they need to do it, to optimize their well-being. We could all learn a thing or two from them.
For one thing, the sloth sleeps an average of 15 hours a day and travels only about 41 meters each day. That’s not because the sloth just doesn’t care to do other things. It’s because sloths have an unusually low metabolic rate. They move slowly and sleep a lot because it takes a long time for their bodies to break down their food and turn it into energy. Moving faster or farther would be harmful to them in the long run.
That applies to us, too, when you think about it.
Like sloths, we humans have limits placed on us by our bodies’ needs. Our bodies need sleep, time to metabolize the food we give them, and a chance to rebuild tired muscles after hard work. Our brains need that, too. If we push ourselves too hard and don’t move at the pace that’s right for our bodies, we can hurt ourselves or worse.
Sloths, it turns out, aren’t lazy at all. They are doing exactly what they need to do, when they need to do it, to optimize their well-being.
The sloth teaches us that pushing ourselves too hard for too long is a recipe for disaster. Listen to your body and mind, and move at the pace that is best for you, even if that pace doesn’t match the others around you.
Here’s something else about sloths: they’re excellent swimmers. When we talk about sloths, we tend to focus a lot on how slowly and clumsily sloths move on the ground. That makes them vulnerable to predators and moving vehicles.
In the water, though, sloths are remarkably graceful and can swim long distances. This is a handy adaptation because their home forests in Central and South America frequently experience heavy rains and flooding.
It’s helpful to remember that sometimes, the things about ourselves that we think of as liabilities might actually be gifts in a different context. That’s especially true when we’re focusing on building new habits or breaking old ones. A change of context, especially when we add in a support system or an accountability buddy, can be just the difference we need to get the most out of ourselves.
Let the sloth guide you toward finding the environment you need to be your best self.
If you love sloths as much as we do, you might want to check out our friends at the Sloth Appreciation Society! They’re doing great work to protect sloths and spread the word about how great these critters really are.
Have you ever felt inspired or encouraged by an animal before? We’d love it if you shared with us in the comments! Let’s celebrate all the wonderful animals that bring inspiration and purpose into our worlds.