Photo by Alex Woods on Unsplash
Monday, Feb 5, 2018
When we start a new project or challenge it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of doing something new or different. Then we may hit a roadblock, get off track or just get bored and it starts to fizzle.
Were you invigorated to start a few new healthy habits in the New Year? Now you find yourself off-track and bogged down with to-do lists, chores, an illness, or just feeling tired. It happens! Life gets busy and often we are our own biggest critic.
In a recent teaching at Grace Church, in Chapel Hill, NC, I got a great reminder from the pastor to revisit the basic questions to reignite the energy and get back on the road to feeling happy and healthy.
1. What’s your why?
Why is this goal important to you? How will you feel when you’ve accomplished this goal?
2. What is true?
Maybe you did not have time to batch cook for the work week, but you did go grocery shopping and purchased the foods that make you feel better. Your inner critic may try to call that a failure, but what’s true is that you took steps toward a Well-Balanced life. Instead of thinking about what did not get done, sometimes the best thing we can do is just keep going. Step-by-step. Each better choice empowers you to do more of the same.
3. What is MY responsibility?
It’s easy to get caught up in the mom duties, covering for a sick coworker, caring for your partner, or an aging parent. First, we need to take care of ourselves before we can take care of our loved ones. When you take care of yourself first you have the energy to take care of others.
This may include learning when to say “no, thank you.” Such as declining the invite to volunteer for another fund-raiser at school or working overtime for the 3rd week in a row. When we say “yes” to everyone else we, in turn, are saying “no” to ourselves.
4. What matters most?
As Pastor Kendrick says, do first what is most important. Have you ever had a sick family member at the hospital? It is likely you found yourself making time in the evening and on weekends to visit your loved one. We make time for what is important to us. It’s okay to make time for our own health and wellness needs because they matter. It may mean blocking the 4 o’clock slot on your work calendar so you can leave by five to make it home in time to cook dinner. Or maybe you dedicate the first 5 minutes of your lunch break to meditation or prayer time.
Food for thought:
As you read this, remember you are on the road to feeling good and Well-Balanced.
You already know what you need to do to reach your goals, which step above will take you where you want to go?
If you need someone to talk about goal-setting or how to make healthy lifestyle changes, we are here to help. Just click here to start the conversation.
