Last Monday I had the honor of speaking at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting at church about self care. After being invited to and agreeing to the engagement, I spent the last few weeks trying to figure out what I was going to say, how I was going to say it, terrified that I made a mistake by agreeing to the commitment. I am shy. I am not accustomed to public speaking. I don’t know much about the bible. I do know quite a bit about health, nutrition, and the importance of taking care of yourself, but was that enough? Well, I overcame my fear and went for it. I can’t say that I knocked the speech out of the ballpark, but I hope that I was able to create at least a little bit of inspiration on the subject of taking care of yourself. So, I thought I’d recap some of my thoughts here (because after all, writing is much more in my comfort zone).
In reading through bible passages on self care, I was inspired by the following verses. 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body”. I felt that both of these were very powerful. So often we think of church as a holy place, but how often do we think of our body as a temple? I for one, cannot say that I have prior to this, although I do try my best to take care of my body and am consistently trying to improve upon that.
What does it mean to take care of your body/temple? Well, there are many facets of that – your mind, health, nutrition, exercise, spiritual self, rest… They are all intrinsic to one another and paramount in our well being as well as our ability to care for others. The ten commandments say to “Love thy neighbor as thyself”. But as parents, and humans, in our busyness, we all too often forget to take care of ourselves and put all of our focus into caring for our families and the people around us. And the truth is, in doing so, we are not living to God’s desires for us, nor are we giving others the fullest and best version of ourselves if we are not taking care of our well being. There should be no guilt in taking care of ourselves.
Health and Nutrition:
The first area I focused on in caring for our bodies/temples is our health and nutrition. Giving our bodies the health and nutrition that it needs helps our energy, body composition, mood, mental clarity, ability to model good eating behavior to our children, sleep, immunity, long term health… So many of the diseases that we see and hear of today are largely preventable through our diets – Type II Diabetes, cancers, heart failure, obesity… We don’t know what our health is worth until it’s gone. And then, what happens to our ability to care for others? Have you ever been sick and tried to take care of your kids? Now, imagine that amplified by 100. How would it affect your family if you were too sick to function? A few years ago, I had my own health experience that helped me to realize the importance of health and nutrition. I went from being “completely healthy” to unexpectedly in severe pain, exhausted beyond measure, malnourished and miserable in a matter of six months and left with a diagnosis of IBS and a bunch of prescriptions that left me feeling worse instead of better. I had no energy to play with my son and had no idea how I could live the rest of my life feeling so horrible. So, I spoke to my friend, whom introduced me to Shaklee’s vitamins and protein and literally within two weeks, I felt amazing. What this experience really showed me, was what my health was worth. It created a passion in me to help others in a natural fashion and to create a healthier lifestyle for myself and my family. Looking back, I was lucky. My story could have been much worse, and I am thankful that it was not. Now my hope is to help and inspire others to take care of themselves so that, as much as possible, these stories can be avoided. Our bodies are amazing machines if we give them what they need.
Our health and nutrition affects so many areas of our life. And I cannot deny that it can be daunting to create a healthier foundation, however, I recommend making small changes in your habits and working your way into a healthier lifestyle. It may be that you are eating too much or even too little, but ultimately, most of us do not get the nutrition that we need from our diet alone. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet often overlooked (although how many of us make sure to get our coffee regardless of the circumstances?). To incorporate breakfast into my busy lifestyle, an easy step that I made (and recommend to others) is making a protein smoothie – it’s a healthy, convenient breakfast; whereas in the past I didn’t ever take the time to eat breakfast, now I know that I’m starting my day with the nutrients that it needs without the added time involved in sitting down and eating a meal. Another thing you can do is make healthier snacks readily available – fruit, cut up veggies, nuts, Shaklee 180 snacks… Healthy choices that don’t take up extra time or effort to think about. Then, slowly progress into making healthier meal choices. Don’t completely deny yourself of the foods that you love or else you are bound to fail – little steps create big changes and your body will thank you later. Also, make sure that you are drinking adequate amounts of water. You should be drinking a MINIMUM of half your body weight in ounces of water each day. Often times, our dehydration is mistaken for hunger. So, prior to reaching for that second helping of food or grabbing a snack, drink a full glass of water and see if you still feel hungry. Still need more reasons to eat healthier and take your vitamins? Research has found that lack of nutrients in the diet can be a leading cause of obesity – and that through giving your body the nutrients and protein that it needs, you will also help the receptors that cue satiety, meaning that you will eat less and still feel full. The nutrients and vitamins will also help your energy levels!
Exercise:
Another way to help you feel full is exercise. Exercise will give us many of the same health benefits as health/nutrition. And, as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde said, and one of my best friends has gotten stuck in my head, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t shoot their husbands.” Ha, ha… Funny, because it’s true. Same goes for the kids sometimes 😉 But really. Exercise is a great way to relieve stress as well as overall health. So, find something that you enjoy doing and that will keep you motivated/wanting to go. And, don’t feel like you have to spend an hour and a half at the gym to get a good workout. You can break your workouts up throughout the day and still reap the benefits. My workouts are about 20 minutes and work you, hard. Exercise can also be a great time and/or way to connect with God – being in nature, listening to your body and watching the things around you can create so much awe and appreciation for all that surrounds us. But, ultimately, fit exercise in where you can – during those down times – commercial breaks, bath time… Wherever, whenever you can. Just move your body! And, if you need a little entertainment ~ get the kids to do some jumping jacks and/or stretches with you! It’s funny and fun to see them get in on the action!
Sleep & Rest:
There are many areas in the bible that refer to rest. God WANTS YOU TO REST and your body needs time to sleep and rest for your health. It is the time in which your body repairs and rebuilds. Lack of sleep can affect your mood, your cognitive abilities, health and safety. As parents, it is hard to get enough sleep, whether it’s because the kids are waking up throughout the night or because we feel like we need to get things done when the kids are sleeping (as I am often guilty of doing). We need to give ourselves a break. What’s more important in the long run, our health and our children’s safety? Or getting the laundry folded and put away and the house spotless? Seven hours is the minimum amount of sleep that our body’s need each night. Fact – for every hour of sleep lost under seven hours, we add 20% more calories to our day. In one week, that equals one pound – it adds up quick. And that’s not getting into all of the other detrimental health effects.
Mind/Spiritual Self:
Taking the time to pray, read devotionals, worship, be alone with God. Whatever that looks like to you, I encourage you to take that time to be with God and share your troubles or triumphs. It can really take your ability to care for yourself to the next level when you know that someone is always with you to help carry the burden. Another area that hits close to home for me in regard to your mind is anxiety and depression. I have had a life-long battle with depression and it can absolutely influence my/your ability to care for the people around me/you when you are struggling to be okay with yourself – when your mind just will not shut off the sadness, worry, stress… If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety or depression, encourage them to get help. Talking to someone about your feelings can be very beneficial. As well as getting proper nutrients, addressing your health, getting adequate rest and sleep, and exercise. I cannot begin to tell you how much those factors have helped me with my depression. But if you need medication, then get it. Whatever it takes to be the happiest, most content version of yourself, I encourage you to get the help that you need for your depression and anxiety (easier said than done, I know, but worth it in the long run).
Taking the time to nurture your marriage or partnership can also provide relief for your mind. As your partner is the one that you have chosen to share your life with, you also must share what is going on in your mind. Sometimes your partner may not even be aware of how overwhelmed you are with the kids, the house, life – if you don’t take the time to talk to them about it. How would they? And how do we expect them to help if we don’t ask for it? Spending time alone together can be a great time to talk, reconnect, and feel the love for one another. And often times, that in and of itself can help us get through the mental hurdles that we are facing in life. It can also provide a positive example for our children as to what a happy, healthy, marriage and relationship looks like and help us as parents to be on the same page.
Friendship is a great way to relieve our stress. Laughing about the daily struggles of life, parenting, and memories is good for our souls. It can help to feel that you are not alone in the things that you are going through and just to have that positive outlet with someone that you love being around is a treat!
Creating designated “fun time” is a new concept that I’m working on with my family, and I feel that it is a great way for us to ensure that we are actually taking the time to enjoy each other’s company, laughter, and lives without anything else getting in the way. I highly recommend it! It’s easy to get caught up in everything that has to get done, and just make it through the days, only to realize that we are missing out on important time that could be spent seeing the love and laughter of our children and basking in that, absorbing that, and seeing that before it’s too late. I love the time that we have recently created and I believe it is just as important to the kids, as it is to me. To allow myself and my husband the freedom to “just be” in their presence is very refreshing.
Final Thoughts:
We cannot expect to make all of these changes at once. Little steps create big reactions and will help propel us in the right direction to take the steps to taking better care of our bodies/temples. I was recently introduced to the concept of SMART goals and I feel that they are very helpful in creating true change. These SMART goals are – Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, & Timely. What that means is that, rather than having the goal, “I’m going to exercise more often”, you would set the goal, “I’m going to go on a 20 minute walk five days a week starting today”. And then, adjust your goals as you reach them. This will help you to feel accomplished and successful as you start reaching your milestones. It is also important to think about what is holding you back? Is it fear of failure? How would it impact your outcome if you were to reform and rephrase your thoughts with a continual analysis of positive outlooks. Such as, rather than thinking “What if I fail?”, ask yourself “What if I allow myself this experience?”. And if it is time, do you know anyone that has too much time on their hands? (If you do, please send them my way – I’ll put them to work!) Time is not a commodity that we often feel like we have too much of. However, not taking the time to care for ourselves now, will impact our ability to care for others later. So, think about the impact that that will have on your life if you are giving your body the food, nutrients, exercise, sleep, and/or spiritual time that it needs. Focus on WHY you need to take better car of yourself and what actions you are going to take to move forward with that. And, find an accountability partner that will help support, inspire and encourage you along the way. Failure is inevitable, but the ability to keep moving forward is much more powerful (and attainable) with a friend, family member, spouse or someone that can help you along the way so that your plans, goals and successes stick and are recognized. That is part of what I am doing with my business for people through partnering with Shaklee and I love doing it. So, if you don’t have an accountability partner, please talk to me and I would love to help support you in reaching, achieving, and excelling in your goals to take care of yourself and live the life that you want! Good luck!!!
Closing Prayer:
As I bring this to a close, my prayer is this, from John 3 1:2 “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul”. I also pray that each of you may take the steps to take better care of yourselves, your body, your temple, and if I am to be that vehicle of support and inspiration, that I do so in God’s interest. Amen
Reflections:
*Are you glorifying God in the way that you are treating your body/temple (mind, health, nutrition, exercise, sleep)?
*What is holding you back from taking the best possible care of your body/temple? If fear is a factor, rather than thinking “What if I fail?” how would it impact your outcome if you focused instead on “What would it feel like if I allow myself this experience?”
*What are some small steps that you could take to focus on taking better care of your body/temple? How would that impact you? Your family? Your marriage? Your relationship with God?
*What actions could you take to keep you accountable for caring for yourself? If you need an accountability partner, who will that be? And how would you like them to support you? (Remember the importance of prayer, sisterhood/brotherhood, and/or marriage bonds)
Growing Four Life 