Medical
Do you floss your teeth every day? If not, today is the day to begin. Floss your teeth after you brush before going to bed. If your teeth are spaced tightly together, buy floss that is wax coated.
Movement
Sound can be an important part of movement, but we often ignore it. Today go for a walk and listen to the rhythm of your feet on the ground and the sound of your breath. You may even be able to hear your heartbeat as it rises.
Work
If you are able today, put on some soft music while you work, using either small speakers or headphones. Listening to music can help to pass time and can also lift your mood or relax you.
Emotional
If you feel frustrated, try making some noise. Scream into a pillow or bang some pots and pans together. Making the noise will help you to relieve some aggression and frustration so that you can gradually relax.
Family and Friends
When you gather family and friends for a holiday or special occasion, think about playing games instead of focusing entirely on food. That way the gathering is more about being in each other’s company rather than eating.
Nutrition
Instead of buying canned soup, make a large pot of soup on your stove top or in a slow cooker. Eat some tonight and put at least one night’s worth in the freezer to eat on a busy day. (Hint: season the soup with spices and herbs rather than with salt.)
Evening Wrap-up
Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! . . .All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.”
PSALM 66:1-4
Sound can be reminders of God’s grace and presence in our lives. Noises can also be ways that we can praise and worship God. The psalmist writes, “Make a joyful noise.” Can there be a more joyful noise than a healthy person moving and enjoying the movement? What would happen if we considered the sound of our feet on the pavement on the same level as praise and worship songs? We would probably walk a little more. As we move forward, let us remember that God loves us and wants us to be healthy.
Dear God, thank You for the gift of sound. Help me to hear the music all around me, even in my own footsteps. In Your holy name, Amen.
Day 33:
Sight
Morning Reflection
As we continue on the wellness journey, the things we are used to seeing may begin to look different. Our eyesight, in a manner of speaking, changes. Food labels and methods of preparation that were once appealing may not be so appealing anymore. Riding the elevator may look like a wasted opportunity to take the stairs. Wellness changes our perspective in many ways. Today we will focus on the ways in which wellness changes our sight.
Faith Life
Do you have potluck dinners at your church? The next time you have a potluck dinner, try bringing a healthy dish instead of a more typical dish. (For example, bring fresh fruit instead of a pie.)
Medical
How is your vision? Are there things that give your sight trouble, either up close or far away? Today take a few minutes to critique your vision, and if necessary, make an appointment to have your eyes checked or your prescription updated.
Movement
Go for a walk today. Walk for as long as you can manage and take in the sights of the world around you. Try to notice the difference in your walking now from when you started.
Work
If it is flu season, get the flu shot. The workplace is a hotbed for the flu virus. (You should get a flu shot regardless, but particularly if you work at a place with lots of people, a shared bathroom, etc.)
Emotional
Today for comparison’s sake, keep a log of your emotions throughout the day. Write when you feel happy, tired, frustrated, or bored, and record what you do (if anything) to deal with the emotion.
Family and Friends
Reaching out to family and friends when you need support can sometimes be difficult. But today let one of your friends or family members know what kind of support you need on your wellness journey, even if they are not on the journey with you.
Nutrition
If you are craving something sweet, eat a piece of fruit. If you really want a piece of candy or a sugary dessert, try eating a small piece of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has less fat and less sugar than milk chocolate.
Evening Wrap-up
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. . . . The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down.
PSALM 146:5-8 NRSV
Before we make an effort to live wellness-oriented lives, it can be like living in blindness. But as we make progress toward wellness, our eyes are opened and we can see both who we are and how God relates to us in this journey. After all, God opens the eyes of the blind. God is forever faithful, and as we continue on this journey, we can lean on God, giving ourselves over to God’s grace.
Faithful God, I know that You can help me change my wellness perspective. I pray today that You would help me to see the importance of this journey. In Your holy name, Amen.
Day 34:
A Changed Life
Morning Reflection
This week we have been focusing on some of the fruit of our journey to this point. We are beginning to approach the end of our six-week journey, and so we are seeing some small results. But the true results will not really show themselves until we live our lives differently. That is the point of this journey: a changed life. Or rather, the point of the journey is not just a changed life, it is life. The fruit of wellness is life.
Faith Life
Today spend five minutes meditating. Breathe deeply, quiet your “inner voices,” and turn your focus to the wellness journey. Where have you felt God on the journey?
Medical
Make a mental note: If you forget to take your medication for one dose, do not take a double dose. Instead, call your primary care provider and ask whether you should take a dose immediately or wait until it is time for the next dose to get back on track.
Movement
Today work out your arms while you get some cardio exercise. Go for a walk and carry some light hand weights (two or five pounds—nothing heavier) with you. Do some bicep curls as you walk.
Work
How has this journey impacted your work life thus far? Have you noticed changes in your attitude, your work ethic, your productivity? Consider how you have changed your work life today and take note of your improvements.
Emotional
Take ten minutes and check in with your current emotional state. Do you feel good? Discouraged? Frustrated? Write about what you are feeling, particularly in relation to your wellness journey.
Family and Friends
Today go out to a favorite restaurant with some friends and/or family. Again, try to enjoy the company and the socializing more than the food. Enjoy the food, but make the social interaction the star of the evening.
Nutrition
Do not eat at the first sign of hunger. Instead, wait until you are experiencing strong feelings of hunger to eat, because when you start to get hungry, your body taps into your fat stores for energy.
Evening Wrap-up
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!”