Loving God, give me focus today and all days. Help me keep my eyes on the prize as I care for this wonderful body You have given me. In Your holy name, Amen.
Day 4:
Expectations
Morning Reflection
We are still in the first days of this journey. But even four days in, the journey can begin to seem too much. Our expectations can (and do) shape our day-to-day experience of wellness and faith. Today we will spend some time considering what our expectations are of ourselves and of God as we continue on this journey toward wellness.
Faith Life
We all generally have expectations of God. Take five minutes and reflect honestly on the expectations that you have of God for this journey.
Medical
If you do not know how to find your pulse, today is the day to learn! Use your index and middle fingers to feel your pulse at your wrist. Count the beats that you feel in fifteen seconds, and multiply the number by four. That is your standing heart rate.
Movement
Spend ten minutes stretching today. Can you stretch a bit farther than you could a couple of days ago? What are your expectations for a couple of days from now?
Work
What do you usually do on your breaks? Do you drink coffee? Grab a snack from the vending machine? Today go for a short walk, or bring a healthy snack to work.
Emotional
Our expectations can seriously impact our emotional well-being. Take five minutes and write in your journal about what your expectations are for this journey to wellness.
Family and Friends
Sometimes we can feel that our family and friends have particular expectations of us, and that can add to stress that we are already feeling. Today talk to a friend or family member about your journey and what your expectations are.
Nutrition
What kind of food do you like to eat? Take five minutes and make a list of your favorite foods. Are they healthy foods? Comfort foods? As this journey progresses, you may be able to modify your favorite foods to healthier versions.
Evening Wrap-up
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.”
ISAIAH 60:1-2
We all have expectations of ourselves, both good and bad. But even our highest expectations are small compared to God’s reality. God values each life, and if God so values us, we should surely value ourselves! Expectations are largely about realizing what we are capable of, and Isaiah reminds us that God’s glory shines on us. With God’s help, we are capable of anything. The journey to wellness may not always be an easy one, but it is certainly an achievable one.
Lord, on this journey to wellness, help me to have realistic expectations of myself and of You. But even more, help me always to see Your light that shines in me and in every darkness. In Your holy name, Amen.
Day 5:
First Steps
Morning Reflection
Every journey begins with the first steps. To climb a mountain, we must begin at the base. We can never reach a summit without first starting at the bottom. Our journey toward wellness is all about taking steps—both literally and figuratively—toward better health. But in order to take those steps, we must decide on those first steps we will take.
Faith Life
Jesus knew a thing or two about taking first steps. Today, read the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry. How does Jesus’ beginning compare with the beginning of your journey toward wellness?
Medical
Do you know what your blood pressure is? If you do not, make sure that you ask the next time you go to the doctor. Also, many drugstores have blood pressure machines if you would like to know sooner.
Movement
Go for a walk today, a block or so farther than you did on Day 3. Again, do not exhaust yourself, but push your comfort limit a little.
Work
Be certain to drink plenty of water throughout the day, even if you are really only sitting. When you stay hydrated, your body works better and you will have more energy and will feel better.
Emotional
Taking first steps can be fairly intimidating. Do you feel fear? Excitement? Take five minutes today to sit and breathe, and focus on what you are feeling as you set out on this journey.
Family and Friends
What kind of support do you need from your family and friends? Take a few minutes to identify the kind of support that would be most helpful from your personal relationships, and then talk to a friend or family member about it.
Nutrition
One of the first steps toward good nutrition is to begin reading labels on the food that you buy and eat. go to your pantry and read the labels on ten items, taking note of sodium content and the ingredient “high fructose corn syrup.”
Evening Wrap-up
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
GENESIS 1:1-2
Every project, each journey, begins with first steps. Even creation began with first steps. God had a starting point, a place where creation began. The first steps are sometimes tricky. And finding the motivation to take these steps when all we see in front of us is the steep incline of a mountain can be intimidating. But we can find comfort in the knowledge that God, too, has taken first steps. God can walk with us and give us strength on our first steps as we look up to the summit of the mountain.
God of Strength, thank You for the gift of wellness. Help me to take the first steps toward health and wellness, and help me to remember that You walk with me in this beginning. In Your holy name, Amen.
Day 6:
One Step Forward, One Step Back
Morning Reflection
We’ve all heard the phrase “two steps forward, one step back.” It means that when we begin to make progress, it can feel like moving backward. Moving toward wellness can feel slow going, especially in the beginning. But we must trust that progress is being made and that, given enough time, we will begin to feel the difference.
Faith Life
Most of us have had both significant and minor setbacks in faith at some point in our lives. Think of a time when you experienced a setback in your faith life and how you managed to move forward.
Medical
While medical setbacks can be devastating, they need not be the end of the world. If you have had a medical setback, talk to your doctor about developing a strategy for moving forward.
Movement
Spend ten minutes walking around your house (or walk around your neighborhood if you feel comfortable) taking two steps forward and one step backward. Notice that you still move forward. Also, walking backward exercises different muscles than walking forward.
Work
How do setbacks affect your work? Do you become less engaged in work? Or do you throw yourself into work? Using some kind of stress-relief tool (such as a stress ball or Silly Putty) can help you deal with setbacks at work.