Faith Life
Take five minutes today and meditate again. Quiet your thoughts, and then focus on the blessings that you have received, such as a body that works, wonderful friends, good food.
Medical
Remember that medications can have side effects— some are physical and some are emotional. If you are having emotional side effects (such as depression, anxiety, hyperactivity) or physical side effects, let your doctor know as soon as possible.
Movement
Exercise can lift your mood. If you are feeling negative, try doing thirty jumping jacks, and then stretch your arms and your back. Even a small amount of exercise can help you to feel more awake and more positive.
Work
We often focus on the negative effects of work, but working—being active and positively engaged—is an important component of wellness. Today, try to focus on the positive engagement in your work, whether you work in an office or at home.
Emotional
Sleep deprivation can get in the way of having a good attitude. When we are tired, our bodies and brains do not function well. Try to get a good night’s sleep, even if it means leaving something undone in your day. You’ll feel better when you wake up!
Family and Friends
Friends are a wonderful resource for dealing with negativity. If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, try calling a friend for an emotional pick-me-up. Better yet, suggest that you go for a walk with your friend.
Nutrition
Cook yourself a delicious and healthy meal, such as whole-grain pasta or lean meat with steamed vegetables. Eating well helps us feel better and can help us keep a positive attitude. Diets are often unbalanced and temporary. You will be better off with long-term lifestyle changes, even though they won’t “work” as rapidly.
Evening Wrap-up
“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
LUKE 1:78-79 NRSV
God walks with us on this road to wellness. In this passage from the Gospel of Luke, we know that God’s light will shine on those who sit in darkness. It is not always easy, and it is certainly not automatic, to get up in the morning with a positive attitude. And some days will be better than others. But if we can remember every day that God shines in the darkness, then we may find encouragement in God’s light even if we can’t muster up the positive attitude for ourselves.
God of light, help me to see Your light in the darkness. Give me a positive attitude as I walk on this journey toward wellness. In Your holy name, Amen.
Day 12:
Wholeness
Morning Reflection
Wellness is about wholeness. It is about taking care of your whole person. When we only care for some parts of ourselves and neglect other parts, we do not care for the whole self. But God created us as whole selves—body and spirit—and so we ought to care for the entire self as well. Today we will focus on ways to appreciate and care for the entire self rather than individual, separate parts.
Faith Life
When you pray today, wiggle your fingers and your toes. Stand up and sit down. Jump up and down. Breathe in and out. Think about how our whole bodies can pray, rather than just our minds or our spirits.
Medical
In addition to prescription medication, do you take over-the-counter medication and/or vitamins? Include those on your list of medications for the refrigerator and emergency contact. Tell your doctor about those, too.
Movement
Put on some music. Spend five minutes today dancing to the music in whatever way you can dance. Move your whole body as much as you can. Move your head, your back, your fingers, your toes. Feel your entire body working together.
Work
Most of us work using one aspect of our personality more than other parts. Today, try to take five minutes at work and use another aspect of your body or personality. If you sit at a computer all day, go for a short walk. If you’re on the phone, take a moment to stretch, and if you stand all day, find a quiet place to sit.
Emotional
Sometimes, we can feel pulled in seventeen different directions at the same time. To pull yourself together and feel whole, take a shower and let yourself relax and breathe before getting back to your life.
Family and Friends
Healthy relationships are very important to wellness and to wholeness. Today spend some time enjoying the company of your family and friends. Forget about the “shoulds”—just enjoy socializing and having fun!
Nutrition
Just as there are many parts to a person, balanced nutrition includes nutrients from a variety of foods. Make sure when you prepare meals that you include fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and whole-grain carbohydrates.
Evening Wrap-up
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:17-18
God created us whole. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds us of how God designed our bodies. No part of the body, he writes, is necessarily better than any other part of the body. Instead, each part of the body is a part for the whole—and it is the whole that we are concerned with today. As we move forward on this journey, we must keep in mind that God creates us as whole beings—body and spirit. It is our role to care for God’s creation, including our whole body.
God of wholeness, thank You for the wonderful gift of my body and for Your wisdom that was used in creating me. Help me today to see myself as You do. In Your holy name, Amen.
Day 13:
Enjoyment
Morning Reflection
Often when we think about wellness, we focus on what will be difficult on the journey—losing weight, exercising, depriving ourselves of foods we love. But while the journey does have its difficulties, we need not focus solely on the hard parts. So today we will turn our focus to the enjoyment that we can experience as a part of the journey to wellness. Wellness is not merely about deprivation. It is about being able to fully enjoy the life that we have been given.
Faith Life
Prayer and meditation do not always have to be somber and solemn. Laughter and fun and rejoicing need to be a part of our faith life. Think of something funny that has happened, and thank God for giving us humor in our lives.
Medical
Some vitamins and supplements can keep us healthy rather than trying to fix what is wrong. Ask your doctor about some vitamin supplements that can potentially improve your health.
Movement
Spend some time today doing something you enjoy. Go for a walk or dance around your house. Having fun while exercising makes it more likely that you will continue exercising.
Work
We do not often think of work as something to enjoy. Today find something that you enjoy about being at work, and focus on that. If you cannot think of something, try going for a walk or stepping outside when you have a break.
Emotional
When we do not take the time to enjoy ourselves, we can become overwhelmed. Today spend five minutes writing in your journal about the things that you enjoy doing.
Family and Friends
Tonight enjoy an evening out with your family or friends. Go to a healthy restaurant, and try something on the menu that you may not have had otherwise.