What does “wellness” mean anyway?
Is it just the noun equivalent to “fine”- the word we use to answer people no matter how not fine we really are?
Or is it a noun we have to work for?
Let’s check it out:
wellness- (n) The quality or state of being in good {physical, mental, emotional, spiritual} health, especially as an actively sought goal
“But I’m a homeschooling mom,” you say, “there is no way I have time to set (and keep) wellness goals for myself.”
Oh yes, I am right with you. I don’t have time, and often I just plain don’t want to. I don’t want to make the sacrifice, I don’t want to follow a plan, I don’t want to get up earlier, I don’t want to spend the money on healthier meals, I don’t want to have that hard but necessary conversation, etc., etc., etc.
Sometimes I’d rather be a homeschooling martyr. Truth be told, it’s easier, and often more satisfying in the short term.
But wellness is about more than exercise and eating right. It’s about more than just “time for me”, or the “you’re worth it” of L’Oreal commercials. It’s really all about how we honor God with our resources and our habits. The Bible has tons to say on the subject of wellness. We find passages on renewing our minds, guarding our hearts, using caution when choosing friends, learning how to pray, and running the race, just to name a few. Jesus died to give us wholeness, a righteousness we could not attain on our own. Our part to play is in the dailyness of our choices- the ones we make for our families, and the ones we make for ourselves, the ones we make for the body of Christ.
I’m not getting any younger. (Chances are good that you aren’t either.) So I’ve made a commitment to myself in the past couple of years to be healthier- in every way- at 40 than I was at 20. And 40 is fast approaching.
I challenge you to choose to journey with me as I seek wellness in the different areas of my life. Make one small goal in each of the following areas and post them around the house, write them in your journal, and tape them to the dashboard of your car. Leave your goal(s) in the comments so I can follow along and encourage you!
- physical wellness– exercise, sleep habits, nutrition, and self-care
- spiritual wellness– Bible reading, prayer time, meditating on or memorizing scripture
- mental wellness– practicing self-forgiveness and grace, intellectual diet (what are you putting into your mind?), schedule, and stress
- emotional wellness– mood issues, PMS, depression, gratitude, journaling
- financial wellness– spending and giving habits, budget habits
- social wellness– social vs. alone time (we all have different needs in this area), marriage health, friendships (toxic or healthy?), family relationships, social media, serving opportunities
Here are some of my goals for 2012:
- train for and complete my first half-marathon at the end of February
- develop and practice better coping strategies for depressed or anxious days
- cut back on snacking and/or have more healthy snacks prepared ahead of time (veggies/fruits cut and ready to go)
- be more intentional about journaling, not just blogging
What about you? Let’s make 2012 the year of “active wellness”.
Christine homeschools her four children in Ohio, and is blessed to have three boys and one feisty girl. She is a classical singer and conductor by trade, and occasionally gets the opportunity to sing Mozart or Handel instead of silly children’s songs. You can find her blogging (sporadically, but passionately) at Fruit in Season.
{photo by Michela Simoncini via Flickr}
marci@overcomingbusy says
We all need to be reminded to take care of ourselves! Taking care of others comes easier. I have to keep track on my calendar when I exercise. Making those little check marks in the corner of the days I exercise helps me to keep at it. I think I need to make a new calendar with space for check marks for quiet time, water and fruits and veggies next 🙂
Christine says
Having enough water is one that I need to put on my list too, Marci! I love the idea of check marks on the calendar. Maybe different colors for different goals. In the past I’ve marked my mood in the corner (from 1-10) each morning to give my hubby a heads up on my cycle. LOL He appreciated the forewarning. 😉
Caroline says
Great call to take care of ourselves, especially so we can take care of others, Christine! It can sound cliche, but I’m an advocate of being a good steward of our health — God gave us just one body for this life! We nee to take care of it, in all aspects (as tough as that is!).
Christine says
Yes! It’s the whole “put your own mask on before you help those around you” cliche. But it’s very true!
Jen says
As moms we get so caught up in making sure all of our family members are taken care of we forget about ourselves! Just this morning I set out everyone’s vitamins, but just realized I have yet to take my own 🙂 It’s not selfish to set aside a bit of time to exercise, prepare healthy meals and care for ourselves spiritually. Good luck on training for a half-marathon!!
Christine says
Thanks, Jen! It took years of realizing I was such a better mom and wife when I made sure to care for myself before I actually began setting goals for my own health and wellness. I wish I hadn’t waited so long. 🙂
Kris says
Thank you for this reminder, to take care of this soul, to water it and feed it… I need to drink more water. I am such a work-in-progress. Love you.