It’s a process! I read stories and testimonies all the time of people making major lifestyle changes overnight and I wonder how they do it. I’m always very impressed and have tried a few times…. I always fail. I’ve come to terms now though with the fact that just like others things in life, what works for some does not work for others. I’m one of the “others”. I can’t seem to change overnight. I have, however, made some gradual changes on this journey and continue to add other challenges into the mix. I still read my bible daily, still walking daily, I’m eating a lot more fruits and veggies than other things (still slowly cutting out bad foods). I’ve recently added a brisk treadmill workout five days a week and will be adding stretch and strength workouts this week. When I get frustrated and feel like a failure, I look closely at what I HAVE accomplished instead of what I have not. It gives me the re-assurance and FOCUS that I need to continue to be a better me.
The more I read my bible and apply it to my life, the better wife, friend, sister, mother, grandmother, child of God I will be. The better I eat, exercise, take care of this body/temple of the Holy Spirit, the better wife, friend, sister, mother, grandmother, sister-in-Christ I will be. More energy, clearer thinking, not tiring as easy…..those are just bonuses!

What is healthy living? I suppose it looks different for each individual. I believe there are some “must haves” in each case though such as the usual incorporating some form of proper diet and exercise. Again however, to some that means going vegan, while others just cut out red meat, or just use portion control. Also, some are good with a 15-20 minute, moderate speed walk a few times a week while others require some form of intense workout daily… in any case though I believe “acceptance” is a key factor all the way around. Accepting you need a change in life style, accepting things won’t be perfect over night, accepting your limitations with exercise routines, accepting that others won’t agree with all your decisions, accepting… we could go on and on. In my case accepting that if I skip God’s Word each morning my day doesn’t go as well. I’ve also had to accept that my spouse and I have different limitations and requirements (which is important if you’re partners in the life style change). While we both have Fibromyalgia, he has a number of other health concerns that affect our exercising together (it’s not a road block, just a bump in the road). There are also things I can’t and won’t eat but he can and does so it affects our meal plans. These are simple challenges to get through and not things that change our FOCUS! He works hard to provide for our home, therefore I need to work hard to get us healthy so that we can enjoy life and all that he provides through the grace of God and His provisions.

We just went on a 2 week vacation to our favorite spot…with family. Yesterday was our first day home from the lake…it was a lazy day. I hope today is a start to getting back on track. Vacation wasn’t as relaxing as I had hoped for but it was absolutely wonderful seeing the kids and grandkids! I did a lot of walking on our vacation and although I didn’t think I ate much, the scale tells me I put on nearly 10 lbs. I’m sad and frustrated about that but not enough to give up! Time to refocus and move forward. I know in my case it’s the exercise that helps lose and keep off weight so I really need to focus on that.
Family time and connecting is very important to me but in order for me to be emotionally healthy, I need to accept the fact that it’s not as important to others or it’s not defined the same anyway. I need to stop letting it bother me that others are going to judge me for not doing things their way. Everyone has a different idea of what relaxing is.. routines are different. Negativity is definitely not healthy and so it’s important for some relationships to be evaluated and possibly redefined. When we are constantly criticized we need to be careful not to fall victim to the same negativity… I try to avoid being around it when I can but when I can’t, I need to remind myself that my health and happiness does not hinge on what other’s opinions of me might be. My relationship with my Savior and His opinion of me is where my focus should always be.

“One room at a time”. This phrase was drilled into my head by a friend a long time ago when I was overwhelmed by a terribly cluttered house and didn’t know where to start. Since then I have learned to apply this phrase to other areas of my life. When my thoughts seem chaotic (as they quite often do) I hear a still, small voice tell me, “one room at a time”… Right now I have so many changes I desire to make/accomplish that I feel overwhelmed at times ~ and impatient. This phrase reminds me to FOCUS. Accept me for me. Stop worrying about how others might judge me.. Although part of this new “life style” includes having better, healthier relationships, it’s still my life and like any process it takes time and focus. I’m not going to drop 50 lbs, be a perfect wife, mother, sister, friend, marathon runner, or eliminate mood swings, stop desiring comfort food, etc all over night. I continually remind myself to focus on the big picture, but more importantly on the steps it takes to get the final masterpiece. I tell myself, “Relax, a 10 minute walk is better than none. 15 minutes in God’s Word is better than none. 4 salads a week is better than none.” You get the idea. I lift it all up to God and then do what I can do to move forward..daily. I am grateful for what I have and for what I’ve accomplished so far. I will continue to move forward and stay focused on one room at a time.

Looking back on just a few short years, I realize how much age and stress make a difference. When I was in women’s ministry I focused on worshiping through fitness, understanding that we are a temple for the holy spirit and therefore should take care of our bodies, mind, and spirit. I made sure to pray, exercise, and read my bible each for a minimum of 15 minutes daily…in addition to eating right. I did well for a while until life and loss happened. Giving into stress and being distracted by life’s circumstances, I began smoking again, eating junk, leaving women’s ministry, etc. Although my faith hasn’t faltered my example surely has! Selfishness began running my life. I’ve struggled with being content with who God created me to be, struggled to quit smoking, struggled with ALL aspects of being healthy…always talking about it but never following through with it. The older I get the harder it seems to be to get back on track. I write out plans, mark the calender, tell people I want to hold me accountable, then…. failure.  I rely on family and friends to encourage me and lovingly hold me accountable ~ then when they forget or don’t follow through, I just give up and blame them…then I blame me and beat myself up…then start all over. The truth is that although support and encouragement from loved ones is ideal, at the end of the day, every choice I make is MINE. I can’t draw upon other peoples strength – I need to draw upon God’s strength! “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). “They who put hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). These are a couple of my favorite scriptures and I all to often push them aside instead of finding strength and encouragement in them. NOT ANYMORE!!