I was having a particularly difficult week recently where things just seemed to be feeling yuck on every front.
I know however that there are some basic things we can do to help in these moments, where we can actively do some self-care to prevent sinking on bad days. I call them Getting Back To Basics....
Exercise
Exercise releases endorphins and improves your mood. It may seem simple but it works, so I encourage you to just do it! The more effort you put into a workout; the more endorphins are released, helping to fight depression and leave you feeling happy more often.
Exercise also loosens muscles from a static state to one where your muscles start to function the way they were made to.
Cardiovascular exercise can also lower blood pressure and cause a release of hormones that help to make your blood vessels flexible and decrease the rise in blood pressure.
Exercise also boosts metabolism; when you exercise your heart rate increases telling your brain to produce neurochemicals. These then increase metabolism allowing you to burn calories even when you are not exercising.
Morning Pages
One of the first things I try to do each day is to grab my “morning pages” book and for 20 minutes I jot down every conscious thought that enters my head. It’s like a vacuuming process, it pokes the pages into every corner of your current life and when you’re done with them your consciousness is clean and fresh and ready for new ideas”. (See Morning Pages)
We usually know exactly what to do and deep down what we want in life. We can and will hear from God if we listen, and He is trying through all the noise to direct us into health, fitness, peace, whole relationships, and blessing.
In my morning pages, Jesus is consistently speaking loud and clear. It's there right in front of me in what I’ve written. I only need to look and follow His promptings, especially when they are repeated, and be honest about my inner world.
Read the Bible
The Bible is still listed as the world’s best-selling and most widely distributed book. There are so many questions that philosophers have asked that God answers for us in the bible such as:
What is the purpose to life? Where did I come from? Is there life after death? How do I get to heaven?
In addition to these “big” questions, the Bible gives practical advice on topics such as: What do I look for in a spouse? How can I have a successful marriage? How can I be a good friend? How can I be a better parent? What is success and how do I achieve it? How can I change? What really matters in life? How do I live without regrets? How can I handle circumstances and difficult events of life victoriously? How can I be free from anxiety and fear?
It’s been said that reading and thinking about what the bible says can be compared to mining for gold. If we make little effort and merely “sift through the pebbles in a stream we will only find a little gold dust. But the more we make an effort to really dig into it, the more reward we will gain for our effort.”
Today why not read this book, known as the Book of books, and check it out with fresh eyes. Don’t be surprised to hear God speaking to you; to find answers to your questions and guidance for the future. (See Change Your Life)
“Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 29:12-13)
Spending Time With Jesus
In amongst all the business of life “keeping the basics” as the foundation of what we believe, value, and build our life on is like a lifeline preventing us from sinking. You have someone to grab hold of. His name is Jesus.
Today if you feel like you are on sinking sand and are desperately trying to get yourself onto solid ground know that help is available.
Stop what you are doing, reach out, and grab a hold of the hand of Jesus. Call to him and he will answer! Life is not meant to be complicated and full of toil and burdens. Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light”. (Matthew 11:30).
That means when you are attached or yoked to Him it's designed to be easy– just move in time with Him, go where He goes, and do what He does. His way is “light and easy”.
Let Him teach and/or remind you of the basics of spending time with Him, looking after your body; exercising, and eating well, practicing morning pages to bring clarity and direction, and reading what Jesus has to say. All these things will help get you back to basics and secure your feet and future on solid ground.
“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand”. (Psalm 40:2)
Prayer: Lord, please help me to practice selfcare and to get back to basics, so I can build my life and future on a strong foundation that will see me through every phase of my life. In Jesus' name. Amen
“May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”. (Romans 15:13)
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