Heal-thy

Heal-thy...

When I break it down that way, it looks like heal thy, and my mind naturally puts in the word "self"- healthy self or heal thy self. I know, I know, that seems weird, but for some reason, it's really stuck in my mind this way.

My one word for 2014 is healthy. I've never done the one word thing, so I'm not 100% sure what I'm supposed to be doing with it, how it's supposed to change my life, what exactly I'm supposed to focus on, etc. I've done a little research about this whole "one word" movement (because that's what librarians do), but I still need to do some more so I understand just what it is that I'm committing to for this year.

The preliminary plan that I had involved three aspects of healthiness: physical, mental, and spiritual. All three of these areas are related and rely upon each other. Physical health is the easiest and most obvious area to talk about. I gained 30 pounds last year, plus I was already about 30 pounds over a healthy weight for my height, so my biggest physical health focus is to lose 60 pounds this year. That's only 5 pounds per month. In the past, I wouldn't have broken down that goal into such a small number. I would've wanted to lose the 60 pounds by my birthday or before the fall semester started or some other arbitrary goal. While I may lose it more quickly than I anticipate, I think that making the goal so seemingly small- only 5 pounds per month- I set myself up for success because it seems so much more manageable. I want to lose the weight by eating better, which means eating whole foods, getting rid of as much processed junk as possible, and eating at home more often than we go to restaurants or go through the drive through. I also want to lose it by exercising more consistently. I really like to lift weights and walk/very slowly jog, so I'm planning how to fit those tasks into my days and weeks. I saw a quote on Facebook today that was something to the effect of "you don't find time for things, you make time." This was fantastic because it reminded me that I'm in charge of my time. I tell my time what to do. I shouldn't be surprised by how much time I spend on a task because I plan and make time to do tasks (or at least that's how it's going to be as I make small changes throughout the year). So, I'm going to make time for exercise and meal planning and prepping, instead of the unhealthy behaviors for which I find time now.

My second focus is mental health. Like a lot of people, I have a tendency to say negative things about myself. I also allow myself to wallow in negativity sometimes and can get on a downward spiral more quickly than I care to admit. My first step in mental health is to start renewing my mind in God's Word and learning about being a new creation in Christ. I have to replace my negative thoughts with God's positive ones. I'm a strong believer in the power of words and how they can affect you. If I constantly have a negative soundtrack playing in mind, then is it any wonder I find it so easy to feel down in the dumps? I also believe that my improved mental health will give me more energy, which will make improving my physical health a lot easier. Win, win!

The third focus is spiritual health. Renewing my mind in God's Word to improve my mental health will help me improve my spiritual health. I also consider my relationship with Jesus a facet of my spiritual health. Right now, I have a cordial relationship with Him. I visit his House weekly, but I don't spend a lot of time with Him daily, if at all. I never invite Him into my house, nor do I talk to Him on a regular basis. He's like that friend that I say I'll grab coffee with sometime, but somehow we just never really find the chance to do so. There are so many great Bible studies online and in books, so I can find things to guide my daily quiet time. The problem is just getting over my morning craziness or laziness to do it! I know that when I am in sync spiritually, everything else seems to go more smoothly in my life, so I've got to make this a priority this year. Even though it's the third focus on this entry, it's really the number one focus in my life.

Do any of you have a one word focus for the year? If so, what methods are you using to focus on your word and make changes? I'd love to hear some tips!