Happy Monday!
The first week of August is our rear-view mirrors! I can scarcely believe that school begins in the U.S. in the next week or so and has already started in other parts of the world. Yet, some of us are life-long learners and, amid our busy schedules, find time to enrich our lives in various ways year-round.
We continue to look at wellbeing as an integrated discipline consisting of physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual wellness. I’ve heard some interesting thoughts about how a balanced lifestyle offers completeness in our efforts to achieve our goals. There are various ways and encouragements to assist us on our journeys. A primary component is self-care, which is as diverse and encompassing as the individual desires.
President John F. Kennedy offered this thought about the physical component:
“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”
Similarly, Nelson Mandela noted that:
“Exercise is the key not only to physical health but to peace of mind.”
The following quote from George Bernard Shaw speaks to the coordination of mental, emotional, and physical health:
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop planning.”
And here’s an Irish proverb that considers social and self-care components:
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”
The World Health Organization describes the completeness of health this way:
Finally, we come to the state of our spiritual wellbeing. Spirituality is so diverse. We connect with people daily who have beliefs that vary from our own. When we respond with a mindset of loving inclusivity and kindness, we perpetuate the balance of our wellbeing efforts in ways that welcome others and bless both ourselves and those we meet.
As a Christian, my foundation is following Jesus, which teaches me how to model and represent the Word without condemning or belittling others. Personally, my truth stands in love and unconditional regard. It’s also how I choose to show up in my profession as a counselor. I can tell many stories of how the philosophy of kindness, inclusion, and unconditional love and regard has been instrumental in the healing process.
Scripture shares these thoughts:
“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;” Colossians 1:8-10 (NKJV)
Completeness has many components and functions as it appears in the world of overall health. It may seem daunting to look at each part, but revelatory when we combine all pieces to create an accurate and workable sense of wellbeing. So, if it’s been a while since you took a personal inventory, why not spend some time this week and give yourself a wellbeing completeness tune-up? The effort may remind you to take better care of yourself, so you can be fully present for others.
I hope your week is replete with new and remembered strategies for complete wellbeing!
Be Well & Be Blessed!
Lucinda
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