When you love yourself enough, you’ll make time for yourself. When you love yourself enough, you’ll give yourself what you need to be truly healthy.
Oprah has said during her Best Life Series that her latest struggles with her weight have a lot to do with being overwhelmed by her life. The pace of her life was such that it was easiest to take herself off her priority list and soon after, her health and weight began to suffer.
How easy is it to appreciate where she is coming from?
How many times have you as a parent, taken yourself off your own priority list?
Oprah then went on to say that she is continually having to renew her commitment to herself and that self love and appreciation are a life long journey.
Oprah has also chosen the word JOY to be a center point for this year. Her coach Bob Green says he feels that she may have never learned how to experience JOY in her life.
Wow, don’t you see this as such a common theme in our society?
The state of constantly living in “survival mode” that zaps the JOY out of all the extraordinary moments of our days.
“Survival mode” is likely learned in childhood, for those who may have had to grow up too quickly, suffered a childhood trauma, seeing your parents struggle, or taught to focus on accomplishments over self fulfillment. Nowadays, the economy, war and other concerns will also put many parents in “survival mode”.
Regardless, over time JOY diminishes as stress lingers and becomes a habit right down to our cellular structure!
I heard recently that there are 3 different ways of living. These 3 ways can indicate your commitment to what you are about:
- Tasks – I see this as doing “the daily grind”- the things that need to be done, all the little things that take over your life. Task oriented living leaves little time for the exploration of Self.
- Goals – I see this as the place where intention and living join together through making action based decisions to begin co-creating the life you want.
- Higher Purpose – The place where you make all of your decisions from. The commitment and focal point of your life to live according to God or your Spirit’s desires. A place of surrendering and stepping out of your own way.
It got me thinking whether or not my goals for 2009 really reflect a commitment to living out my highest purpose and in what ways I can renew my commitment living out my highest purpose?
In my recent post “Dont Make The Same New Year’s Resolution Mistakes I’ve Made, some interesting comments from readers stayed with me:
Evelyn commented “I’ve found it hard to keep to my New Year Resolutions too in the past but am now deciding to make them differently. I choose to make mine actionable and to also embody a more spiritual element for year 2009.”
Lance also commented “What I’m doing this year is that I’m going to choose one word, which I will use as a focal point in my life throughout the year. I want this word to really become part of my being.”
Both of these comments reflect a commitment to Self. They have placed themselves on their priority list by focusing on the things in life that will truly bear fruit.
So my friends, are you in survival mode? How do you see your year unfolding and as you create your lists and goals, have you taken the time to put yourself on your own priority list?
These are my thoughts on living a healthy and simple life. I'm a modern mom with some traditional ideas. At home, I try to clear the confusion from all the conflicting health and parenting advice with some common sense and a natural philosophy. This is the sanest way I know how to navigate the 21 century.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Monica,
Well…I am really trying, this year, to make “me” a priority. In fact, since I last commented here, I have chosen that one word to define my year – and that word is “courage”. And really, in the end – this is the courage to be truly “me”. Living up to this word and how I’ve defined it will certainly be a challenge, and take plenty of courage itself. Yet, I’m excited for what is possible – if I really “live” this word – every day…
I do love how Evelyn also discusses bringing this all to a more spiritual place – I’m moved by this thought – and what that can really mean…
Monica, I wish you the best this year – and a year where you do also commit to “you”.
I am enjoying her series this week…I think for most of us…women, we feel like we shouldn’t because the family comes first…I’m making me a priority by taking some classes that Iwould enjoy…and I’m planning on looking into actual acamedic classes as well…My kids are getting older, and with an uncertain marriage, I don’t feel confident if I were to go out on my own, that I would able to make it…I want to feel confident, wether it’s with my husband or without!