It’s always hard for me to write my first post of the year. I always try to imagine what anyone that happens upon it would be interested in reading: Are you wanting to start a new fitness regimen? I’ve got oodles of experience on this one. Diet plan? Ditto on this one too. Plus, I wrote about a current one I’m trying a few weeks ago (you can read about it here http://www.aftermycoffee.com/a-long-road-and-a-new-hope/). Be better at organizing your life? I’ve learned a lot about this—but admit that I’m still trying to figure it out. Goal setting? I am the master of list makers, but am still trying develop into being a doer, not just a dreamer. Wanting to grow spiritually? Yep. Wanting to better yourself as a person? Uh huh.
So, as I racked my brain trying to come up with something catchy, something poignant, something that matters—I realized that ALL of it matters. All of these topics– and so many more– are important to try to improve upon every day of every week of every month of every year.
A long, long, LONG time ago when I was a young, excited young freshman at Baylor University—we were required to go to Welcome Week. It’s when all the newbie freshman are put into small groups the week before classes start and a reluctant upper classman leader walks them through all the ins and outs of campus life. When I wasn’t checking out all the cute guys (Er um, I mean, pondering the vast importance of all that I would be learning as I buckled down and studied hard), I half way paid attention to the notebook they handed out to all of us. It contained a picture very similar to this:
The Wellness Wheel
At Baylor they wanted us to not only focus on our studies and what we wanted to do for a job when we graduated, but to develop as a whole person as well.
And that is what I’m hoping to do this year. Not just try to lose a few pounds, or run a 10K, or organize my closets, or try to be nicer to others (let’s not get all crazy–it’s me we’re talking about. Haha!), etc…..Those are all fine and good, but I want to focus on becoming whole–as a person. So, for the next several posts I will select one of the categories from the Wellness Wheel to write about and hopefully discuss with you. I would love your feedback on your own personal victories and even defeats and maybe what goals you are setting for yourselves. I am–by no means–an expert on any of these areas, but I will be happy to pass along referrals of a few folks in my circle of friends that are and also share what I’ve learned and am hoping to learn. I’ll be honest with you—sometimes it’s a little scary to open up to others and share about personal things–especially goals.
The experts tell us that being accountable helps us increase our ability to succeed. I’m hoping that’s true. In the past I have been guilty of announcing my plans to others and then when it becomes difficult or tricky, I give up and quit. Then I find myself embarrassed and even feeling like a failure for ever having told someone. But, I realize that that’s just my silly fear of being transparent. Everything that has happened in my life lately leads me to truly understand that life is not meant to be lived in isolation or in a bubble. We need each other–through the good and the bad. I hope and pray your 2018 is off to a good start and I look forward to sharing life with you all the way throughout this year and hopefully for many more years to come.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galations 6:9