Loving Ourselves in a Healthy way
Make time for yourself on your To Do list!
In Matthew 22:37-40 ESV The bible says “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”
This implies to love our neighbors as ourselves, we must first love ourselves. Not in an arrogant, selfish way, but to love ourselves as God loves us and to take care of ourselves, body, mind, and soul.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV states Our bodies are not our own; they were bought with a price to be temples of The Holy Spirit.
We are to to help others, but it is important to balance our life, so we make time to rest and to take care of ourselves also. (See my article Setting Healthy boundaries). Working in the medical field, I have seen many well meaning caregivers with burnout because they do not take the time needed for themselves for their own health. This does not help anyone.
Some examples to take care of Ourselves body, mind, and soul, (as it is all connected:), are as follows:
Even just a few minutes to step away from your work, take some deep breaths, go for a short walk, can be enough to reduce stress levels.
For me, reading scripture gives me direction both mentally and spiritually, and gives me peace.
Practicing gratitude is helpful for lifting our mood.
Daily exercise, even just going for a walk is healthy for relieving stress, good for our heart and our bodies. Weight bearing exercise two times a week builds strength, tones our body, and helps prevent Osteoporosis.
I find eating a Mediterranean diet is very healthy in many ways.
Spending time with family and friends.
Laughter, watch a good comedy.
And last but not least, Take the bubble bath!!
In conclusion, loving ourselves in a healthy way doesn’t mean ignoring other’s needs or thinking we are above others. It means we carve time out of our busy schedules to take care of ourselves also.
Will you take time to put yourself on your busy “To Do List?” You are worth it! You are God’s “Masterpiece”. He loves you!
During my recovery from cancer, I was inspired to create a cookbook of delicious foods. However, it was my decision that these recipes would be made healthier. Being a Certified Health Coach with over thirty-two years experience as a registered nurse, my goal is to help others in achieving a healthier lifestyle.
Every bite of food we take either feeds disease or fights it. Throughout my personal experiences as a nurse, as well as my personal research on food and nutrition, I’ve determined there is a glaring need for more nutritious ingredients in our foods with less refined sugar, fat, and chemicals.
Because I come from a family of bakers and good cooks. I love delicious food! Which, can often make things tough. So, I decided to compile some of my favorite recipes and make a few changes to the ingredients, ultimately making them healthier!
Besides publishing my cookbook, “My Favorite Recipes Made Healthier”, I’ve published this blog which includes recipes, how-to videos, as well as many other things to provide you with support for a healthier mind, body, and soul. My hope is that this will help many others to ease the confusion and frustration of healthier cooking and a healthier lifestyle. Enjoy!
