Self-care is attending to your own physical and mental well-being in order to be of service to others. I’m reminded of the flight attendant just before take-off who says, “…If you are traveling with children, make sure that your own mask is on first before helping your children.”
How can one truly be of service to others through ministry, purpose, gifts, or talents if they are not in good physical and mental health?
Since the age of 12, I was always on a diet in some form or fashion. I remember being bullied in the sixth grade because I wore glasses and I was a little (okay a lot) heavier than my classmates. My very first diet was eating lettuce and yogurt. It was the first of many diets to come. As I got older, whatever Oprah was doing, that’s what I was trying. And, as dieters know, we lose the weight, gain the weight back (and more) and try to lose it again.
I continued on this dieting roller coaster for over twenty-five years!
Finally, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired! I was TIRED of counting points, receiving my food in the mail, walking into weight-loss centers for weigh-ins just to feel defeated, deflated, and…well, I just wasn’t liking the woman I saw in the mirror each day!
I resolved in my mind that it’s just not in the cards for me to be at a healthier weight and I refused to do ONE MORE THING!!!!
In 2014, I’m so glad I did just ONE MORE THING…because it changed my life!!!!
Just as I was about to give up on EVER reaching a healthy weight, my friend shared a product with me. At the age of 48, I was an exhausted, overweight, elementary school principal who did not sleep well at night. I knew something had to change! I took a chance and made a choice to change what I was doing to be a healthier me. My health wasn’t about a particular size or number on a scale at this point in my life. It was about the quality of life I wanted to have for myself and my family.
I started the product and my life has been changed! As the weight came off, so did many other weights like low self-esteem, feelings of being unworthy, lack of confidence, and self-love. I began to understand the meaning behind 3 John 2 that says,
“Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually].” (AMP)
This scripture is rhema, or a living word, that has become my purpose to help others live a better quality of life in order to complete their assignment on this side of heaven. My mission is to live #Fit4Him physically, mentally, financially, and of course, spiritually so that I can do ALL that God is calling me to do with a spirit of excellence. My assignment is to help others to do the same.
I read a book, Satan, I’m Taking Back My Health! and was enlightened on how our lifestyle has affected our health. For example, we know that our body is about 75-80% water, but fail to drink at least 64oz per day. Drinking very little water throughout the day affects the quality of our blood and major organs. Lack of water consumed interferes with eliminating waste from the body. And that can cause many other issues.
The book also compared life in the 1900s to our lives today. Life in the 1900s was more simple and slow paced. Food was organically grown, free of pesticides, chemicals and genetically modified organisms. People were exposed to natural vitamins and minerals from the sun and cleaner water. Today, our world is fast paced. We do more with less, worry about life in general and there never seems to be enough time to get everything done. We rely on modern conveniences, like fast-food restaurants, Starbuck’s and vending machines to keep up with living in a progressive world. People are more sedentary at work and at home. Getting proper exercise, rest, and clean eating becomes a challenge. Therefore, prospering in health takes a back seat and it is difficult to perform our best physically and mentally.
I found myself in the “rat race” struggling to fulfill my purpose with excellence because I was so exhausted, overweight and lacked mental focus. I was just surviving through life, just like everyone else. You do what you have to do…right? And then it hit me…this is what 3 John 2 speaks about. Be in good health. We only get one body and it is our job to honor and take care of it like the gift that it is.
I Corinthians 6:19-20 says;
19) Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]? 20) you were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body. (AMP)
This is where I made a decision to start taking care of my body…my temple and where my healthy journey began.
There were three steps I took that lead me to my greater purpose today. First, I invested in a product that helped me kick the dieting roller coaster to the curb and began filling in my nutritional gaps! I took the product the first 30 minutes of my day, everyday. WOW! I started to feel better and lose cravings for hot Cheetos, Snickers, and Diet Dr. Pepper! I actually craved more vegetables! Let’s be clear, there is no magic pill, fade or phase that will sustain a healthy life. Other changes had to be made, too. This leads me to my second step.
I had to make lifestyle changes. I began to drink more water throughout the day, eat healthier meals (not dieting), getting 7-8 hours of sleep, and exercise at least 3-4 times a week for about 30 minutes. The only thing I could do was walk about 15 minutes before my knees started hurting. I progressed to 30 minutes, 45 minutes and my body started to change for the better. I was finally taking care of my temple. In doing so, I had more clarity at work. My mood was balanced all day (meaning my family wanted to be around me when I got home from work because I wasn’t as grouchy), and I started sleeping like a baby.
The last step, and the most important, I was consistent with the process. With consistency comes results. I never missed my simple steps in the morning, made healthier choices, chose some form of exercise 3-4 times a week and I was able to shed the weight and keep it off for over five years! Going through the process of taking care of my health lead me to my purpose for helping others prosper in health.
Now, I share a simple system designed to fill nutritional gaps (that everyone has) that is formulated into three steps to synergistically work together to help people reach peak performance physically and mentally. Millions of people are living the life they deserve and their purpose with this system. For some, their purpose in life was clarified, revived, or renewed once their physical health was taken care of. People have clean energy, mental focus and determination, sleeping better, and taking better care of themselves in order to be of service to others.
We have all been given a measure of faith along with gifts and talents. Everyone has a purpose in this life that only their fingerprints were made to complete. I truly believe in order to live a purpose filled life, we must take care of the one temple given to us. Taking care of your temple is different for each person due to nutritional gaps related to living in today’s society. Not everyone needs to lose weight, like I did. Following the simple 3-step system for 8 weeks can help fill in nutritional gaps and help your body operate at peak levels…the way it should. When we are at our best physically and mentally, we can live and give our best in service to others.
As seasons in my life have caused me to shift what I do, my purpose has always been the same. The little twelve year old chubby girl who started dieting to mask what was going on inside, is now a purpose driven 53 year old spreading love, health, and wellness and helping others live the life God intended so that we accomplish what our fingerprints were designed to do to impact this earth.
