Health is the “million dollar” word lately. Everyone wants to be healthy. Each person I meet has a different conviction for healthy living. There are diets, and exercise routines, and lifestyle changes. Gluten-free, dairy free, nut free, yoga, pilates, beachbody, organic, whole, oily… and all of the above.
Wellness comes in many forms
I am passionate about wellness. But I don’t want to be confused with the “health craze”. Each one of those things listed above have benefits. Each one can be good. There is nothing wrong with any of them. I applaud people’s desire to be good stewards of their (and their families’) bodies.
But I desire wellness. Wellness of the whole being. You can avoid every toxin the the physical world and still be far from healthy. In my personal story, obsession with physical “health” drove me to the most unhealthy place I have ever been. Physically, mentally spiritually, and relationally. My obsession with a “healthy” weight distorted every other area of my life.
That is just my own personal story. Definitely not the norm.
But while we as a society become more conscious of the choices we make in our lives, my hope is that we become more aware of other areas of health.
Wellness means being a well rounded person. Not just clean eating or a balance between cardio and strength training.
Wellness involves a healthy outlook on life. It involves healthy community with other people. It means having thoughts that are healthy and based on truth. It means having an emotionally healthy relationship with food and exercise. Wellness is good choices in finances and free time. It is healthy boundaries with friends, work, family, and life.
It makes me sad that so often we focus on “health” to the detriment of wellness.
Ultimately to be well means being in the middle. Not one extreme or the other, but a healthy balance.
Our wellness is not only connected to our body or our mind. Wellness comes from the soul. True wellness comes from a right relationship with Christ. To be healthy, we must realize we are sick and come to the healer. He has something to say about our health. He has a standard for every aspect of life that will bring peace and joy. Not always happiness and never perfection. But peace and joy.
So come along with me as I explore wellness. Because I want to be well.