AN APPLE A DAY (DAY 101) LEARNING TO LOVE YOURSELF

365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE.

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

  

Many of us need to comprehend the message that working toward being totally healthy and taking care of our own physical needs isn’t a selfish way to live!  

If you are trapped in this popular and common line of thought; you might need to stop and take a few moments to imagine those that you love learning to live without you.  It isn’t selfish to tend to your own health in the midst of tending the health needs of others!  

Think of it this way:  Realize that keeping you healthy is very similar to doing missions work.  You are the mission, because all of the other things will not be happening without you!  

The purpose of your body is to carry God’s will out in this life; and you can’t exactly do that if you have a dysfunctional body.  It is one thing for a body to be dysfunctional through channels out of control, but it is another thing for your body to become dysfunctional through neglect.   If you are going to help others eat better, sleep more comfortably, get enough sunshine and exercise in their day; you have to be able to do those things too.   Why is it so easy for us to consider the needs of others and put the emphasis there, but forget our own basic needs and feel they are unimportant? 

Please stop right now and take an inventory of how you go about your day.  If you find that you are so busy tending to the needs of your family, friends, church, job, community, etc., that you do not have the time that you need to eat properly, sleep properly or even take any portion of your time to get the exercise and recreation that your body requires; you might need to stop and ask yourself a few "why" questions.    

Are you actually denying yourself your basic needs in the name of caring for others?  Do you see this to be something that you are doing as an unselfish offering of love for those that you have chosen to serve?  If so, we may need to take a deep breath right here and examine the truth of your definition of love.

This is a VERY common problem today, especially among working women and young mothers.    This is probably the worst unnoticed culprit that is stealing the health of every family in America.  I see it everywhere I look.  It is a very easy trap to fall into.  I have been among the guilty myself.  

I see busy, overworked Moms feeding their children very carefully and using all the healthiest choices, then turning around and doing without food themselves (or even worse - living off of easy and quick junk food) because they just are not taking the time to sit down to eat a healthy meal.  

I see Dad’s out there working hard, stressful jobs almost 24/7 in order that their families can have all the very best luxuries of life; but denying themselves the basic 8 hours of sleep that they need to regain enough energy to go out there and face all the workload again day after day.  

I  even see working people so concerned for the health of their dogs that they will spend way over their budget on vet bills and hire someone to walk the dog while they are at work; but they won’t even take the time off from work when they have a serious health issue to go to the doctor, nor will they be as concerned that they get out into the sunshine for a walk themselves.  

The children and dogs and the fringes of the social circles that we constantly do our good deeds for are all getting healthier and healthier while those who are helping them to be that way are simply exhausted and turning into couch potatoes!  

How sad!  

It will do no one any good to sit and read about health all day  in order to go out there and preach it to family and friends and make every effort to be sure they have the knowledge.  Nothing will ever be completely helpful and fruitful in our lives unless some of that knowledge sinks down inside our own heads and our legs and feet and arms and hands rise up and go perform what it takes to be healthy! 

The saddest part of all of this is that most people are in this trap because they think they are doing the right thing.  They actually think they are making valuable sacrifices out of their love for others.  

Perhaps it is time to re-examine our definition of love.  I prefer the biblical definition of everything and the bible says we should love others as we love ourselves.   Hmm…..that would mean, in order to love anyone else properly – I would have to properly love myself first!  We must realize the truth is that if there is no self-love inside a person, no recognition of the beautiful and holy spark within; then there is no way that person can truly love or give to another.

If you do not feed yourself first, (spiritually, physically and mentally,) or take care of yourself first, or know your own physical  limitations; you simply will not have what you need in order to be giving to others.  

In order for a new mother to take the best care of her baby, she needs to be able to eat and sleep herself!  The taking care of our selves is a prerequisite to all that we do.  It isn’t optional; it is necessary for ALL to be happy and healthy.  

In order for your happiness to spill over and serve those that you love, you must first be happy from within yourself.  Once you are able to see and appreciate all the beauty that God created within you, you will then gain a much greater appreciation for the goodness that God created and put within your fellow man.  

In order to stay on the healthy side of things you must value and accept yourself.  You must grow and learn from all of your life’s challenges and mistakes.  Don’t beat yourself up over them; learn to be kind to yourself.   Be creative.  Think of ways to incorporate the tending to your own health needs every day.  Make it a priority, then go and tend to the others that you love. 

Take Jesus Christ as your first example.  He did not rise and start serving immediately upon waking up; the scriptures speak of how He rose early in the mornings and went off to pray in a solitary place.  He knew the importance of filling up your own spiritual tank before taking fuel to others!  An empty tank has nothing to offer.  Once Jesus had communicated with His Father and received the proper instructions for the day; He was good to go out and serve the world.  It is the same for us; whether we are dealing with physical, spiritual or emotional things.  

Take care of your own necessities; then go to tend to those you love.  When you shop for others, include your own needs at the same time.  When you feed your children, let someone else hold the toddler for a little while so you can eat your meal too (or put them in their crib until you have had time to feed yourself.)  Work hard and do your best at work, but when you have been there for an acceptable amount of time, go home and enjoy what you are working for.  Take the time you need to find ways to refresh yourself and re-energize.  The rest of the world will not frown at you - they will love you more for it!  Your tank will not be empty, so you will have much more to offer and you will enjoy the process as it transpires.  

You know what will happen, you will eliminate one of life's silent killers; that old enemy called "stress."  Stress is very unhealthy and the leading cause of most health problems.  When you tend to your own needs, stress is kept to a minimum. 

So, my friends, the first rule of becoming a healthier person and walking into a healthier lifestyle is to learn to love yourself .  By now you have probably grasped the fact that self-love and selfishness are not the same thing.  They are not even related!  Don't be selfish; learn to love yourself.  The whole world will appreciate the new you.  Hence from this you will learn to love and better serve your fellowman.  This is the starting place that moves you into a much healthier lifestyle.  All of the rest of the knowledge we might discuss or gain in this blog will be totally useless unless you can grasp this fact first; hold on to it and remember to love yourself!

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