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…dying is a part of living.
Between now and then,
for you,
how well do you plan to live?
This we have been reminded of four times in the last three weeks. One friend was tragically murdered while trying to help a woman who had been shot in his neighborhood. Another friend, in relatively good condition, had a totally unexpected heart attack while out biking and enjoying his retirement. And two other friends slipped through the “thin veil” via two different types of cancer. All will be sorely missed by their families and friends.
In Leadership Design Group’s 8 Dimensions of the Circle of Life, is it understood that each dimension, in a variety of ways impacts all the others. This is why, in part, we talk about whole-person mentoring, no matter one’s age.
The Physical Dimension
of the
Circle of Life
Each person, you included, aware of this or not, lives out those eight dimensions on every breath you take, every day you are granted, every year and decade that gets added to your life. It is here we are thinking of your:
…health…wellness…fitness…
…exercise…rest…nutrition…and sexuality…
We have some friends who are almost hyper-attentive to their health. Too many others have a quiet disregard of how they take care of themselves. Unfortunately, I’ve been more often in the latter category and not often enough in the prior one.
If your whole health were to be examined, what would a doctor be telling you today to change? Where does better attention need to be made, without excuses, to get and stay at optimum health? Even as you read these questions, it’s my honest guess that you have answers, some good ones, some not so good where change needs to be made. This is a part of what the best of mentoring can help another accomplish.
What is your personal commitment to optimum wellness, even in every dimension of your own life? If the physical is not functioning properly, other life dimensions will also be over stressed.
How committed are you to being at your optimum weight? This has been a struggle for me, as well as too many friends. Four years ago I began a journey to take 77 pounds off, forever. That has been achieved. If I can do it, so can you.
Oh the “wild and creative” excuses we can make to even keep on fifteen pounds that are not healthy, let alone any more than that. What’s it going to take for you to begin to get rid of the unnecessary fat on your body?
If not physically impaired, how committed are you to be walking/running/moving at least 10,000 steps per day (which research suggests is best for fitness that adds to life…)? Are you (with a ‘why?’ or ‘why not?’ intentionally put in here) doing some regular simple stretching or light weight exercise (which we can all do at home, or in a gym under guidance)?
Mentioned in a previous post, we have a neighbor who has no legs from the knees down, and no arms from the elbows down…but…she is now approaching up to two miles a day of walking in the neighborhood. If she can do that, so can the two of us…that be you and me.
In what ways are you getting all the sleep and physical rest your own body requires? We, especially living in our western culture, are notorious for not allowing our bodies to relax, rest, sleep. Do you know what your best hours of sleep/rest amount to? If you don’t, you are most likely not getting the rest you need. What might your body be telling you about this?
In what ways does every bite of food or beverage you ingest contribute wisely to your health and well being? To be sure, realistically, we all have our splurge moments…but when those come too close together, you will not be in good health. And most of us, if honest, have larger portions on our plates day after day than honestly necessary for our optimum health.
No matter one’s age, the world population we are part of is made up of women and men…of all ages, ethnicities, economic, educational and spiritual backgrounds. Thus sexuality is a God-given part of each human’s life, no matter their age.
We’ve all lived through those coming-of-age moments where the “strangeness” of sexual feelings have begun to show up. As we added years to our lives, what is done with those physical feelings has been a natural part of the “dance” with other dimensions of our lives, like…Emotional…Social…Marriage, etc.
Negative happenings can show up in every dimension, as especially here in the Physical. Thus, the sexual part of the physical can be taken advantage of, misused, abused. Sexuality can also be thought of as an exceptional gift from our God to be cherished, expressed, enjoyed in correct God-honoring moments and places within marriage.
Over the past eight weeks we’ve given mere glimpses of what we mean by the 8 Dimensions of the Circle of Life. In no particular order…we are talking about
Social
Financial
Vocational
Family & Marriage
Emotional
Intellectual
Physical
Creative, Innovative, Designful, Playful
I encourage you to read back through the posts on the 8 Dimensions of the Circle of Life. It is your care-filled attention within this circle of your own life that will have you closer to living and leading the life your own souls longs for.
We were all created to be whole people. Wholeness is possible for every person on the planet. Both healing and nurture are available via LDG’s mentoring model, for anyone, anywhere, any time. Even you, no matter your own circumstances, past, present or future, can, indeed be living life to the fullest.
One Who loves us most once said:
I have come
that they might have
life…!
Let’s choose to be living like we really do believe that to be true. To celebrate you growing forward with this life-giving truth, in all of your own life, no matter your age, is part of why Leadership Design Group exists.
How may we
encourage
you
to be as fully alive
as you were designed to be?
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