With everything going on in the world people are having to stay home and most likely have more free time. I don’t know about you but I’m a goal maker so naturally I made a list of goals I would like to accomplish during quarantine; one of them being focusing on health.
I think our overall health is really important and I think we can use this free time to make focus on ourselves. We have an awesome opportunity to really pour into ourselves during this time and improve in many areas. Three ways I like to look at health is spiritually, physically, and mentally; let’s dive deeper in these.
Spiritually
First of spiritually, this is the most important one; we have make sure that we are being fed spiritually every day. With this extra time, I have really been trying to pour into God’s word more and trying to learn more about who he is. For you this might mean spending five more minutes in your quiet time than you normally do, or trying to really spend time just listening to God.
With my extra time I’m working my way through the book of Matthew; I encourage you to find an area in your relationship with God that you feel is lacking and pour into. Jeremiah 29:13 says “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart”. I pray that you seek after him during this time because he is our greatest strength and peace.
Physically
Next is physically, now you probably thinking “oh great she is going to talk about the importance of working out and eating healthy” and well you’re not wrong but I think there is more to overall health than just that. Yes, I will stress the importance of exercising, it doesn’t have to be crazy. Maybe it’s going for a jog, an online yoga class, or trying a new at home workout. Staying active can also help with your mood and attitude; it can help you feel accomplished and overall more productive.
It’s also important to fuel your body properly, I know it’s hard with limited groceries but try the best you can to eat things that will benefit your body. I definitely have a sweet tooth so this is hard for me, but you can find healthy recipes that taste delicious; and now you have the time to experiment.
Another way to take care of yourself physically is your skin and hair, keeping up with taking care of your body is important. Right now, since I’m not going anywhere I’m trying to curl my hair less to help keep is healthy and trying to not wear any makeup, as well as being sure to do my skin care routine to take care of my skin.
1 Corinthians 6:19- 20 says “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body”. Our bodies our gifts from the Lord, we must do our best to honor and take care of them.
Mentally
Lastly is mentally, I thinks extremely important to take care of our mental health especially with staying home. I think an important side to mental health is to figure out what you personally need to take care of yourself, and this looks different for everyone.
For me since I’m homeschooled my school hasn’t changed much, last week was my spring break and I had to force myself to relax. I have a tenancy to stress and always work on something, but something I had to do was relax and let myself have fun.
This might be different for you, maybe you are bored and need to feel productive to take care of yourself. Maybe you need to spend some time outside, or read for fun, or simply sit down and play a game with your family. We all need to spend time taking care of ourselves, taking a break from whatever is going on; spending time doing something you love but never have time for.
Enjoy & Have Fun
Take time to enjoy and have fun during this time; you can still do that in quarantine. Have a brunch with your family, face time a friend, make up a new game over zoom. There is so much opportunity during this time, enjoy it!
I think this time can give us an awesome opportunity to really connect with God, as well as learning about ourselves and how to stay healthy across the board.
Matthew 11: 28-30 says “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”.
I hope you know you can find rest and comfort in Jesus and that you are fully known & loved by him. Please reach out if you need anything!
-Gracie
