“The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life – indeed so that they could live life to the fullest.” - John 10:10 (CEB)
Reviewing film is one of the most common practices in all of sports. Coaches and athletes regularly evaluate mechanics and performance to make improvements. The film exposes the good, the bad and the ugly, helping them do more of the good and eliminate the bad and the ugly.
But is there a way we can take this practice and apply it to our lives outside of sports? Studying life film is rare. We’re all busy, and with the utter lack of quiet connection to God in prayer, we rarely take time to review our life film. That’s something I try to make part of my practice, particularly at the end of every year—reflect on the lessons learned yesterday to make for a better today and brighter tomorrow.
So, as I reviewed my “life film” of the past year, here are nine lessons learned about healthy living that apply to our body, mind and spirit.
- Being healthy is simple, but not easy. Even with all the conflicting research, fad diets and celebrity testimonies, everything boils down to eating clean, moving more and stressing less. Eating food with as few contaminants as possible—like pesticides, artificial additives, hormones and antibiotics—is a great place to start. Starting your day with just 10 minutes of bodyweight exercise and making movement part of your lifestyle will do wonders. It’s simple enough but by no means easy, because it goes against what everyone else is doing!
- Every big change starts with a small choice. You can't make big changes in your long-term health without starting with small choices now. Win today. Make small choices every day to be healthy and build momentum. Don’t be overwhelmed with how far you have to go; take the small step today.
- If I want to change my health, I have to change my words. The words we think, say and hear will lead to life or death. Our words have directional impact, like the rudder on a ship, and our actions follow our words. Taking out the trash (negative, critical, defeated words) and taking in the truth (positive, encouraging, faith-filled words) will help us change direction and create healthy habits. The battle for the mind is an every-moment fight.
- I have to choose what I need most over what I want now. This is the definition of discipline—and it haunts me. So many of my decisions with food and exercise (and even getting enough sleep) now begin with this evaluation: Will I choose what I need most instead of what I want now? For example, it can help me overcome the cravings of sweets or laziness to choose what I need instead, like fresh fruit or a good workout. I never regret making the right choice.
- The pleasure trap looks so good, but ends so bad. We naturally gravitate to seek pleasure, avoid pain and find the easiest path, but this never results in good health. Substitutes always promise so much and deliver so little. Those sweets look so good and might taste amazing, but they usually make me feel sick. The wide road leads to death, but the narrow road leads to life.
- When I remove something bad, I have to replace it with something good. Eliminating harmful foods or destructive habits is a great step. But if we don't replace them with satisfying, healthy alternatives, we’re destined to return to our old ways. And, it takes much longer to form a lasting habit than I ever thought—sometimes as long as 10 weeks.
- The cleaner I eat, the better I feel. The closer I follow a whole-food, plant-based diet, the more energy, mental focus, strength and optimism I enjoy! Our mind, body and spirit thrive on purity. A plant-based diet drastically improves your prevention of cancer and virtually every other chronic disease debilitating today’s families.
- I am a much better person when I feel good than when I feel bad. If you want evidence of this, just ask my family. I am more active, engaged, enthusiastic and positive. And I’m up for just about anything!
- I will leave a health legacy behind—for better or worse. The most powerful and permanent legacy we leave might just be the habits and behaviors we’ve modeled and demonstrated over many years. Will we leave a legacy of vibrant health or sickness and disease? How we approach our health—and the results of that approach—is contagious.
Most of life is a struggle between the old and new, bondage and freedom, death and life. Jesus came to bring life. It’s simple, but not easy. So let’s get on the path that leads to life and start making those small choices that will lead to big changes. You can do this!
–This article appears in the November/December 2014 issue of FCA Magazine. To view the issue in its entirety digitally, click here: Nov/Dec 2014 FCA Mag Digital
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