Wellness Wednesday – Some Questions

I recently read a public figures comment that really struck me. She said, “I am dismayed at the number of people I see – at by book signings, in my ministry, and in the general public – who are not taking care of themselves. Many of them clearly feel terrible. Anyone can see this in the way they look and they way they carry themselves. You simply cannot look really great if you don’t feel great. How you feel will show up somewhere; in your body language, the dull look in your eyes, or even the tone of your skin. It is in our nature to take care of ourselves, so why don’t we? – Joyce Meyer     Look Great Feel Great

I’ve been noticing that too. When I’m at the grocery store or work or even just walking in my neighborhood.  I see many people extremely overweight. I’m not talking about a few pounds I’m talking many, many pounds. I also see very thin, pale, hunched over people. I used to be thankful that “I’m not in that state.”  Lately I’ve realized that while my own health issues may not be as obvious I still am not taking very good care of my own body. Now when I notice someone who obviously is not feeling well it’s a reminder to me that I have choices to make. So why don’t I take care of me to the best of my ability? Joyce Meyer had some thoughts on why this  might be and I think I agree. Here are some ideas:

1. We don’t know how to take care of our physical bodies.

2. We have a skewed body image planted in our minds by media and advertising.

3. We have lost touch with exercise.

4. We have let ourselves slip into unworkable lives.

5. Some have become pathologically selfless.

6. We have lost our support.

7. We have forgotten our own value.

What do you think? Do any of these make sense to you? I can see all of them to some degree. #4 especially jumps out at me. We have let ourselves slip into unworkable lives. We don’t mean to but we involve ourselves with so much that we just can’t take much time to rest, let alone exercise or fix food from scratch. Think about it. When was the last time you ate 6 out of 7 evening meals in your home with “real” food?  Did you exercise more than once last week? Why not? I know, you were busy. Monday was a crazy day at work and I had promised my husband I would help him with outdoor work when my day at the office was done. I felt like I should have stayed at the office longer but I left to help him. I’m running a 5k on Saturday so I thought I needed to run. I also needed a few things from the store to bake for the church youth this week and oh yeah I needed to practice some music for Sunday. By the time I stopped it was 10:15. I had not eaten an evening meal and my brain was running full tilt. Time for bed but I needed to slow my brain down. So I stayed up awhile longer to “let my brain shut off.”

What’s wrong with this picture…and why?