He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8
In 2017, I resolve to live well. If you're anything like me, you have a mile-long list of to-dos, many of them you feel obligated to do because they're on your calendar and others that are self-imposed, but you long for days that are carefree and full of fun.
I believe our busy lifestyles and the societal pressure to do everything and do everything well causes us (or me at least) to feel this way. This year, I resolve to be different. I want to live well, and by living well, enjoy life more fully than I already do.
This year, I resolve to Live Well by:
Nurturing my relationships. God has blessed me abundantly and I want to nurture and grow in my relationship with Him. My daily time in prayer and His Word is the vital first step in living well. His Word gives me strength and encouragement and spending time talking to Him and listening to His voice ensures that I stay where He wants me.
I also want to nurture my relationships with my family and friends. So often, I get caught up in the everyday and mundane tasks of life that I lose sight of the little moments. I don't want to do that. Yes, there are things that have to be done like laundry, homework, packing lunch boxes, and household chores, not to mention the changes that will happen with a newborn, but I want to make a conscious effort to not worry about those things as much.
Treating my body well. I can't tell you how much I've missed my regular self during this pregnancy. I'm so thankful for this baby boy growing inside of me (and so ready to meet him! #countdowntocaleb), but pregnancy hasn't been the easiest for me in terms of being normal. I haven't run since May nor have I eaten a regular, healthy meal like I normally do since then. I'm really looking forward to exercising and eating well again, but this time, with our baby boy.
Doing more for others. There's not much more satisfying than helping others and I want to strive to do this more in 2017. Whether it's paying it forward, jumping in when I hear of someone's need, or volunteering more of myself, I want to do more for those around me.
Letting go. One thing I've learned over these past months of pregnancy is that I have no control over anything. Not that I didn't know that deep-down already, but pregnancy has given me a full dose of "you can't control it all." I don't like to think of myself as a Type A Control Freak, but really, I may slightly be a Type A Control Freak when it comes to many things. This isn't a bad thing at all because it helps in many areas, but in some, like self-imposed really high expectations for everything I do, it isn't always great. I want to let go more this year. It's not imperative that the long list of things I want to do gets done. What matters most is my family and making memories with them, so if that means I have to say no to certain things during this season of my life, I will learn to do it without feeling guilty. We're about to enter a new season in our family with the arrival of the baby and I want to soak up every minute with my sweet husband and our two (soon to be three) boys.
Investing in myself. In order to be the best wife, mom, sister, friend, employee, and Christian, it's important that I invest in myself. I know that I need my daily quiet time to read the Bible and write in my prayer diary. I need to run to take care of myself and get my daily dose of endorphins. I need time with just my husband to connect with him and nurture our relationship. I need time to run around with my boys and laugh. I need to take time to read, write, and pursue other passions. This year, I want to continue investing in myself so that I can be the best version of me for those I love and come in contact with.
That's my plan to live well in 2017. What are some things you do to live well?
Labels: 2017, live well
