Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Why Lighten Up?

Lighten - to become lighter or less dark; brighten or to make lighter in weight

Well, I could use less color in my dramatic outlook. And certainly, I could stand to lose a few pounds and eat more healthily. But, there are other aspects of this "lighten up" theory. Here are some things that bog me down: fear of rejection, bitterness, loneliness, and guilt . Then there is the joint pain and fatigue. All of these issues related to my body shape.

Clutter, clutter everywhere. Why is my purse so heavy? Why can't I seem to keep the house cleaned up? Are my values right or am I putting too much emphasis on the external? Do I spend enough time with my family? I should be investing more in my friendships. My own expectations crush me mentally and physically. These are mental and emotional gymnastics that I perform. I really need to lighten up! Can you relate?

This human body is not just physical. It has mental and spiritual elements as well. In our weight loss efforts, we often ignore these important components. If we could view our essence on a pie graph in relation to overall health and well-being, I am certain that the spiritual and mental segments would be much larger than the physical one. Yet, our diets & exercise regiments almost exclusively concentrate on the physical. It stands to reason then that our weight loss efforts, our endeavors to bring the physical part of our body under control, need to incorporate our mental and spiritual lives.

The purpose of this blog is to provide a place of accountability, information, and community. I am a fellow sojourner on this trip. By no means have I perfected this ideal. I long for the support and insight to be gained by a group of travelers on the same road. Will you walk alongside me?

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