Take an honest look.

Welcome back, my sweet friends. I'm so glad you're on this journey with me. Yesterday we talked about how important our health is. It truly is imperative that our health is a firm foundation from which we live out our lives - it truly effects how we show up in our calling and roles. Our health isn't the rock that we stand on, no, we know only One who is our Rock. However, it truly allows for us to live as we were created and designed to live - fully and abundantly in relationship with Christ and with others. 

Today I want us to talk about how important it is to take an honest assessment of our health. It's so easy to float through life in a fog - disconnected from the true state of our physical body. I did that for years. 

It wasn't until I took some time to be fully present, aware, and in tune with my body that I was able to be fully honest with myself.

Will you let me coach you through the process of taking an honest and {grace-filled} look at your body?

This process isn't meant to lead you to a place of body-shaming yourself. I'm praying fiercely you don't translate your health check-in as shame or regret or pain - but instead to be used as fuel to the fire you need to move forward within your health journey. 

Set aside some time and walk through these steps. Turn off your devices, make sure you are alone, and bring a journal and pen with you. It's important you take notes and journal as you walk through these steps. 

Step #1 - In a private room, take off all of your clothes. Everything. Do NOT stand in front of a mirror yet. Just stand there in the room and breathe deeply. 
Step #2 - Take note of every part of your body - from your head to your toes - and ask yourself the following questions

1. Is there anything that hurts in/on my body?
2. Do I have any aches or pains right now? 
3. Has anything on my body been bothering me lately?

Step #3 - Shake and move and stretch and  bend every single part of your body - one at a time - and ask yourself the same questions from Step #3 again.
Step #5 - Find a long-mirror and do a visual assessment. {This is not the time to beat yourself up over your appearance. Be kind and gentle with yourself.} Look in the mirror and ask yourself the following questions. Journal your answers.

1. Does my skin look healthy?
2. Do my eyes look radiant and healthy? 
3. Do I look tired or rested?
4. Is my hair healthy?
5. Are my nails healthy?

Step #6 - Assess yourself on the following. Take notes in your journal.

1. Do I have 1-3 emptying bowel movements a day? 
2. Do I have normal menstrual cycles? (28-35 day cycles with 3-5 days of bleeding)
3. Do I drink at least 1/2 of my body weight in ounces of water every day? 
4. How are my energy levels? Do I rely coffee to get through the day?
5. Do I get "hangry" (hungry & angry) throughout the day?
6. How many hours of sleep am I getting a night?
7. Do I have mood swings or a short fuse with my family/friends?
8. Do I have depressed days?
9. Is anxiety an issue for me?
10. How are my stress levels? What is causing me the most stress?

Truly take some time to check in with yourself and your body. Journal your thoughts and feelings as well as very honest answers to these questions. This honest look at your health isn't made to diagnose anything. I pulled this together to help you check-in with yourself. Maybe it'll point you to a need for checking in with your doctor, or maybe it's just a starting point that will help you have a baseline for your journey. 

I did this before I started my own health journey. This was very much a wake-up call for me. Here's my health story. 

Wherever this check-in brings you, I hope that it is helpful as you begin to think through where you are in your health and where you would like to be. I truly believe that the enemy of our souls longs to have us walk around in sick and tired bodies - rendering us less effective and insecure in our bodies and roles and callings. I truly believe he longs to paralyze women in their effectiveness in the Kingdom of God through the sickening of our physical bodies. 

Walking around tired and sick and achey isn't normal. It's not supposed to be normal. It doesn't have to be your normal. We will continue to talk through this this month.