I’ll be the first to admit I’ve not always made self-care a priority. When I was in my 20s and 30s, self-care seemed unnecessary. I thought I could do it all and never run out of steam.
As I moved into my 40s and became a mother via adoption, the pace didn’t slow. Even in 2005, when Women of the ELCA adopted its health initiative, Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls, I didn’t put into practice its lessons about caring for our emotional, spiritual and physical (ESP) health. Somehow, as I turned 50 and moved beyond that, these messages finally took hold.
Now, at 60, I guard my 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. I no longer drink soft drinks. I walk 10,000 steps nearly every day, thanks to our new dog. I’m quilting and reading, knitting and writing, even gardening a bit. I’m more attentive to prayer and more intentional about everything I do. I invite you to spend time reflecting on the stewardship of your life.
Are you leading the life you want to lead? If not, you might contemplate putting some changes into place to get where you’d like to be. If you already lead the life you want, celebrate!
This message is an excerpt from “Stewardship of emotions” by Linda Post Bushkofsky in the September 2019 issue of Gather magazine. Today is the second Sunday of Christmas.
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