21 Days

A dear friend invited me to participate in an extended activity for 2011 - each month focusing on a particular thought/deed/action for 21 days. The schedule is as follows:

January - 21 days of Self Care
February - 21 days of Gratitude
March - 21 days of Thinking Globally, Living Locally
April - 21 days of Walking with the Rabbi, Jesus
May - 21 days Loving One Person Well
June - 21 days Seeing Injustice
...still brainstorming ideas for the last 6 months of the year.

In addition to simply acting, thinking, seeing, participating differently we decided to blog about what we were thinking, seeing, participating in, and/or acting upon.

For January I am taking care of myself by joining Weight Watchers, getting my ass to the gym 5-6 days a week, and being more consistent with taking all my vitamins! I want these changes to be lifelong, habitual, routine, and necessary to my daily routine. I've already learned how to cook Quinoa, experimented with baking butternut squash and kale, and am perfecting split pea soup!

The most immediate difference I have observed in conscientiously taking care of myself is that I am able to better give, provide, share my time and energy with others. I am operating at a fuller capacity and therefore can pour out more to others. Like most good and healthy things once put into practice we wonder why we hadn't made the change earlier. And yet it is a daily challenge to get up at 5:30am and make my way to the gym. A daily temptation to resist the food that is easy and accessible and take the time to cook something nourishing. It takes thought, care, and drive to persevere...take up one's cross, put on the sword, shield, thy daily bread. Daily. Moment by moment.

It is a good reminder at how vulnerable and fragile we all are - susceptible at any point to the snares and lures of darkness. I want to give my best to others and therefore must give the best to myself. Out of the overflow of thy heart (and energy) shall thy mouth speak (and actions be taken).