Category: Whole Person Work

💜🌿whole person work check in: first week in August 2023 🌿💜

amyofhearthridge2 Comments
💕💕💕

{Introduction here to this series}

For a habit is a delight in itself; poor human nature is conscious of the ease that it is to repeat the doing of anything without effort; and, therefore , the formation of a habit, the gradually lessening sense of effort in a given act, is pleasurable.

Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 121

My focus areas:

Spiritual: been really trying to keep up with my YouVersion apps Bible readings with friends. However, I decided I needed a slower soak also, so I began the New Testament this week and wow, it’s been so lovely. Just Jesus’ words. Journaling and meditating on it all. I’m reading a few devotionals and Mary Oliver’s nature poetry has been turning my heart 💜 to my Creator. I’ve been prioritizing spending my quiet time outdoors, too, because it adds so much.

Physical: I was able to get out for a long walk one day and listen to an audiobook. It was wonderful! Hopefully, going again today. I tend to be pretty sedentary, so walks are something I want to make time for. I adjusted my food a lot this week and checked in with my sister each night. I felt very ‘hangry’ at times and journaled etc to help. I’m admittedly seeing a few things that are creeping in that I can’t be moderate in. I will be just taking those out of my diet. I know this seems extreme, but for me, it works. I’m trying something I’m calling BLE Lite (Bright Line Eating), in which I follow the plan closely with a few planned exceptions. I’m definitely easing back in as this program is pretty intense and structured. However, I do think I work better with clear boundaries.

Rezoom: The Powerful Reframe to End-the-Crash-and-Burn Cycle of Food Addiction by Susan Peirce Thompson, p.73
p. 74
Show up for yourself, Amy, by making nourishing, thoughtful meals.

Mental: I’m trying to chose good books to read and journal/narrate/collage about them. Slowing down to create or discuss calms and soothes my anxiety. I participated in a Zoom book discussion on Anthony Trollope’s The Belton Estate. I can get too introverted and find myself “hiding” and I want to challenge myself and grow, not stagnate. I’m rereading a challenging book about home as a ministry and it’s so good. I’ve been taking naps with my 4 yo occasionally and this makes a huge difference physically, mentally, and emotionally.

For the Family’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Just for fun 🤩- a little tracker with cute symbols! 😄♥️

Emotional: I took off the week from YouTube and it’s been so nice. I’m on a year break from Instagram. I enjoy aspects of social media, but I have to balance these delicately otherwise, I personally find myself anxious, discontent, and not present. Naps, nature, walks, etc all contribute to a more balanced emo 🖤 state for me! 😄 I also did a few creative things this week that filled my cup like collaging, filming book reviews, sending a penpal letter, and writing. I took myself on a coffee date and also picked up a favorite magazine. I want to be careful not to always associate buying things for comfort, because I actually find more genuine peace in the things that cost 💲 NOTHING. However, occasionally, it’s fun to get a special gift. 💝

Servanthood: I won’t be giving a ton of actual real life details here as this is a personal area between me and Jesus, but, I do want to share action steps I want to try. I want to include one or more children in whatever I’m doing around the house, ie – take a child grocery shopping or take walks with kids sometimes, etc. I want to plan some activities to do WITH kids that aren’t work related. The reality of life here with a big family is we are often working together. That’s good, but I also want to do purposeful fun activities occasionally.

Verse Focus for coming week:

…His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.

from 2 Peter 1:3

So, overall, a good week, and I’m hopeful! Planning on checking in next week. Thanks for being here. ❣️❣️❣️ Let me know how you are? Lots of love, Amy 🖤🌲🖤

🌲🌿🖤 whole person work intro 🖤🌿🌲

amyofhearthridge14 Comments
Summer 🥰♥️🌲🌿🖤

{What is whole person work, Amy? I’m on a quest for balance in life and ordered affections centered in Colossians 3:2. I’d like to share here occasionally for accountability and community. I share here not only to keep myself accountable, but also that it might encourage you, a moment where we join each other in this journey called life. I separated out some of my personal areas of focus, but I’m aware that all these areas flow together and are in relationship with one another. I’m also aware that there are ebbs and flows to life, but for myself, I need things that are purposeful rhythms and practices. There are some life things that can be “by-the-way”, but a balance of rest and rhythm practices work best for me. You are welcome to join me in any way and with your own areas of focus! ♥️🌿♥️}

I’ve been thinking about my past and what I’d love for the future. I had gotten off track in some health and personal rhythms that help me feel strong and able to serve well. ♥️ I was inspired by Half of Carla’s video to really examine where I’m at, not only with my health, but deep in my heart as well. I love her idea of finding the perfect pot of simmering soup that works for us personally. She’s talking specifically in the video about her weight loss maintenance journey , but it got my wheels turning about all of life areas. What’s simmering in YOUR pot, Amy? Honestly, I didn’t like what I saw. For me, it was reverting to unhealthy eating patterns, too much social media, not enough margin in my schedule, and allowing things here at home to stack up. I was finding myself without enough time to spend on the things I love: deep time with Jesus, on relationships, in nature, nourishing my health, and reading good books. It’s a nice idea that we can do everything in a day, but it’s false. We have to be purposefully pursuing what God has for each of us individually.

My Areas of Focus:

Spiritual 🌿🖤~ My Christian faith is extremely important to me. I practice at it by reading The Holy Bible daily, meditating , praying, and journaling over what I’m reading and hearing. I really want to guard this morning time by not letting YouTube creep into it and by getting to bed early enough the night before so I can get up earlier.

Physical 🌿🖤~ I made some drastic changes to my heath right at the end of 2019 and ended up feeling SO much healthier through the support of some wonderful ladies and a program called Bright Line Eating. Since 2022, I’ve struggled with maintaining that and have played around a lot resulting in steps backward. I’ve been working on treating my sleep issues and eczema naturally, also. So, I’ve a plan made for August to get back slowly and reasonably to health. I’m realizing that I work better in very specific boundaries and accountability.

Mental 🌿🖤~ When practices that I know are beneficial go by the wayside or need reordering, sometimes the mental chatter about my “worth” really ramps up. As a Christian, I believe a lot of this is a spiritual battle, but over the years, I’m beginning to be able identify lies vs. gentle truth about myself. One of the things, I feel like that I haven’t done well during the last few years is getting to the roots of why behind some of my destructive behaviors, especially surrounding food. I’m starting to find the anchors that aid me in this journey ~ slow prayer/Bible, journaling, writing, and being in nature. Having a little margin in my life to process everything is extremely important and helpful, too. I’m learning to face what’s bothering me instead of stuffing it down with excessive food or media consumption. I also need to be learning and growing, not stagnating in social media.

Emotional 🌿🖤~ Knowing that my spiritual, physical, and mental health really effect my emotional place is crucial to my whole person work. All things are in relationship and unbalanced living really takes a toll.

Servanthood 🌿🖤~ The giving of myself by listening, serving, and caring for others is hard for me. It’s not natural. I can become a bit TOO “navel-gaze-y” 😆😉 which this post could be in danger of. 😏🤓🤔 However, we have to aim somewhere or we hit nothing. I feel like I’ve been given SO much that I want to grow in giving back to others out of sheer gratitude. That’s why I use the word ‘practice’ a lot. I’m just practicing the things I want to become. Yes, I’ll never be complete, but prayerfully, I’ll move forward a little bit each day with God’s help.

All this to say, I plan on checking in each week here on my ‘whole person’ project. Just for transparency and accountability. I hope you are encouraged and find hope with me! 🌿🌲♥️🖤📚💌🥰☕️🍓🖋️📓☺️🥰 God’s richest blessings! 🖤🌿🌲🖤🌿☕️