Ever think about improving health beyond the gym?
As we all know, diet plans come and go. Some work while others provide quick fixes that are soon forgotten. You may have heard the saying: “It won’t stick until it becomes a lifestyle.” So it is with eating and exercise.
But what about other aspects of your life, such as your family’s home health? Are there any lifestyle changes that need to be made right now for a better-functioning home unit? In other words, how well is everyone under your roof getting along these days?
The Bible speaks to healthy relationships in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 where the apostle Paul tells us to “Encourage one another and build each other up.”
As with any type of lifestyle change, it may take a little time but the results will be well worth it!
Quick assessment time
So, on a typical day in your home—how loving and honoring are the interactions between your family members? This may seem like a pointless question to some, but good relationships—even within a “close-knit” family—take a lot of work!
Think of a time you set a goal of weight loss or perhaps strength training. If you’re like most people, it took great amounts of intentional effort—especially at the beginning—to bring about the desired results. In a similar way, it takes deliberate effort to generate health within a family system.
Try this healthy home workout (at least five times/week):
- Time
For some individuals, time spent together is the love language of their heart! But for everyone, time given to cultivating relationships is a necessity. My dad once told me that it’s important for parents to provide both the quantity of time with their kids and not just big-time fun! Now that I’m a parent, I would agree that many children would spell true love shown by their parents as T-I-M-E.
- Conversation
In order to get to know someone intimately, you must communicate with them. It’s through conversations that we get to the heart of what makes others come alive in their interests and gifting in life. Think of some uninterrupted stints of time you can spend talking with your family members. This can be done in almost any setting—playing at a park, walking down a sidewalk, kneeling by a bedside, or even cooking in the kitchen. The point is to have fun, light-hearted convo’s with your family members as often as possible.
- Forgiveness
Everyone, young and old, makes mistakes and has the need to be forgiven. Without forgiveness, broken relationships cannot move forward in a healthy way since there will always be that “something” held over the offending person’s head. Forgiveness is not the same as forgetting about someone’s wrongdoing; it’s the intentional willingness to let go of it. When forgiveness happens, healthy interactions between family members can once again become restored.
Health in any area of life takes time and practice. Don’t let discouragement set you back. Keep your eyes focused on the goal and take small steps to success!