Sometimes, when I’m all alone, I crank up my favorite worship tunes and dance like nobody’s watching. It’s glorious! Well, it was glorious, until last week. I zigged when I should have zagged and pulled my back out. Embarrassed and in significant pain, I had to go back to the chiropractor. He told me the reason I keep pulling my back out is I have no core strength. I’m too sedentary, and if I want to get better, I must make exercise a part of my daily life.
Frankly, I was a little miffed. After all, wasn’t I paying him to fix me?! And I told him as much. He said he could stabilize me, but the quality of my future was up to me. He stressed I have to overcome my sedentary lifestyle.
Sedentary lifestyle?! When did that happen? Visions of My 600lb Life danced before my eyes when he delivered the news. And it made me uncomfortable, like he was peeking into a secret part of my life that screams, “I have not been taking care of myself!” I suddenly understood what my clients feel like.
People come to me when their lives go out of whack. I listen and lend spiritual and emotional support. I also teach them how to build up that part of their lives, so they remain stable. They aren’t excited about that part of therapy. But I can only help stabilize them. They have to take responsibility for themselves. Sedentary is a dangerous way to live, be it physical, emotional, or spiritual.
This past year has been hard on us all. When going to Kroger feels risky, many of us have completely opted out of our normal self-care routines. What’s bad for our bodies and souls will often wreak havoc in our emotional well-being and then trickle down into our relationships. I am concerned what we are all going to be like when they tell us we can safely crawl out of our bunkers. For myself, pasty and pudgy became my COVID jam. But it’s time to change that tune.
One of my favorite worship bands, Mercy Me, just came out with a new song that I am hoping will inspire people to get up and start owning their lives and relationships. It’s called Say I Won’t, and it goes like this: “Today it all begins. I’m seeing my life for the very first time through a different lens. Yesterday, I didn’t understand. Driving 35 with a rocket inside, didn’t know what I had. While I’ve been waiting to live, my life’s been waiting on me. I’m gonna run, no I’m gonna fly. I’m gonna know what it means to live and not just be alive. The world’s gonna hear, ’cause I’m gonna shout. And I will be dancing when circumstances drown the music out. Say I won’t!”
Three cheers for all us pasty, pudgy people determined to reclaim our lives and health! Check yourself out and see what areas you’ve been neglecting. Spiritual health, physical, emotional, relational? It’s all important. Now, take some responsibility for yourself. Turn up your favorite worship jam, and gingerly dance like nobody’s watching!
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