I rightly laugh at that ridiculous picture, but how often have I taken the same approach in my own personal development routine? I may work hard to expand my mind but ignore my body. Or be in peak physical shape but neglect the health of my soul.
So what are the areas of my life that I should be paying attention to? The answer to that question may vary depending on the person, but here are the top 5 areas that I monitor in my own life (in no particular order):
1. Physical health – eating right, regular exercise, getting enough sleep (for more see my Temple Health post here)
2. Mental health – playing brain games at lumosity.com, reading challenging material, thinking critically on important issues
3. Emotional health – watching movies, playing music, expressing creativity, taking a weekly Sabbath
4. Relational health – time with family and friends, meeting new people
There are also what I call “second tier” areas that, while not as important as my top 5, still merit attention:
1. Financial health – giving to causes I believe in, saving for the short term & retirement, staying out of debt, enjoyment spending
2. Occupational health – having a meaningful career that I enjoy, having an appropriate work / life balance
3. Organizational health – effective time management, a balanced & sustainable schedule, a decluttered home
How about you? Which of these areas are feeling out of balance in your life? Choose one simple thing you can do in those specific areas to give them some attention. If you do, you’ll take another step toward Becoming Yourself.
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