Jared White

When our lives are so busy, so chaotic, I think it’s easy for us to assume that exercise, healthy eating, and good sleep is simply another task, another chore on our already bulging todo list. If we’re lucky, some of it “gets done” some of the time. If not, well, we’ll just try to make up for it later.

Does that describe your situation? I know it does mine. I used to be able to get away with it too. When you’re young and in your 20’s, you don’t have to worry too much about running yourself into the ground. Wait a few days, or few hours, and you’ll be right as rain.

Yet here I am, turning 30 before the year’s out, and I’m beginning to realize my “bounce back” time is quickly getting longer. If I don’t get a good night’s sleep, I feel off my game for days. If I’m not keeping up on my exercise, my energy level (and waistline) are noticeably affected. If I’m not keeping a close watch on what I’m eating, well, see the previous sentence.

Time to focus on what really matters.

As I’m writing this, my family and I are observing shabbat (or as most people call it, sabbath). Some people think of it (if they think of it at all) as the day when you go to church and then hang with folks you barely know. That’s not really it at all. Shabbat is a time to rest, a time to focus on what really matters. A time to remember who your Creator is, and who you were created to be. A time to set aside the daily grind and reflect on the meaningful things of life, the things you can be thankful for.

I spent some time this morning playing on the floor with my little girl. And it occurred to me how much I enjoy doing that, how fun it is to be able to roll around on the carpet and scream with glee and joyful abandon alongside the daughter I helped usher into the world.

Now I don’t know what that has to do with dieting, exercising at the gym, or memorizing Scriptures, but I can tell you one thing: it was good for my soul. And, ultimately, that’s what wellness is all about. Mind, body, and spirit — aligned in health, peace, and joy. God created us to be whole and healthy, and I think if we make our wellbeing a priority, we’re ultimately honoring our Creator.

It’s not about a todo, it’s about a tobe.

We need to shift our thinking and make it a lifestyle priority to rest, to seek rejuvenation, and to make healthy choices about our habits. It’s not about checking something off on a todo list, it’s about being in a state of shalom — wellbeing. I want to focus on this in the months ahead, even as my daily workload is formidable. How about you?