 Each healing step you take, whether it's a baby step or giant one, is still a step towards being whole.
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 Our mental health is one aspect of our overall health. It is important to take time to invest into our mental wellbeing in our journey to wholeness. When we don't, we may find ourselves at a loss of power, freedom, and/or self-expression on a regular basis. We may feel weighed down or overwhelmed by all the problems we're facing. If this continues for too long, we may experience a mental break down or a burn out.
When we regularly take time for our mental health, we are able to face the day and any issues that may occur. We have a positive outlook on life, perhaps even a pep in our step and a joyous grin on our face. By Debbrah Blain Edited By Lillian Simon  I’m sure all of us can remember the first time our periods came. For me, it happened when I was 12 years old. I screamed, “Mommy! Mommy! I have my period!” My mother happily came to me and explained what I needed to do.
For the first seven years, I experienced no pain with my periods. Then everything started to change. My lifestyle was hectic during college. I ate junk food regularly because it was quick and convenient. I did not exercise. In fact, I hated walking! I spent many sleepless nights studying.  It's difficult to feel safe in the midst of trauma, abuse, and toxic situations. Long after that situation is over, our bodies may still be in fight, flight, or freeze mode. For some, the symptoms may still be present years later.
When we feel unsafe, our bodies tell us so. Some of these ways are…  When we have peace in our lives, we experience mental and physical rest, which is needed to recharge ourselves.
🌻 Many times, when there is turmoil in our lives, our bodies respond accordingly. It may result in anxiety, stomachaches, headaches, constipation, diarrhea, fast heart beats, sweating, depression, etc.  Healing comes when we know and speak the truth.
🔸 Those of us who have experienced trauma or abuse may have learned to downplay the seriousness of what happened to us. Some of us may have forgotten it, denied it, minimized it, rationalized it, laughed it off, etc. Essentially, we've found a way to cope while going through it. This is normal. It's the body's protective mechanism to help us to survive the incident(s) until it was safe to deal with it. God created this protective mechanism in our brain to keep us alive.  Having healthy boundaries are necessary for our mental wellbeing. When we don't set healthy boundaries, we mentally suffer.
🌺 Some of us might be frustrated with ourselves for not being strong enough to stand up for ourselves. It is much easier to stand for up for others than for ourselves. Be patient with yourself and keep practicing.  God never intended for only a few people to do all the work in the church. This leads to burn out. Everyone has work to do in keeping the church running smoothly.
 Resting requires distance from things that cause you stress.
❤ Recently, someone told me in order to recharge, people need to spend time doing things they enjoy. If that activity causes stress, then stop doing it. People get rest from doing non-stressful activities. Every time we get on a plane, the flight attendants go over the safety protocols in case there is a loss of cabin pressure and/or if the yellow oxygen masks drop from above. They stress the importance of putting the oxygen mask on yourself first BEFORE helping others. Why? Because if you start helping others without it, you'll pass out. You might be able to help one or two people before you lose consciousness. But if you put the oxygen mask on first, then you can help many people. ❤️  Lately, God has been showing me how to distinguish godly people from ungodly people and who should and should not be a part of my Inner Circle. He has also been teaching me the importance of boundaries in relationships.
I made this illustration to help explain what God has been teaching me, which I recently shared with a women's prayer meeting. Let's briefly go through each circle.  "God uses broken people to reach broken people." Juno Namathanga 💕 Many times, we believe our broken past is too shameful to share with others. Who would believe us anyway? What good would it do to share such things? These are lies from the devil. He doesn't want us to share so we'll remain in emotional pain and continue to use negative coping skills to get by. It keeps us trapped and the devil delights in it  Recently, I've been doing more gardening than I have done in years past. I love the fresh produce that I get from my garden and being able to pick it at the last minute to add to a dish.
To enjoy the benefits of a good harvest, I must work hard. It does not come easily. It requires daily attention from watering to pruning to removing weeds. By giving it daily attention, it will yield good fruit. It's the same thing with our spiritual lives. To produce a good harvest, which will be reaped at the 2nd Coming, we must take time to cultivate our spiritual walk with the Lord daily. 
In the culinary world, salt is used as a preservative. As Christians, we are the salt of the earth, which is used to preserve God's Word in this sinful world. We do this by choosing to follow what the Bible says. Thus, our characters reflect God's character. As we personally mingle with unbelievers, our "salty-ness" rubs off on them, encouraging them to become "salty." However, having a fake, Pharisaical relationship with God won't get the job done. People can see through fakeness. Our love for God and a relationship with Him has to be real in order to truly influence others.  🎶 Jesus loves the little children
🎶 All the children of the world 🎶 #Red and #yellow 🎶 #Black and #white 🎶 All are precious in His sight 🎶 Jesus loves the little children of the world I grew up singing this song. Although I sang this song outside of my house, it was a different story within my Southeast Asian home and culture. In my culture, it was not acceptable to be of a dark skin tone, especially for women. Nearly everyone I knew in my culture talked about how desirable it was to have a "white" person's skin tone. |
AuthorJourney to Wholeness is a blog written by Lillian Simon (except where indicated). She is a Christian who wears many hats, including being a nurse, health coach, mentor, writer, editor, and graphic designer. She is passionate about sharing health information to inspire others to find practical and natural ways to heal their body, soul, and spirit. Archives
June 2022
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