There are many aspects to healthy living besides eating right and exercise.  For me it involves things like gardening, raising backyard chickens – the laying kind, taking time to read, enjoy a moment of quiet, enjoying good company, and having a relationship with Jesus.  In a way they all have to do with fitness, food, and matters of the soul.

With gardening I do get exercise and I can benefit from fresh veggies when they are ready. I’ve already had spinach, kale, and lettuce from my garden this season.  But it also allows me to get outside to enjoy fresh air, it gets me moving (you need to weed the thing), and gives me time to think.

Having back yard chickens really does the same – although sometimes I do not enjoy the pleasantries of raising the hens like when they die or when they poop all over your house because they are only 3 weeks old – I do enjoy them.  I especially enjoy the eggs.  Fresh is always the best, so getting the eggs in the morning or sometimes afternoon (depending when they lay) is always a wonderful thing.

I enjoy reading and I need to do it more.  I heard that successful people read a lot.  Actually I saw it on an infographic on Google+ the other day.  I like to read non-fiction and fiction, self-help books.  I start to read a book and then I start to read another one. I have a few I need to finish.  That might be part of being in college and learning to read a bunch of text books at once.  It just carried over.

I love to take a moment to enjoy what is around me. A walk in the woods and taking in its beauty.  Sitting out on the deck with a cup of coffee in the morning. Think about my day and give it over to God.  Your moment on the deck can look like whatever you want, but that is what mine looks like. Or a walk in the woods and taking in its beauty.

Which brings me to my relationship with Jesus.  I know that if I did not trust in him, my life would look a lot different right now.  For one I wouldn’t be studying my Masters of Divinity.  I’m thankful to him and I believe that having a relationship with Jesus helps me be healthy.  I know his love and therefore can love others.  I’m not saying if you don’t love Jesus you can’t love others or be healthy – for me I can love more when I trust in Him.

For me, healthy living involves the whole being, not only one or two aspects of my life.  I don’t always get it right, but that’s why it’s a journey.  On every journey there are ups and downs.  On every journey you experience new things, some of which are good for you and some that are not, some that are wonderful and some things that are not so great.

What does your healthy living journey look like?

*This was part of a blogging challenge.  To see the challenge visit How 9 Bloggers Wrote 29 Blogs in 1 Hour at dustn.tv