Category: Mental Health and Wellness

Health and wellness for the mind

My trip through the Bible in a year

kimbrown1615Leave a comment

I read the Bible in one year and this is what happened…

October 2, 2020 was the day I should have finished reading the entire Bible in a year. My final date-October 15th. Not too shabby, considering I am great at starting things but not so great at finishing. Can I get an Amen? I know I am not alone.

I have never really stuck with anything this long so I am SUPER proud of myself and the good habits I have built.

So many positives have come from this discipline!

  • For starters, I wake up earlier and less tired. (usually) Many days I would nod off during reading, especially at the beginning, but the majority of the time I got right to it. I think it got easier because I started looking forward to it (a lot more than expected!)
  • I am starting to understand the Bible a little better. It is not always an easy read, but the more you do it, the more comfortable you become. I followed a chronological plan that started January 1, but I started in October. I was on a different schedule, yet I still heard the messages I needed at the right time for me!
  • My time commitment to this habit grew throughout the year. I started off spending 15-20 minutes and now spend about 30-40 minutes each morning. Each day I set my alarm a couple minutes earlier (baby steps)
  • My overall mood is better…not perfect…but better. I am definitely more positive, but I attribute some of that to the gratitude journal I wrote about here. I don’t do it as often anymore, but I feel like the benefits of it have stuck with me.
  • I am looking forward to my next trip through the Bible. I don’t want to get out of the habit, so I will be starting again right away and my family is joining me this time!! We pray together but have never read the Bible together so I am excited to see what this brings for us!

My process

Read the daily Bible reading and listen to the Bible ReCap. At the beginning I was also reading the First 5 app that corresponded, but eventually I just stuck with the recap.

I have a color coding highlighting process (what type A person doesn’t?!?!)

When I could turn my brain on quick enough, I would remember to read a few opening verses before I started the plan of the day:

Psalm 119:18 open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law

Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O Lord, and renew a steadfast spirit within me

I will admit I was kind of expecting this miraculous, complete transformation…like day 365 I would suddenly have a bucket of patience that never runs out, and never have a bad day ever again… But that is not reality.

My anxiety and worry are not 100% gone, but I have some better tools (verses) to manage these ugly feelings when they creep in. I still have bad days, but I know just because you are a Godly person doesn’t mean everything will be perfect in your life. It just means God will be with you through it all.

I am not sure what role the Bible plays in your life currently, but if you don’t read it all, or only once in a while, I highly suggest you start! Start small. A few minutes a day is better than nothing. See what it does for you!

Statistics for success

kimbrown1615Leave a comment

Did you know…

CEO’s read an average of 60 books per year*

For those of you that struggle with math, let me help you out. That is more than 1 week!

Seriously. I set a goal of 1 a month and I typically fall short of my goal. I find this very impressive. Reading books for knowledge, information, and motivation is so important.

The takeaway: Reading the right books and investing in yourself is an important tool in success.

*source: fairygodboss.com

The average batting average for MLB players in 2019 was .248*

This means almost 80% of their at bats were unsuccessful! If these players are paid millions of dollars a year and this is their job, why in the world do we expect perfection from ourselves? In 2019 the average shooting percentage for NBA basketball players was .460.

The takeaway: Throw away expectations of perfection.

*baseball-reference.com

85%-90% of what humans worry about never actually happens*

Some days I am the Queen of worry. Scenarios play out in my head that simply don’t belong.

The takeaway: Worrying about something won’t prevent it from happening. Guard your thoughts.

*psychologytoday.com

You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with*

Jim Rohn says “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”

Is this good or bad? Depends on your top 5! Some studies show it even reaches farther than 5. If you spend the majority of your time with negative people, it will be harder to stay positive. Same is true for fitness and health. If you’re trying to get in shape and exercise, limit your time with that friend who eats fast food 3 times a day. We don’t have to find clones for friends, but if they are not living in a way that aligns with your life, reevaluate the impact they have on your life.

The takeaway: Be conscious of who you are surrounding yourself with and find friends with similar goals.

*https://www.businessinsider.com/jim-rohn-youre-the-average-of-the-five-people-you-spend-the-most-time-with-2012-7

2020 Book List Part 3

kimbrown1615Leave a comment

Shame on me. Months of “lock down” at home and I did very little reading! I was busy enjoying my newfound freedom to just be, sleep in on the weekends, exercise, and spend time with my family! It was pretty fantastic. However, this is 2020 list part 3, so I won’t be too hard on myself! You can also check out list 1 and list 2.

Made to crave

By Lysa Terkeurst

This is a great book about healthy eating as a lifestyle, not a diet. If you are looking for a lasting change, Lysa wrotes about replacing those empty places in your life with Jesus, not food. She is very funny and down to earth. I especially liked the reflection questions and the way she breaks down practical references in the back of the book.

Nerves of Steel

By Tammy Jo Shults

If you are looking for a never give up, inspiring read, this is it! I read this book in 2 days. Actually, I read the young readers edition because it was free on Hoopla and I didn’t realize it was the young readers edition until I started! Since it was free I decided to roll with it. She faced so much adversity and her story really shows everything she went through prepared her for a very monumental event. I really felt the girl power! Great read! Highly recommend!

The Power of Now

By Eckert Tolle

Ironically, while reading this book about being in the “now,” I was so mentally distracted I had a hard time following it. It’s a very deep book that requires a lot of focus while reading (at least for monkey minded people like me) I had to re-read several of sections and pages to fully grasp the idea, and even then it was a challenge. I might be too far gone mentally to achieve these lofty enlightenment goals! Try the audio version if you are struggling to focus. Most important takeaway: stay in the present and a lot of other things will take care of themselves.

You are the Key

By Caitlyn Crosby

Very inspiring read about Caitlyn Crosby, who started The Giving Keys. It is an organization that employs people to help them transition out of homelessness. You can view their cute key necklaces here.

She is very down to earth and I could relate to a lot of her struggles. Her honesty is a reminder that even when you follow God’s plan, you may still run into roadblocks. And it is hard work!

“On the path to your purpose there will be doors that ‘should’ open but won’t, and there will be plenty of others that should never in a million years open for you, but they will. This is still your path. ” Sometimes we think if it is God’s plan it will be easy. This book is a much needed reminder that is not always true.

Your Blue Flame

By Jennifer Fulweiler

Funny, inspiring, and relatable! That’s really all you need to know. We are all busy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use your current schedule to find your “Blue Flame” your purpose, your passion.
“Your blue flame is your unique way to give back to others. It’s something you do, you were destined to do, that fills you with energy and adds love to the world.”

Sometimes your blue flame is your full time gig, sometimes it is something you do on the side. This book helps you open your mind and heart to recognize your blue flame and incorporate it into your everyday life.