“What we think, we become.”
It was my privilege to speak at a Ladies Day event hosted by the Bridgewater Church of Christ (Garretson Rd). The theme was “Do You Know Who I Am?” and my talk was titled “Happy, Healthy and Free.” This topic matters deeply to me because I care about whole-person health—mind, body, soul, and spirit.
The foundation for my talk was Luke 2:52:
Jesus grew in wisdom, and in stature, and in favor with God and Man.
That verse sums up Jesus’ growth from age twelve until the start of his ministry at thirty. He developed mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. I suggested that we, too, should pursue growth in these areas to become balanced, well-rounded people. Too often we end up the opposite—sick, stressed, and depressed—which is something I have experienced personally. I shared insights on the mind-body connection and how stress affects our physical health, and I emphasized that caring for our health is not selfish; rather, it equips us to be more useful and pleasing to God.
Our thoughts shape who we become. Habits form character, and character steers our destiny. From my own experience, I developed a list of Ten Healthy Habits for the Well-Rounded Person:
- Eat
- Move
- Sleep
- Play
- Learn
- Focus
- Avoid
- Retreat
- Pray
- Love
During the presentation I briefly explored each habit, but time did not allow for the depth I wanted. The strong positive response convinced me to create a series that examines each habit more fully. Many attendees approached me afterward to share their own struggles with being sick, stressed, or depressed, which reinforced how important it is to keep talking about practical ways to improve health in every area of life.
Several people asked for copies of the presentation. Below are links to PDF versions of the slides (presentations without speaker notes) split into two parts due to file size. I will also publish posts that dive deeper into each habit, so consider subscribing if you want to follow the series.
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Part 1 – Happy, Healthy and Free
Part 2 – Happy, Healthy and Free