Welcome to a fresh new edition of “Take It In.” We are a week into spring. Can you smell the fresh cut grass, blossoming flowers, and all the other great allergens? Thankfully, I don’t have bad allergies so I have been breathing it in deep. We have had some beautiful weather here in North Cakalaky (I think that’s how it’s spelled). I have been frequenting the parks, piers, and enjoying the scene. I feel so refreshed. I began thinking how it is so important to get reinvigorated. As we enter this season of nature coming back to life, check out three ways you can get new life back into yourself this spring.
- Keep the dead buried.
I know at first glance that seems like a morbid start to a positive article. It is very important, though. Death is an inevitable part of this life because of sin. However, many things are better off dead and buried. That toxic relationship, tragic memory, or personal failure are a few examples. All such things rob us of life, and they need to die. Once dead, we need to let them stay buried. Don’t be a grave-robber and go digging up corpses of terrible things that have happened, but are now dead. Accept their death and walk in newness of life.
2. Try new things.
I talk a lot about this one, and for good reason. Trying new things and learning new skills keeps us growing for the better. It also is pretty fun once we ride with the wave. It is scary at first, but that is what makes it exhilarating. Get in that dance class, volunteer with that organization you care about, and take that road trip. You are going to surprise yourself with how much you learn and how much you actually enjoy it.
3. Revisit a passion.
Life gets crazy. Amidst the craziness, passion and purpose are a God-given anchor. When you understand that your life and what you do has meaning, you can take on the world. I recognize, however, that we sometimes put certain things we enjoy on the back burner. Perhaps our family or job needed more of our time. Maybe you lost confidence or are experiencing depression.
Finding or revisiting activities you enjoy can effectively treat depression. A 2006 study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found BA (behavioral activation therapy) to perform very well with medication in severely depressed patients. Essentially, BA is about treating from the outside-in, engaging in constructive behaviors that retrain your brain to not think negatively. It’s important for those not severely depressed. This technique is effective in boosting your mental state and give you some new life. If you used to love to draw, start doing it for just ten minutes each day. If you used to journal, write a couple paragraphs about your day each evening. That passion will start to flood back in and you will get new energy you never thought you had.
Enjoy this new season. Start a new season in your own life. Enjoy your life. May the grace and peace of our Lord rest upon you. See you next week.
“Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It’s the courage to continue that counts.” ~ Winston Churchill
References
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.74.4.658
Image by Larisa Koshkina from Pixabay
Take it in 