What Brings You Life?

In a recent staff retreat, the question was asked, "What brings you life and what drains you?" We went around the circle, listing the good and the bad. I mulled over that thought and sent the following note to our staff the next day.

In accepting responsibility for selfcare, we need to remember to have fun. I know that this does not sound very spiritual, so how about this? 

Increase the number of things you do that are life giving.

We listed the things in our jobs/ministries that are life giving. My recommendation is simply to do more of those in your ministry and in life overall. Sure, we have to do things we don’t like at work and at home. That is a part of being an adult. But why do we limit the things that bring us joy? Sometimes all we can do is put one foot in front of another and some days or weeks, we just have to hang on. But there are tons of other times where we can choose what we do.

Make a list of 20 things that bring you joy or life. Then get out your calendar and get with it. 

I will give you two simple examples. I love the Brentwood Library located right in my neighborhood. I realized a while back that walking through the doors just kind of makes me feel good. I almost always think as I am going in, “I love this place.” So somewhere in my list of 20 things is, “Go by the library weekly.” Another one I have started recently is call old friends in ministry. I talked to a preacher pal in Memphis last week. When I hung up the phone I thought, “That was fun. What a great guy.”

Make your list. Feed your spirit.