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Self Renewal - The Critical Factor
By Kim | May 12, 2008
I love watching the Home and Garden channel, especially when they renovate a house. Often times, when I watch the amazing home transformations that take place, I think about self renewal. For some reason, I started to relate the wear and tear and abuse we go through as people in comparison to a house. It’s amazing how a house weathers the external elements around it. In time, the house starts to show the signs of the battles it’s endured - the sagging shutters, the peeling paint, the loose shingles. Then there is the interior of the house - with its own unique set of needs - new plumbing, interior paint, new flooring.
Self renewal becomes important for us because we have various needs that must be addressed as well: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social. Like a house, we have our external environment that nips away at us - our external appearance, our demeanor, our behavior. Sometimes, we even accumulate physical scars in the process. Then we have our internal needs - our body’s health, our mental well-being, our spiritual growth. This is why I believe that life dictates we refresh and/or improve ourselves. I believe our need to rest and/or sleep is intended for us to feel refreshed and/or improved to face a new day.
I think our busy lifestyles hurt our ability for self renewal, because we often try to squeeze as much as we can into every waking moment of our day. Sometimes, we even forego rest and/or sleep. The reality, however, lack of self renewal can result in deterioration. Think about that house - ignoring external needs makes the house look worn, old, or neglected. Ignoring the internal of that same house has repercussions as well. In our case, we have many areas of our lives that require self renewal. Truthfully, I used to dread the process. But now….now I have an entirely different perspective. I’m simply recharging, sharpening my saw, making improvements. Think about the alternative. Bring to mind the worst kept house you’ve ever seen. That could be you.
Just remember, self renewal doesn’t require an formal education or professional advice. Pay attention to your mind, body, and heart. They are feeding you plenty of clues. Of course, the easiest clue occurs when you’re tired. When this happens, your body is telling you that you need to rest. Most importantly, NEVER discount the importance of little things or small amounts of progress. For example, when I want to sharpen my mind, I may do activities like crossword puzzles to engage my mind. Also, I might spend several hours researching a topic I’ve always wanted to learn more about. On the other hand, if my external appearance needs help, I pay attention to those signs as well - maybe get a new hairstyle, improve my wardrobe, etc…
The point is you need self renewal. Without it, you disadvantage yourself. With it, you can thrive. Remember, you reap what you sow. If you don’t make time for self renewal, you can end up paying a steep price in the future.
Topics: Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Success |
