
January 23, 2025
New Choice = New Life
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Kenneth Patton once said, “By the choices and acts of our lives, we create the person that we are.”
So many people wish for a new life but for whatever reason they don’t go after it.
You’ll often overhear them saying they want to change…they need to change…that they’ve had enough and can’t take it anymore! It’s common for them to go through this “new me” process on January 1st, but by January 2nd their resolve is already wavering. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all been there.
Change can be so hard, especially when it’s more of a wish than a commitment, or when you feel stuck and are just trying to survive another day in the trenches.
One of the most common reasons why people don’t experience lasting change is because they try to change too many things all at the same time!
Life is complex with a lot of moving parts. We’re complicated creatures with physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual dimensions.
But let’s make it really simple. How satisfied are you with your life? When you consider your physical health, relationships, career, finances, spirituality, emotions, or other aspects of your life, are you happy?
You’re probably happier with certain things than others.
What direction are your choices taking you?
If nothing changes, where will you end up – and is that where you want to be?
A GLIMPSE
Let’s just consider the physical dimension of our being and get a glimpse of where lifestyle choices are taking certain people. (These statistics change often and might have already changed by the time you read this post.)
In the United States:
- 2500 people die daily of heart disease. Average years of life lost? 14.2 per person.
- 1500 people will die today of cancer.
- 2 people are diagnosed every 10 seconds with type-2 diabetes.
- 24 million people in the U.S. have diabetes and over 57 million have pre-diabetes.
- Estimates suggest that 1 in 3 children born in 2000 will develop type-2 diabetes.
- 34% of Americans are obese. 33% are overweight. Obesity can shorten life by 10 years.
We Are What We Choose.
We make our choices and then our choices make us (talk about raining on our parade!).
Despite amazing advances in medical research and treatment, 80% of the chronic, non-communicable diseases from which people suffer are the results of their lifestyle choices.
But Here’s the Good News…
We have the power to turn things around by simply making better choices. We are in charge of the quality and destiny of our life.
New life, a better life is just one choice away.
THE WHOLE PICTURE
We must keep in mind that when we talk about health, we’re talking about the whole person – the mental, physical, and spiritual dimensions.
We long for abundant health in mind, body, and soul, not just body. Here on the website and television show, Lifestyle, we discuss total-person health because people can be disease-free but not well.
Abundant life is having the energy, vitality, and strength in your whole person to live life to the fullest!
Abundant health is having energy to burn.
It’s having a reason to get out of bed in the morning!
It’s having the physical, emotional, and spiritual resources to squeeze every ounce of juice possible out life!
There’s more to health than diet and exercise. There’s more to health than disease prevention. True wellness involves the whole person.
Take a quick inventory of your life. Where might be a good place to start with making change? What one new choice could you make today?
Maybe change begins by focusing on a key relationship, or by moving your body more, or by eating less of certain unhealthy foods; or maybe it starts with blocking off a day just for yourself to think, plan, dream, or feel alive!
I don’t know what it is for you or where you need to get started because that is something that only you know, but I’d like to leave you with these encouraging words from General Colin Powell: “None of us can change our yesterdays, but all of us can change our tomorrows.”
Tomorrow begins today…and all it takes is making a new and better choice in some area of your life where you want to be happier and more satisfied.
Legal Disclaimer: The information contained on this website, Lifestyle, or in any email communications, is for education purposes only and is not intended to replace the counsel, treatment or advice of your physician, therapist or any other professional whose services you have obtained or are contemplating obtaining. Faith For Today Television and Lifestyle.org urges you to consult your primary care physician before making any lifestyle changes.