My friend with a chronic illness was living in a foreign country. When she visited the doctor, she couldn’t speak the language. She brought along a relative that could speak it and assumed everything would be OK.
Sadly, my friend’s relative didn’t believe she was ill. She used the opportunity to convince doctors that my friend didn’t need medication or care. She purposely caused my friend much suffering through her lies.
It’s hard when those we love don’t believe we’re sick or don’t think we’re in that much pain. It’s bad enough to be sick but when it feels like those you love don’t care? It’s heartbreaking.
That’s why I love Psalm 56:9. David says, “This I know: God is on my side!” (NLT)
Even when it feels like no one is looking out for you, God has your back! He’s looking out for you and causing EVERYTHING to work together for your good. That’s a promise you can rest in today.
Can I pray for you today: Father God, we humbly come today and want to say thank You. Thank You for being here in the midst of everything good, bad, and indifferent. No matter how it may seem, I know that You are always by our side. Thank you for reassuring us that your love, protection, and comfort. In Your Holy Name, Amen.
As a woman, taking your health seriously is of the utmost importance. One way to do this is to get routine screenings that look at various aspects of your health, from your blood pressure and cholesterol, to your stamina and physical health. Here are some of the more important health screenings women need to get.
Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
These are two simple screenings that everyone should get done regularly, including if you are a woman. In fact, women often have a higher risk for heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions, so you should start these tests around age 18-20. Your doctor may request to perform the test each year if you are at a high risk, or do them every few years when you go in for routine bloodwork. Both blood pressure and cholesterol can affect your heart health and overall health, so don’t skip this one.
Breast Screenings
As a woman, one of the riskiest cancers for you is breast cancer. While men can get breast cancer, most people who get this type of cancer are women. You should get various types of breast screenings to look for signs of cancer. The first is a basic type of breast exam, where the doctor or nurse will look for signs of bumps or lumps on your breast, including examining your armpits and areolas for irregular patterns or colors. You should also get a mammogram each year starting between 40 and 50 years old, according to your doctor’s guidelines.
Osteoporosis Screenings
One of the more common medical conditions women need to be careful about is osteoporosis. This is when you lose some of your bone density, which can easily happen with women as they age. You need to focus on diet and nutrition, as well as proper exercise to help prevent osteoporosis. You can also get early treatment by getting osteoporosis screenings periodically. This often includes getting a bone density scan, then following that up with x-rays of your bones.
Blood Glucose Tests
Finally, as a woman you might be at risk for diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can occur at any time during your life, whether you are at a high risk for it or not. It is important to get routine bloodwork, including checking your blood glucose levels, so you know whether or not you are pre-diabetes or if you already have diabetes now and need to get it treated.
Have you ever stopped to notice how fast our days seem to fly by? We wake up, bombarded with an insane amount of things we have to get done. Then, just like that, the day is over.
Of course, having the world at your fingertips doesn’t help to slow things down. It only adds to the chaos.
Today, I want to focus on what matters most in our lives. That could mean different things for different people. Nevertheless, each one of us has certain things they value more than others.
So, read ahead to find out how you can live your best life by focusing more on the things that matter.
The Most Important Things in Life
Having status and designer shoes are great and everything. But having them won’t make you any happier or healthier than the average person.
Another thing we tend to obsess over is what we don’t have. Sometimes, it becomes our driving force that can lead to negative habits and behavior.
Let me ask you this: do you want to live your best life today and every day? This is what you should do:
1. Identify What Matters the Most to You
First, take a step back and look at your life from a different vantage point. Next, try to dissect each aspect of your life. Which areas should you pay more attention to? Which should you cut back on?
To lead a balanced, well-fulfilled life, consider having one, or all, or the following. Maybe you can even add a couple of our own to the list.
A healthy body and mind
Family and friends
Money in the bank
The drive to constantly learn new things
A place to call home
Realistic goals and a purpose in life
The takeaway: Recognizing that what matters most in life has nothing to do with material possessions can help you appreciate what you have. Reconnecting with these things can lead to a better, happier, fuller life. It can also boost creativity and lower stress. It also gives you control over your happiness, rather than allowing external factors to affect your inner peace.
2. Listen and Pay Attention
While it’s important to listen to those close to you in life, it’s much more than that. It’s also about listening to yourself and paying attention to your likes and dislikes. This is a measure of your true worth and how much you love yourself.
Self-love requires practice, but it gets easier with time. When you’re at peace with yourself, you allow yourself to love others in a healthy, mature relationship.
The takeaway: Show yourself the same kindness and compassion you show others. When you look in the mirror, focus on the good rather than the bad. Treat yourself to nice things and be happy with who you are.
3. Be in the Present
Too often, we find ourselves regretting the past or worrying about the future. However, what matters the most is the moment we’re living right here and now.
Connecting with the world around you makes you appreciate what you have. The more you’re in tune with your ‘present,’ the more you’ll realize just how precious life can be.
As Earl Nightingale said, “Learn to enjoy every minute of your life…Think how really precious the time is you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”
The takeaway: Being self-aware helps bring tranquility and happiness into your life. In turn, the happier and calmer you are, the more things you’ll find to be thankful for.
4. Find a Hobby
Hobbies are the things you do for fun in your free time. They can range from knitting to deep-sea diving to jumping from airplanes.
Your experiences in life are what make it worth living. They give it meaning and shape the way you see others around you. Doing something you enjoy has been widely hailed as one of the best stress reducers of our time.
You can also use it to push your boundaries a bit and step out of your comfort zone. Sometimes, the idea of doing something new can be terrifying. If this happens to you, recognize your fear. Then, tell yourself it’s okay to be nervous about something new.
The takeaway: Live your life. Be eager to try out new experiences. They’re what add fulfillment and richness to your life.
5. Practice Positive Habits
Identifying positive habits and carrying them out daily brings order to your life. Good habits also result in good physical and mental health.
With a steady routine, you can reduce distractions that stand in the way of your accomplishing things. They also help steer you towards making better decisions. Studies show that by creating routines and enforcing good habits, you become better at taking care of your life, health, and overall well-being.
The trick is to be authentic to your values and beliefs. Let’s be honest, that can be hard to do in this media-frenzy world we’re living in. Yet, just having confidence in who you are can help shine the light on what matters most in your life.
The takeaway: Your thoughts are expressed through your words and, ultimately, your actions. Those actions turn into habits, so make sure you stick to enforcing positive habits in your life.
Final Thoughts
These five things are just some of the ways you can focus on what matters most in your life. At the end of the day, what it boils down to is that to live your best life, you have to focus on certain things over others.
Remember, what matters more to you may not be as important to others. So, stay true to your values and hold on to the things you treasure more in life.
The Caregiver Cafe 