THERE IS A POPULAR PHRASE, Alligator“You are what you eat.”  If you’re unfamiliar with it, the idea is that you should be careful about what you put in your body – because it is the foundation for what your body becomes.

This is a powerful concept that can be applied to other domains as well.

A number of years ago, I started noticing that my state of mind reflected what I was watching, listening to, and reading at the time.  I stopped following a top-rated podcast specifically because I found that I became cynical after listening to it.

That’s not the person I want to be.

I firmly believe that this is why it’s healthy to begin every day in prayer.  Whether it’s injecting God’s grace into your life, or just orienting your thoughts in the right direction … it makes a difference.

I do an awful lot of reading, so I try to make sure I have a good balance of the sacred versus secular, the informational versus inspirational.  It also takes my attention away from TV, which I find can be a force to take me away from what’s healthy.

So in this time of Christmas and spiritual awakening, I’d suggest that you should consider the following questions:

  • What are the important things in your life and goals?
  • What during your day takes you closer to them, or pushes you further away?
  • How would you like to change that balance?
  • What inspires you, giving you more life and energy?
  • What’s going to make 2015 different than 2014?

Everything you do during the day is a choice, even complying with the wishes of your employer or family.  You can shift that to something different if you wish.

I wish you all a joyous and fruitful new year!