Christ-Centered Slow Living Activities That Improve Mental Health

 What exactly is Christ-Centered Slow Living you may ask and how can it improve mental health? 

Christ-centered slow living means intentionally choosing to make God the core of your life. It means prioritizing prayer, God’s Word, and pursuing His will over lesser things. As you make time to actively seek God in everything from your daily schedule to your finances, and most importantly your relationship with Jesus and others, something beautiful begins to happen! Christ-Centered Slow Living calls for a more intentional approach to life and rejects the idea that being busy means you’re important, to be rich you need to have more stuff, or that in order to be successful one must keep pace with the relentless pressures of modern life. It prioritizes God’s will, spoken in and through His Word, choosing relationships above activity, saying no to good things so you can pursue God’s plan, experiencing stillness, joy, God’s awe-inspiring creation, and the sweetness of peace. Christ-centered slow living allows you to get off the treadmill and ask God to determine your pace, to question the modern drive to accumulate more of everything, and to enjoy your Savior in a deeper way.   It allows you to glorify God in all you do and enjoy your relationship with Him.

Let’s take a look at some statistics…

• In 2019, there were an estimated 51.5 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States with AMI. This number represented 20.6% of all U.S. adults.

• The prevalence of AMI was higher among women (24.5%) than men (16.3%).

• Young adults aged 18-25 years had the highest prevalence of any mental illness (29.4%) compared to adults aged 26-49 years (25.0%) and aged 50 and older (14.1%).

• The prevalence of any mental illness was highest among the adults reporting two or more races (31.7%), followed by White adults (22.2%). The prevalence of AMI was lowest among Asian adults (14.4%).

• National Institute of Mental Health.

I think we all can agree that something needs to change.  We have a population of overwhelmed anxious people.

Christ-Centered Slow Living Activities

That Improve Mental Health

WALK

If at all possible take a walk outside, even better take a walk in the country or park.  Walking is an easy way to get our bodies moving which impacts how we breathe for the better.  Shallow breathing is a sign that you are stressed.  Intentionally slow your pace and notice the glorious natural beauty surrounding you.

BIBLE READING 

Seeking God through His Word calms the spirit and brings us back to reality.  The act of reading anything slows our body down but when we read the Bible we address our mind body and spirit at the same time and we are refreshed and renewed.  This is definitely a Christ-centered slow living activity that improves mental health!

GARDEN

Nature can have a positive impact on our mental well-being. The act of planting a seed and then watching it grow into a flower or delicious food causes us to do two things.  Acknowledge our creator and be filled with thankfulness.  Gardening is good exercise too and we all know that exercise is good for mental health!  It’s time to take a walk in your garden, or plant seeds inside, if you have never planted anything before, now is the time to start, and here is some help!

HEALTHY EATING

Why not try giving up sugar, it can cause anxiety and stress, and the toll it takes on your body is absolutely awful!  Here are some recipes to get you started.  Our bodies are a temple and gluttony is a sin that we rarely hear about in our culture.

PRAYER 

Prayer changes us. When we talk to God about what is going on in our lives, our problems, and laments He is listening.  He promises in His Word that He will never leave us or forsake us.   Meditate in prayer on the words Jesus has spoken to us in the Bible.  Sit and listen.  Contemplate the character of God and our identity in Him.  Knowing who our Father is and who we are will set you free.

HOLY YOGA

Holy Yoga is basically Christian Yoga, it has taken out any aspect of Yoga that is contrary to Christianity. Just 10 minutes of moving and stretching the body make a big difference in mood. Add prayer and Scripture to the mix and you are renewing and strengthening the mind, body, and soul.  Holy Yoga integrates healthy breath into the body and encourages us to become aware of any tension building in our bodies and how to release it.

SANCTIFIED PLANNING 

Ask God what he wants you to do today. Simplify your life and engage in true Christ-Centered Slow Living, I usually include this daily practice in my quiet time.  I note any appointments and then write down what Jesus wants me to do that day.  My favorite planner is the Monk Manual.  You can get FREE pages so you can try it out first.

SOOTHING MUSIC

Simply, listening to music makes me feel good. It allows me the space to let off steam and daydream. It also helps me quiet my thoughts and provides some respite from any worries or stress.

SABBATH REST 

I am so very thankful that God created us to need and appreciate rest.  He gives us six days to work and one day a week to rest, worship, and ponder the things of God.  The greatest gift is that we can rest in our salvation in and through Jesus Christ.  He is the only one who can provide true rest.  The Sabbath is a glorious act of love from our Father!

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YOUR TURN…

What are your suggestions for Christ-Centered Slow Living Activities That Improve Mental Health?

Blessings,